Our exciting “1st Wednesday” series continues on July 1st at 7:00 p.m. with an Open Mic, Slam competition and performance from guest poet Gary Glazner. As always, our Poetry Slam will be co-hosted by local poet and slam-master Eric ZORK Alan.

Glazner is the founder and Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Poetry Project (APP). The APP was the recipient of the 2013 Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiving Legacy Award. The APP was awarded the 2012 MetLife Foundation Creativity and Aging in America Leadership Award in the category of Community Engagement. PBS News Hour, NBC's “Today” show and NPR's “All Things Considered” have featured segments on Glazner’s work. Harper Collins, W.W. Norton and Salon.com have published his work. He is the author of Dementia Arts: Celebrating Creativity in Elder Care, published by Health Professional Press (2014) and the editor of Poetry Slam: The Competitive Art of Performance Poetry published by Manic D Press (2000). The APP has provided programming in 25 states and internationally in Australia, Germany, Poland and South Korea. In 1990, Glazner worked with Poetry Slam Founder Marc Smith to produce the first National Poetry Slam, now in its 26th year.

Here is a PBS NewsHour Story about Glazner and the Alzheimer's Poetry Project.

To take part in the open mic or slam, please register between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. Slam poets should bring one original poem of up to 3 minutes. Registration closes promptly at 7, and the program starts shortly thereafter. Refreshments are served and all are welcome! Questions? Contact program librarian Ben Himmelfarb by phone (422-6980) or e-mail (bhimmelfarb@whiteplainslibrary.org). The White Plains Public Library Poetry Slam is supported by the White Plains Library Foundation.