Community members are invited to celebrate National Library Card Sign-up Month, September, with Chester County Library and the American Library Association (ALA). Optimus Prime from the Transformers will be this year's special ambassador, highlighting that there is more than meets the eye at Chester County Library.

In conjunction with state Sen. Carolyn Comitta, the library will hold the Library Card Sign-up Fest on Sunday, Sept. 8, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Chester County Library and District Center, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton. The event will provide an opportunity to obtain a library card. It will also feature crafts, face painting, STEM kits, Touch-a-Truck, a photo booth, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine's Zoo and STEM On Wheels, character visits, ice cream from Handel's of Downingtown, and story times with guest readers such as Miss Pennsylvania's Teen, Arianna Spurlin. Attendees may bring donations of new or gently used books for children and youths birth to age 18; the books will be given to local nonprofits.

Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the ALA and libraries unite in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for a library card.

A Chester County library card offers access not only to books, but also to homework help, creative makerspaces, author talks, story times, and more.

For more information about how to sign up for a library card, visit Chester County Library or Henrietta Hankin Branch Library, 215 Windgate Drive, Chester Springs, in person or visit http://www.chescolibraries.org.

The mission of the Chester County and Henrietta Hankin Branch libraries is to provide informational, educational, and cultural services to the residents of Chester County so that they may be lifelong learners.