Phoenixville Public Library schedules events for patrons
Living history
Phoenixville Public Library hosts a special Black History Month living history presentation on Monday, Feb. 27, at 6:45 PM. Dr. Daisy Century will portray Sojourner Truth. Born Isabella Baumfree, the slave from a small town north of New York City changed hands several times, sold by one brutal owner to another just as harshly. Her life included repeated beatings, rapes and forced marriage. In 1826, having been promised freedom, but then cruelly denied emancipation, she left her current owners and found her way to the Van Wageners’ home. There she had an epiphany, became a devout Christian, and renamed herself Sojourner Truth, after which she began her travels as a preacher. In 1850, Sojourner began speaking on women’s suffrage, believing the causes of abolition and women’s rights to be intertwined and equally important. Ms. Truth’s most quoted speech, “Ain’t I a Woman?” was delivered at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Although there has been much dispute about the words she spoke and the rhythm of her speech, there is no debate about the power and integrity of the speaker or about the impact of the speech and the speaker’s life. Truth also helped recruit black troops during the Civil War for the Union Army, and she worked as a Union nurse. Dr. Daisy Century and Ms. Sojourner Truth are both powerful singers and very intelligent women, whether self-taught or academically trained. Almost as impressively tall as the woman she portrays, Century gives a commanding performance of Ms. Truth, bringing to life a woman undeterred by incredible obstacles, a woman who mixed with the leading figures of her day, including Susan B. Anthony, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. Audience members are urged to consider the twin goals of racial and gender parity of equal importance. We are inspired by Ms. Truth’s fiery wit, as exemplified by her rejoinder to a comment that since she smoked a pipe (at one time), her conduct did not reflect cleanliness being next to godliness. Said Sojourner, “When I die, I expect to leave my breath behind.” The audience has the opportunity to sign Sojourner Truth’s Book of Life, signifying their connection to Ms. Truth’s legacy. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required at https:// ccls.libcal.com/calendar/ Phoenixville/sojournertruth or by calling 610933-3013 x132. For more information, email Adult Services Director Mark Pinto at mpinto@ccls.org or Youth Services Director Tegan Conner-Cole at tconnercole@ccls.org. Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Ave.
Muth remote office
Phoenixville Public Library will host remote office hours for State Sen. Katie Muth on the fourth Tuesday of every month beginning Feb. 28. The hours will be 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Services and resources that can be provided during these hours include notary services (except for transactions of sale: car titles & real estate agreements), SEPTA Senior Pass application and photo; PennDOT services (e.g., handicap placard applications, nondrivers license photo ID applications), Real ID document review, tax rebate program for renters and property owners, voter registration information, SNAP application eligibility, Veterans Service Officer appointments, and resources for PA state government services. Appointments are walk-in only. For more information, email the Library’s
Adult Services Director, Mark Pinto, at mpinto@ccls.org. Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA. Books on Tap, Phoenixville Public Library’s book discussion group for twenty- and thirty-something adults, will meet next on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7:00 PM, at Rebel Hill Brewing Company, 420 Schuylkill Rd., Phoenixville. The group will discuss The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King.
Book discussion
Fred Rogers (1928—2003) was an enormously influential figure in the history of television. As the creator and star of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” he was a champion of compassion, equality, and kindness, fiercely devoted to children and taking their questions about the world seriously. “The Good Neighbor” is the first full-length biography of Fred Rogers. Based on original interviews, oral histories, and archival documents, The Good Neighbor traces Rogers’s personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work. It includes his surprising decision to walk away from the show in 1976 to make television for adults, only to return to the neighborhood to help children face complex issues such as divorce, discipline, mistakes, anger, and competition. “The Good Neighbor” is the definitive portrait of a beloved figure. A New York Times bestseller. Physical copies of the book and audiobook may be reserved at www.ccls.org. eBook and eAudiobook copies may be reserved at https:// chester.overdrive.com. This event is free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Email Christine Shaffer at shaffer.m.christine@ gmail.com for more information.