Falls of Schuylkill serves the community of East Falls with a variety of programs for all ages. Some select samples of programs offered this Summer includes:
🤖Build a Nanobot with Steve, Tuesday, June 3, 4:00 pm 🐶Read with a Dog, Monday, June 9, 4:00 pm 👶Stories and Songs for Babies and Toddlers, most Wednesdays at 10:15 am 🙋Teen Hangout, Wednesdays at 3:00 pm, runs June 25 -August 8 🎈Library Playgroup, most Thursdays at 2:30 pm
Join the Friends! If not a member, consider joining. If a member – do you need to renew?
The year flew by, and it’s time again to renew for the 2025-2026 year, if you haven’t already. We hope you’ll help us continue to support our Library and our community. In this time of slashed budgets and rising prices, we know every dollar matters. You can rest assured that any membership renewals sent in starting now will count towards the upcoming membership year; there’s no time like the present, and no need to wait until July 1! Membership applications can be found at the Library and on the Friends’ website. Already a member, but need to renew? PayPal makes it easy. Our dues are little but the rewards of becoming a member of the Friends of the Falls of Schuylkill Library are great! Funds raised by the Friends cover programs, materials, activities, furnishings building upgrades and much more at our Falls branch.
With the arrival of June, many Friends start thinking about downshifting, or get aways from East Falls visiting family or friends or going on vacation this summer! For times that you stay local, keep in mind that our Falls of Schuylkill library will be open on Saturdays this summer, so consider coming to a Fiber Arts Saturday Sit ‘n Stitch 10:30 am-12:30 pm third Saturdays of the month, or to a lively Board Game Cafe 2:00-4:00 pm June 21, July 19 and August 16 where there are also tables set up for playing, or learning Mahjong Chinese style. FSL is also running an Introduction to Digital Photography Workshop 1:00 pm Saturday, June 7. And for children entering grades 2-6, Children’s librarian Grace Foster will be hosting an informal, hands-on Science in the Summer program. Click here to continue reading the President’s Message.
✍️From the Desk of:
Falls of Schuylkill Librarian, Jenn Estepp✍️
From the reference desk…
Happy Summer Reading season, friends! I can hardly believe that I’m coming up on one year as your branch manager. We are crossing our fingers and hoping that these warmer months don’t mean cooling issues and library closures are on the horizon. While some issues with our HVAC remain, the Free Library recently delivered dehumidifiers to us and the Lovett Library, in the hopes that we can remain open –including on Saturdays. Wish us luck! Click here to continue reading Jenn’s message.
👏Spring Book and Bake Sale Thanks!👏
The Spring Book and Bake Sale was a success thanks to our wonderful volunteers and customers. We thank the volunteers who brought in numerous book donations, sorted the books, staffed the book sale daily, and purchased books while smiling the whole time! We also thank the many satisfied customers who purchased the books. A special thanks to the Mifflin School who purchased many books for their school. The Spring Book and Bake sale grossed over $5000. This amount was achieved with three fewer selling days than the Fall 2024 Book Sale. We look forward to continuing support and enthusiasm in the Fall for our next Book Sale. Thank you to everyone who made this book sale a success!
— Beth Hymel and Ann Wiley, Friends Book Sale Co-Chairs
The Hospitality Team would like to thank all the bakers who volunteered their time and talent to make the Bake Sale a success. We had an array of cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and cookies that attracted both adults and children alike to our table. A big shout again to all of our wonderful bakers. We couldn’t have done it without you!
— Marie and Mary Jean, Friends Bake Sale Co-chairs
🌻Garden Committee Update🌻
Welcome to Andrea Sunderland as the new Co-Chair of the Garden Committee. In my absence she has worked to keep the garden in shape since last fall and has done a fine job. New Committee volunteers bring with them needed gardening experience. We had an impromptu work session on Memorial Day weekend after we were rained out the prior Wednesday. Five volunteers showed up, including two new ones, to plant the big pots, stake plants, pull stakes from the oak trees, weed and edit out overgrowth. The garden is burgeoning.
Roger Marsh, a long time Committee member, refurbished the three garden benches last year. Stop by and relax on them as you enjoy the garden. Rich Matkowski, FFSL Property Committee Chair, leveled one of the benches misplaced by the developer next door. It takes a lot of effort to keep the garden in shape but the volunteers do just that. Thank you.
Nancy Pontone Co-Chair Garden Committee
✂️ Fiber Arts Gatherings✂️
The Friends sponsored two Fiber Arts classes in March: Beginning Knitting, a 2-part series taught by Gina Giles who is an instructor at Wild Hand, a shop in Mt. Airy, and Caring for Our Hands taught by Mariah Sanford, who is a certified Physical Therapist and a knitting instructor at Purls of Wisdom in Phoenixville.
Both classes were successful and received excellent reviews from the participants.
While we take a break from classes for the summer (our get-togethers will still happen!), we would like to hold more classes over the fall and winter.
Do you have an idea for a class you’d like to see the Friends sponsor? Please email us at
Our 2 fiber get-togethers continue throughout the summer. Our Fiber Arts gathering meets in the Main Library every Tuesday from 2 PM to 4 PM and our Sit and Stitch gathering meets on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, again in the Main Library.
