Librarians at Tredyffrin Township Libraries work to reach new audiences and build lasting relationships with local organizations. We strive to provide equitable delivery of library services by developing programs, policies, and partnerships which make the library available to everyone in our community. Follow what we’re up to on this page!
Did you land here because you’re a community organization that is interested in working with us? Reach out to Sam Sorensen, Adult Programming & Community Outreach Coordinator for Tredyffrin Public Library, at ssorensen@ccls.org.
Happening Now
People’s Light: A Raisin in the Sun
Display & Community Events at People’s Light, February 19 – March 30
When A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway in 1959, James Baldwin noted, “Never before, in the entire history of the American theater, has so much of the truth of Black people’s lives been seen on the stage.” This groundbreaking play presents a Black working-class family in Chicago as they struggle to realize their dreams. The title comes from Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” that asks, “What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?” A dream postponed for too long loses its spirit, lifeless as it shrivels under the oppressive sun. Here, we collect titles of plays, novels, poetry, and essays that highlight similar themes in the play.
Display at People’s Light
Curated by: Sam Sorensen
Adult Programming & Community Outreach Coordinator
Tredyffrin Public Library
Find more information about each text below and select the title to place a hold to pick up at your local library. The materials are listed in alphabetical order by title.
A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry
The Essential June Jordan
June Jordan
Fences
August Wilson
Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Angela Davis
Invisible Man
Ralph Ellison
Nothing Personal
James Baldwin
Parable of the Sower
Octavia Butler
Selected Poems
Langston Hughes
Sister Outsider
Audre Lorde
The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois
Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
The Source of Self-Regard
Toni Morrison
The Women of Brewster Place
Gloria Naylor
This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets
Edited by Kwame Alexander
To Be Young, Gifted and Black: Lorraine Hansberry in Her Own Words
Lorraine Hansberry
Community Book Chat
Sunday, March 23 at 12:30PM
Join us for a community book chat about Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun before the show. Register and attend to receive a $5 ticket! You will receive a code via the email with which you register.
StoryGraph Book Club
Now – March 30
Join our book club on StoryGraph to participate in thematic discussions about A Raisin in the Sun all month long. If you have questions about getting set up with StoryGraph, please reach out to the Tredyffrin Reference desk in person or by phone: 610-688-7092 x212
24 in ’25: Yearlong Book Challenge
24 in ’25 is a yearlong challenge to read 24 books in 2025 and win some prizes! The Book Challenge Display near the Circulation Desk upstairs and our social media channels will always have monthly recommendations for you. You cannot use a book for more than one prompt. Even though the prompts are listed out for the year, you may join the challenge at any time!
How do I participate?
- You can view the prompts below and/or you can pick up a bookmark with the full list from the Book Challenge Display. Each month has two suggestions totaling 24 for the year, but you may read in any order you like.
- Once you complete a read, fill out our online form as a raffle entry. Every read that you submit counts as a raffle ticket. You can earn as many as 24 raffle entries for small prizes! If you have difficulty filling out the form, please come in and chat with our helpful Reference Staff.
What are the prizes? There are three small raffle prizes that everyone will be entered for. They are: (1) A library tote bag & library ‘Swell water bottle (2) A book club candle (notes of warm nutmeg, amber, and sandalwood) & (3) A $20 gift card to Main Point Books. You will select which raffle you want to enter with each submission.
If you complete all 24 prompts, you will also be entered for the SUPER raffle basket, which includes all three small raffle prizes plus three bags of Máquina Coffee (whole bean, varying roasts) and a $25 gift card to A Taste of Britain.
Contact Sam at ssorensen@ccls.org with any questions.
