Chestnut Hill Library
September's Calendar is Coming Soon!
In the meantime...
Yoga for Curious Kids w/Maria Eble
Most Wednesday Mornings this Fall @ 10:30 a.m.
September 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th
October 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th
November 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th
December 4th, 11th, & 18th
In this class, children and their favorite adult will experience 30 minutes of fun and inspirational interaction encouraging the child’s natural thirst for knowledge. Class is personalized around children's curiosities as they learn yoga through social interaction, repetition, and play. We will combine simple kid-friendly yoga poses and breathwork with stories, games, and visualizations that exercise social, sensory, and motor skills while increasing flexibility.
Children and adults should come dressed, ready to move. No yoga experience is required. Led by Maria Eble.
Music with Ms. Molly
First Thursday of the Month @ 10:30
9/5, 10/3, 11/7, 12/5
These sessions are based on music appreciation, learning rhythms, incorporating elements of early childhood education into music, and are most of all, fun! Classes are themed around various children's interests, such as space, boats, monsters, trucks, animals and more. We will also introduce kids to new instruments as well as age-appropriate folksongs and fun pop/rock songs, alongside children's music. Let's get grooving to the music!
Storytime with Ms. Prather, Children’s Librarian
Third Thursday of Every Month @ 10:30
9/19, 10/17, 11/21 & 12/19
Join our Children’s Librarian for stories, songs, rhymes, dance and play. For infants thru-preschooled aged children and their caregivers. Groups must reserve their spot in advance by calling 215-685-9290.
Build-It! Club
Most Thursday afternoons, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
STEM based building toys for Free Play with kids of all ages. We have pre-Duplo, Duplo, and big-kid Legos for kids at all stages of Lego capabilities, and kids are encouraged to work through ideas using LEGO instructional books. We also build with Magna Tiles, Kennex, and good old fashioned wooden blocks. Activities and toys rotate on a weekly basis to challenge kids to explore new toys and develop new skills. Because of the small pieces involved, this program is for children aged pre-school and above.
Infant & Toddler Playgroup
Most Friday Mornings @ 10:30 a.m.
Kids play, talk, explore books & toys while listening to music and gaining early social, emotional, fine & gross motor skills. For youngsters along with their parents, grandparents or caregivers. Come one time, or all the time.
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | Closed |
Upcoming Closures
- Mon., Oct. 14 : Closed Indigenous Peoples' Day
- Mon., Nov. 11 : Closed Veterans Day
- Thu., Nov. 28 : Closed Thanksgiving Day
- Thu., Dec. 12 : Opening at 1:00 PM due to staff development
Services
- Book Drop
- Browse Shelves
- Computer Use
- Materials / Holds Pick Up
- Printing Services
- Reference Services
- Wi-Fi
Facilities
- Baby changing station
- Bicycle rack
- Book drop box
- Computers for public use
- Electrical outlets available
- Photocopier (black/white)
- Printing (black/white)
- Public restrooms
- Street parking (metered)
- Water fountain
- Wireless internet access (wi/fi)
Upcoming Events
Native Plant Ecology for Creating and Maintaining Bird Habitats
Explore native plant ecology through the lens of backyard birdwatching. Take a deep dive into ecology to promote a healthy ecosystem where birds can thrive alongside other animals, insects,…
Textile Arts Club
Learn how to knit and crochet, or bring your own projects to work on! This club will be led by volunteers, with supplies sponsored by the Wild Hand fiber-craft store in Mt. Airy…
Meet the Musicians: The West Philadelphia Orchestra
The West Philadelphia Orchestra is a fun, dynamic, and accomplished band that is inspired by the brass band traditions of Eastern Europe. This performance will feature selections of Klezmer and…
Textile Arts Club
Learn how to knit and crochet, or bring your own projects to work on! This club will be led by volunteers, with supplies sponsored by the Wild Hand fiber-craft store in Mt. Airy…
About
Located a half-block north of Bethlehem Pike in the middle of a lovely garden, the library is just beyond the end of the 23 route. facebook.com/FLPChestnutHill/
History
The first inhabitants of the Chestnut Hill area were the Delaware Indians. One of their leaders, Chief Tedyuscung, is immortalized in a statue in nearby Fairmount Park overlooking Wissahickon Creek. The Indians sold this section of their territory to William Penn on July 14, 1683.
The area's first white settlers were religious dissenters from Holland who were attracted to Penns Woods by the tolerance of its gentle leader. The name Chestnut Hill first appeared in a deed of 1711. Although there were no more Chestnut trees on the hill than anywhere else, the now almost extinct trees gave the town its name.
To serve the schools and the community, philanthropist Henry Williams built the Christian Hall Library in 1872 at 8711 Germantown Avenue. Williams named the library Christian Hall because he did not wish anything to go on in the two-story building and subsequent annex that would be inconsistent with the word "Christian." Singing, elocution classes, magic lantern shows, art lectures, church fairs and temperance meetings were permitted.
At first the library was only a reading room, and books were issued only to subscribers. But after 1876, Mr. Williams was persuaded to allow anyone to take books without charge. In 1897, the trustees of the Christian Hall Library decided that the library would be of greater benefit to the community as a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and so they granted the grounds to the city.
A new library building was built in 1907, funded by Andrew Carnegie and on the same site as the Christian Hall Library. In 1991, a modern meeting room addition was added. The library was renovated in 1999 as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign, which brought Internet service to every branch. Active support is provided by the Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library, founded in the 1970s.