The folks who attend our gatherings work in many mediums: crochet, quilting, knitting, counted cross stitch, embroidery, making jewelry and drawing to name a few.
Join us – we welcome all crafts enthusiasts!
— Martha Fuller for the Fiber Arts gatherings, a part of the Friends Community Outreach and Engagement Committee
🎒15 Themed Backpacks for Kids Available🎒
Encourage playful learning at home with one of our new Play Backpacks, now available to borrow from the Free Library. Play Backpacks are intended for children aged 3-8, and can be checked out by an adult or child. Holds not available; stop in to check one out!
📚It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth📚
by Zoe Thorogood
Book Review by Patrick Hillanbrand
Being an avid graphic novel reader, it’d be a sin for me not to talk about one of the best self-exploratory pieces of graphic literature that I’ve read in the last ten years. Zoe Thorogood’s autobiographical work aptly titled It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth follows the artist/author after her debut graphic novel explodes in popularity, landing her in the public eye of the publishing world. Through the book, she explores success, imposter syndrome, loneliness (naturally), depression, and what we do when we feel we have nowhere else to turn but inward. The art alone—with its jarring disconnects and non-verbal exposition—is reason enough to give this one a shot. Make no mistake; the art carries the message, but the message makes the book.
Thorogood’s bread and butter lies in her panel-to-panel changes or lack thereof. As she tells her story, her own persona takes on several different appearances, such as her younger, inspired self who still writes stories about video game characters and has stars in her eyes. This contrasts the drastic shift to who she feels she has become as an adult and the fact that her backgrounds and the world around her become muchmore detailed than herself, emulating the idea that she has been left behind and feels isolated from the rest of the planet—a feeling all too common amongst young professionals. As she takes you through this hectic six-month period of her life and what is boiling just beneath the surface of her character, you may begin to develop not only a sense of sympathy for her, but a kinship. The lessons she learns become the reader’s own.
The book’s crowded pages and meandering stroll down the corridors of the author’s mind culminate in one of the best endings to a snapshot of one’s own life I have ever seen put to a visual medium. I won’t spoil it for you, should you wish to experience it yourself, but this is one of those books that I wish I could read for the first time again. It may hit very close to home at times, but it is a wonderful kind of catharsis that very rarely comes along from a graphic memoir. It is no small wonder why the Eisner Awards had their eye on her. From this point on, I will as well.
📚Atomic Habits📚
by James Clear
Book Review by Lisa Meyers
My motivation for reading Atomic Habits by James Clear was to be a companion to the Noom subscription I had just purchased. Noom, a well-known mobile app for healthy eating and weight loss, prescribes the major tenets of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to understand poor eating habits and to encourage better food choices. While Noom worked well for me, it doesn’t work for everyone. The same could be said about this book.
I have read reviews of this book that vary widely. Some readers were concerned about the author’s lack of credentials as a health and nutrition professional. Some thought the book was more about driving traffic to his website. While this may or may not be true, the author did his research and included his own life experiences. I picked up this book because I wanted to break some bad eating habits and establish better habits regarding food choices. I found the book to be very supportive and in alignment with the CBT practices behind the Noom psychology. In the process of reading this book, I learned much about CBT and how to apply it to my life. The key to being successful in establishing new habits is to make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, make it satisfying. The book builds and fills in around these 4 guidelines. I liked the book enough to own my own copy so I can refer to it from time to time.
📚The English Understand Wool📚
by Helen DeWitt
Book Review by Roslyn Thomas
This novella is a tempting treat; it’s what the French would describe as an amuse bouche. The English Understand Wool is both the appetizer and the meal. It’s simultaneously a psychological thriller and morality instruction. The story is charming. The characters are charming. And then they are not charming, but they are still charming. And the people we should like are the very ones who are not so charming. I realize this is circuitous, but you have to read the book to really understand that, for me to say anything more would be a spoiler. It’s a quick read; about 75 pages. It will stay with you as it has with me.
🏖️Summer 2025 Calendar of Events🏖️
The library has multiple free programs this Spring with programs for all ages. Programs will take place in the downstairs meeting room (Midvale Entrance) unless otherwise noted. Click here for a full list of events and descriptions.
✍️Meet the Author!✍️
Andrea Tsurumi
Monday, June 2, 2:45 PM
Join us for a visit with local author and illustrator Andrea Tsurumi!
From Accident!and Crab Cake to Mr. Watson’s Chickens, their beloved books are packed with hilarious visuals and amusing, thought-provoking stories. Andrea will read their picture books, talk about their experience making children’s books, and share a fun craft!
📸Introduction to Digital
Photography Workshop📸
Sunday, June 7, 1:00 PM
Elevate your photography journey with professional wildlife photographer Troy Bynum! Join us for this introductory workshop and unlock the secrets of digital photography. This hands-on course delves into the essentials of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and much more, empowering participants with a solid foundation on digital photography basics. Perfect for beginners and seasoned photographers alike.