Challenge Prompts
January: Debut Novel | New-to-You Author
February: Short Story Collection | Black Author
March: Irish Author | Woman Author
April: A Librarian Recommendation | Poetry Collection
May: One-Word Title | AAPI Author
June: LGBTQIA+ Author | Found Family Trope
July: Disabled Author | Tredyffrin Public Library Book Club Pick
August: Beach Read | Told in Non-Chronological Order
September: School Setting | Features Latin American History
October: A Banned Book | A Translated Book
November: Indigenous Author | A Memoir
December: A Cozy Book | Multiple POV
Happened Already
From Seed to Blossom: Supporting Queer & Trans Youth
at People’s Light, November 18, 2024
Sam (Adult Programming & Community Outreach Coordinator at Tredyffrin) served on the Planning Committee with many community partners for this event. Jonathan (Head of Reference & Technology at Tredyffrin), Sarah (Children’s & Youth Services Librarian at Paoli), and Sam spent the day attending workshops and networking with local organizations focused on supporting queer and trans youth. A wonderful event! Stay tuned for 2025.
Freedom to Read Day of Action
October 19, 2024
The freedom to read is an American value that must be protected. Book bans and challenges in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2023 and continue to happen at an alarming rate. It’s more important than ever to show support for your library and the freedom to read. Sign the pledge to make your voice heard!
For a year now, Tredyffrin has facilitated a Banned Book Club that is always accepting new members. The Banned Book Club is reading their way through the ALA’s Top Challenged Books Lists to discuss the literary and artistic aspects of the text alongside its social context.
On Saturday, October 19, 2024, libraries, bookstores, readers, and other partners nationwide are hosting various community events to unite against book bans and demonstrate our shared commitment to this fundamental freedom. Inspired by Queens Public Library, Tredyffrin Public Library will have a “Stand with Libraries Everywhere” Wall in our lobby where patrons can share encouraging words about protecting the Freedom to Read or offer the title of their favorite banned book.
Tredyffrin Public Library will also be leading a Day of Action online via our Instagram where you can participate in one of two ways:
- Share a book by taking a photo of (or selfie with) a book that is important to you and share why with us. Use the hashtag #FreedomToRead and tag us! @tredylibrary
- Spread the word by using the Freedom to Read Day of Action’s graphics. Use the hashtag #FreedomToRead and tag the library @tredylibrary.
Pride in the Park 2024
September 29, 2024
Pride in the Park is our annual resource fair that brings together organizations, educators, authors, and artists focused on the LGBTQIA+ community. We will also have storytimes and crafts available. It’s a day of information and celebration for the entire family!
Some organizations attending this year:
- Main Line Health LGBTQ+ Inclusive Care
- CHOP Gender & Sexuality Development Program
- Arrive Therapy
- Main Point Books
- LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County
- Amy Crocheted
- And more!
Welcoming Week
at Upper Main Line YMCA, September 17, 2024
Celebrated annually at the YMCA, Welcoming Week is a chance for neighbors—both immigrants and U.S.-born residents—to get to know one another and celebrate what unites us as a community. From Friday, September 13 – Sunday, September 22, 2024, all branches of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine celebrated Welcoming Week with programs, activities, and resources. Sam (Adult Programming & Community Outreach Coordinator at Tredyffrin) and Sarah (Children’s & Youth Services Librarian at Paoli) were invited to share information about all of Tredyffrin Township Libraries’ wonderful resources for our community members.
Arbo-READ-um
July 1 – August 16, 2024
Arbo-READ-um is a program series born from a partnership between the library and Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens. This summer, we will work together to provide opportunities to promote literacy, library and arboretum usage, and community conversations by discussing a book with the Tredyffrin Township community.
The book selection for 2024 is Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard by Joan E. Strassmann.
From July 1st through August 16th, join us in reading Slow Birding and learning more about our backyard bird friends. This one-of-a-kind guide to birding locally encourages readers to slow down and notice the spectacular birds all around them. Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States—birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. Slow Birding is a perfect book for those looking to embrace the joys of birding right where they are.
View the schedule of events below and find instructions on how to log your participation for the community read in Beanstack.
Schedule of Events
MONDAY, JULY 1
Arbo-READ-um Kick-Off
Begin logging Arbo-READ-um activities and your reading journey of Slow Birding. Register on Beanstack to enter to win a prize pack featuring bird-related goodies as well as a signed copy of the book. A winner will be selected on Friday, August 16.
Register for Beanstack here: ccls.beanstack.org
SATURDAY, JULY 13
Makerspace: Needle Felted Birds (Adults & Teens 16+)
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Learn the art of needle felting and create an adorable little bird to take home. All materials are provided.
Free of charge | Location: Tredyffrin Public Library
Registration is required. Register here: https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12541082.
THURSDAY, JULY 18
Slow Birding
7:00 – 8:30 PM
Joan E. Strassmann, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis and Author of Slow Birding
In the heart of migration, it is easy to jump from one bird to the next, tallying counts of warblers, vireos, tanagers, and thrushes with increasing speed. But there is another way to approach birding—through slow, quiet observation. Join Dr. Strassmann in getting to know the most common birds, not just by sight, but by behavior. Discover their unique stories and enrich your experiences of our most commonly seen birds.
Free of charge | Virtual event
Registration is required. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/912793077667
SATURDAY, JULY 20
Guided Bird Walk
8:00 – 9:30 AM
Troy Bynum, Avid Birder and Owner of TB Wildlife Photography, LLC
Get outside and discover which birds are at Jenkins during summer breeding. Explore diverse habitats including woodland, pond edge, and stream-side paths. All levels of birders are welcome, especially new birders. Bring binoculars if you have them. Dress for the weather. Wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes with good traction for various terrains.
Free of charge | Location: Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens
Registration is required. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/912809827767
SATURDAY, JULY 27
Drop In: Flapping Bird Clips (Ages 5+)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Drop in to create a bird clip that can flap its wings!
Free of charge | Location: Tredyffrin Public Library
No registration is required, but you may sign up to receive an email reminder. Sign up here: https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12541853
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6
Summer Storytime: Bird Bonanza
10:00 – 10:30 AM
Enjoy a bird-themed read aloud with Stephanie Bragg from the Tredyffrin Public Library and Jenkins! Join us for a morning in nature and learn something new while listening to engaging stories. Sidewalk chalk will be available after for creating art with our feathered friends for inspiration!
All ages welcome, most suitable for ages 3-6. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Free of charge | Location: Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens
Registration is strongly recommended. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/912777872187
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15
Cavity-Nesting Birds with Jennifer Uehling, Ph.D.
7:00 – 8:30 PM
Jennifer Uehling, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology, West Chester University
Cavity-nesters are birds that nest in holes in trees, and they will also readily nest in human-provided nest boxes. This creates an excellent system for studying bird breeding behavior and ecology. Dr. Uehling will explore species of cavity-nesters in this region, including Tree Swallows, Eastern Bluebirds, House Wrens, and Carolina Chickadees, and will share findings from her own research on Tree Swallow foraging ecology.
Free of charge | Virtual event
Registration is required. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/912801743587
Beanstack
Download the Beanstack app for your device or go to ccls.beanstack.org After registering or signing in, you will see a list of challenges. Find and select “2024 Arbo-READ-um.” The unique challenge code is ARBOREADUM24. If you have questions about signing up for Beanstack or locating the challenge, please stop by the library or contact the Tredyffrin Public Library Reference Desk at 610-688-7092 x212.
Once you complete activities in Beanstack, you can enter to win a prize pack featuring goodies from Tredyffrin Public Library and Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens! Some of the prizes include a signed copy of Slow Birding, a library tote bag and water bottle, a set of notecards, a reusable dishcloth, The Backyard Birds of the Mid-Atlantic Field Guide, and more!
A winner will be selected on Friday, August 16th to celebrate the conclusion of Arbo-READ-um.