💃Drag Queen Story Time💃
Wednesday, June 11, 10:15 AM
Join Brittany Lynn for a Drag Queen Story Time. Hear stories about love, diversity, and acceptance. Stay after story time for free play with Ms. Grace.
🎲Board Game Café🎲
Saturdays: June 21, July 19 & August 16
2:00-4:00 PM
Enjoy board games? Looking to socialize? Meet up with neighbors? We have many games on hand eg: Scrabble, Chess, Pictionary and Mah Jong, but feel free to bring your favorite game. Facilitated by co-hostesses Tali Satlow and La Sripanawongsa. Light refreshments provided, or feel free to bring your own snacks.
🐍Snakes Alive🐍
Tuesday, June 24, 4:00 PM
Join snake expert Scott Prior for a fun, interactive presentation of live snakes (all harmless) from around the world. We’ll learn general information on types of snakes, their habits, care and conservation, and he will help dispel any negativity or fears. If you dare, you may be able to hold one! This half hour program is suitable for all ages.
👓Free Eye Exams👓
Eye Mobile Powered by Vision To Learn is providing NO-COST eye exams and glasses to kids (K-12th grade) who have previously failed a vision screening or have vision issues. Sign up at: https://eem.intakeq.com/booking
📖Falls Book Club Summer Discussions📖
Meets generally on the last Monday of the month at 5:30 PM.
The June 30 Book Selection:
📘The House of Broken Bricks, by Anna Quindlan.
The group is free and open to all. For more information, please reach out to Jenn Estepp, Branch Manager.
✒️Falls Writing Group✒️
Meets most Tuesdays from 5:30 to about 6:45 PM.
This group will be held in the Main Room of the library.
Connect with other writers for motivation, accountability, and inspiration via free writing, prompts and writing games, group sharing, feedback sessions and more. This free event will be a positive and non-judgmental community open to writers of all genres and skill levels. The group is facilitated by library staff member, Patrick Hillanbrand.
✂️Fiber Arts Groups✂️
Fiber Artsmeets every Tuesday, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Main Library
Sit and Stitchmeets the third Saturday of the month, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Main Library
Craving for a crafts group to meet up with? Want to connect, socially, with other creatives working on portable crafts projects? Looking to share your crafts project or project ideas with other creatives? Stop by the Library – bring a portable craft project (knitting, crocheting, hand-sewing, embroidery, jewelry, etc) that you are working on. Don’t know how, but want to learn to hand-craft from others who are passionate about their projects? Stop in and watch and learn some basics. It’s free to attend.
🕵️Mystery, Murder and Mayhem!🕵️
A Monthly Mystery Book Club
Genrally meets on the second Tuesdays of the month at 4:00 PM.
This group will be held in the Main Room of the library.
As a genre, mysteries span countries, cultures, and historic periods, varying in tone, pace, and characterization. From the hardboiled to the cozy, from the plodding of a procedural to the twisty legal thriller, there are as many types of mysteries as there are reasons to read them. Let’s explore it all, led by our own curiosity and interests!
🔍June 10 – The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.
🔍July 8 – The Searcher by Tana French.
🔍August 12 – Her Name is Knight by Yasmin Angoe.
🙆“Qigong Outdoors” in the Midvale Garden🙆
Relax, stress-free and strong…with Qigong! Experience a sense of well-being with the calming, nourishing practice of Qigong (chee-gong). With gentle movements, deep breathing, and self-massage, find yourself feeling less stressed and more energized. This meditative practice improves flexibility and balance, and is beneficial to your body, breath, and spirit. The movements are easy to do, and beginners as well as those familiar with Qigong are welcome. No special equipment required—just dress comfortably and have some water handy. Simply come prepared to dedicate this time to YOU!
“Qigong Outdoors” at The Falls of Schuylkill Library right outside the Midvale entrance. In case of rain, sessions will be held in the downstairs Meeting Room.
Thursdays in July & August at 11 am.
🙆July 10, 17 and 31 (no class on July 3 and 24)
🙆August 7, 14 and 21 (no class on August 28)
Bio on Leader: Eileen Kelsall has been practicing, studying, and teaching Qigong for the past ten years. Eileen has led Qigong programs for the Falls of Schuylkill Library, MALT, and on Zoom. She finds immense joy in sharing this special practice and inspiring others to make Qigong a way of life!
Friends of the Falls of Schuylkill Library
Officers
Jenna Musket, President
Neha Pancholi, Vice President
Ann Wiley, Treasurer
Mary Jean Cunningham, Recording Secretary
Jenn Estepp, Branch Librarian, ex-officio
Join the friends!
Ensure the library remains a vital center of lifelong learning for all the members of our East Falls community.
Piyanut “La” Sripanawongsa – Social Media (FB, IG) and co-host Board Game Café (Májiàng)
Contributors to this issue of The Catfish Chronicle:
Jenn Ainslie; Mary Jean Cunningham & Marie Filipponi; Jenn Estepp; Martha Fuller; Patrick Hillanbrand; Beth Hymel & Ann Wiley; Jenna Musket; Lisa Myers; Nancy Pontone; Roslyn Thomas.
Friends of the Falls of Schuylkill Library, 3501 Midvale Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