Somewhere Over the Border Display
in the lobby at People’s Light, July 17 – August 11, 2024
As author Jonathan Gottschall explains, we are storytelling animals. Stories make us human, and stories shape how we teach, learn, grow, and explore. Following his argument, stories are necessary to our very survival. Up-and-coming writer and composer Brian Quijada honors his mother in a fantastically true tale of determination, family, and friendship through Somewhere Over the Border. Here, we offer retellings of Oz and immigration stories in for all ages from Tredyffrin’s collections.
Curated by: Sam Sorensen
Adult Programming & Community Outreach Coordinator
Tredyffrin Public Library
Find more information about each text below and select the title to place a hold to pick up at your local library. The materials are listed in alphabetical order by title.
Areli is a Dreamer: A True Story
Areli Morales (illustrated by Luisa Uribe)
The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir
Thi Bui
The Book of Unknown Americans: A Novel
Cristina Henríquez
The Complete Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
Dreamers
Yuyi Morales
Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings
Margarita Engle
Everyone Who is Gone is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis
Jonathan Blitzer
Exit West: A Novel
Mohsin Hamid
The House of Broken Angels
Luis Alberto Urrea
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Erika L. Sánchez
Interpreter of Maladies: Stories
Jhumpa Lahiri
Lucky Boy
Shanthi Sekaran
My Two Border Towns
David Bowles (illustrated by Erika Meza)
The Refugees
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Salt Houses
Hala Alyan
Solito: A Memoir
Javier Zamora
The Distance Between Us
Reyna Grande
Transcendent Kingdom
Yaa Gyasi
The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You
Dina Nayeri
We Are Not From Here
Jenny Torres Sanchez
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Gregory Maguire
The Wiz live! The Original Soundtrack (CD)
The Wizard of Oz (DVD)
Produced by Mervyn LeRoy, directed by Victor Fleming, screenplay by Noel Languley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolfe
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum
Off By One Display
in the lobby at People’s Light, June 12 – July 7, 2024
As two women bond over the late poet Douglas Roote’s work, this gentle narrative explores questions of fate, coincidence, and the profound impact of a seemingly small life. Poetry is connective, and it is our hope that you check out some of these items from Tredyffrin’s collections to deepen your relationships with all that surrounds you—other people, the environment, the seemingly mundane, and yourself.
Curated by: Sam Sorensen
Adult Programming & Community Outreach Coordinator
Tredyffrin Public Library
Find more information about each text below and select the title to place a hold to pick up at your local library. The materials are listed in alphabetical order by title.
Above Ground: Poems
Clint Smith
African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song
Kevin Young, editor
The Art of Losing: Poems of Grief and Healing
Kevin Young
Becoming a Poet: Elizabeth Bishop with Marianne Moore and Robert Lowell
David Kalstone
The Collected Poems
Emily Dickinson
The Collected Poems of Robert Service
Robert Service
Complete Poems and Selected Letters
John Keats
The Hurting Kind
Ada Limón
Inciting Joy: Essays
Ross Gay
Leaves of Grass: The First (1855) Edition
Walt Whitman
Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose
Nikki Giovanni
The New Annotated Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
Playlist for the Apocalypse: Poems
Rita Dove
Poetry and Tales
Edgar Allan Poe
Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World
Pádraig Ó. Tuama
Rimbaud Complete
Arthur Rimbaud
Selected Poetry of Lord Byron
Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Such Color
Tracy K. Smith
This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets
Kwame Alexander, editor
Upstream: Selected Essays
Mary Oliver
Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years
Joy Harjo
Pride in the Park 2023
September 24, 2023
Tredyffrin, Paoli, and Easttown Libraries joined forces to host Pride in the Park, a community event that offers resources for the LGBTQIA+ community. We hosted many community partners who provided information on healthcare, education, library materials, and advocacy. Crafts and storytimes were available for all ages, and local artists offered pride-themed items. Around 150 people braved the rainy day to learn and celebrate with us. Stay tuned for 2024!