Monthly Archives January 2021

Upcoming Kids & Tweens Book Discussions

Upcoming Kids & Tweens Book Discussions

We’re excited to announce a few upcoming book discussions we’re hosting for kids and tweens! We’ll be having another virtual Project LIT Kids Book Discussion on Wednesday, January 13th at 4:30 p.m. We’ll be reading New Kid by Jerry Craft. Children in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade are invited to join us for a discussion as well as a trivia game. Please use this link to register! You can place a hold on the print book using our catalog here. If you prefer the eBook, you can find it on Hoopla or OverDrive. This book is also available as an
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January 21, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: book club, book discussion, book group, book groups, kids book club, Project Lit, and Project Lit Community.

Inauguration Day

Inauguration Day

Today, January 20, 2021, Joe Biden becomes the 46th President of the United States of America. President-Elect Biden arrives at the Capitol at 11:00 a.m. EST, with various ceremonies following, with the official Oath of Office at 12:00 p.m. EST.  The inauguration can be seen on any major news source and is streaming live on many sites online. Below, find some resources, activities, and articles for families and children to learn more and take part in the day's events. Our White House: an Inaugural Celebration for Young Americans – for the first time, an inaugural celebration for kids, featuring Keke
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January 20, 2021 10:11 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: inauguration, inauguration day, joe biden, kamala harris, Observances and Celebrations, president, United States, and vice president.

Winter/Spring Short-Story Discussion Series

Winter/Spring Short-Story Discussion Series

Join White Plains Librarian Barbara Wenglin via Zoom to explore compelling stories from the exciting, rich and bold anthology used last fall: 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories Edited by Lorrie Moore and Heidi Pitlor (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015) Marking the centennial of the Best American Short Stories annual series, this collection celebrates the diversity of the genre and the American experience from 1915-2015. Available in print collection through our Catalog and as an eBook in Hoopla, as well as OverDrive and Libby. Thursdays from 2:00 – 4:15 p.m. on Zoom Selected stories deal with dramatic, often unsettling
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January 19, 2021 1:00 pm | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book discussion, book groups, Short stories, short story, and Short Story Book Discussion.

Reads Revisited: Charmed Life

Reads Revisited: Charmed Life

Reads Revisited is a blog series where Trove and Edge Librarians revisit some of their favorite childhood stories. In today's column, Edge Librarian Erik Carlson revisits book one of the Chrestomanci series, Charmed Life (Catalog) by Diana Wynne Jones. Did you ever wonder where J.K. Rowling got all of her ideas from? Charmed Life has magical castles, powerful necromancers, bad witches and wizards, and an orphaned boy who has no idea that he has magical powers. I have always been a big fantasy fan. Diana Wynne Jones and Ursula K. LeGuin were two of my favorite authors growing up. When
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January 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Charmed Life, children's books, children's literature, Reads Revisited, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

College Workshops

College Workshops

The Library will be hosting two college admissions workshops on Zoom this January. The third and final workshop with College Wise will be on Wednesday, January 6, at 6:00 p.m. This presentation provides an overview of the different components of the college application and highlights ways student can make their application shine. Registration is required, you can register here. On Tuesday, January 19, at 7:00 p.m., Ron Feuchs from Stand Out For College will discuss strategies for applying to college in the age of COVID-19.
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January 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: College Readiness, teen events, and teens.

Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Paper Chain Wall Hanging

Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Paper Chain Wall Hanging

Which Craft? Wednesday has been phased into Grab ‘n Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding materials around the house, teens in grades 7-12 can pick supplies up at the table outside the Library's main entrance, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. This month we're using making a brightly colored paper chain wall hanging. The kit includes a wooden dowel, string, and strips of paper in ombre sunset colors. You’ll need to provide tape (or a stapler, or
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January 19, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: arts and crafts, Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, and teen kits.

February Project LIT Book Club for Teens

February Project LIT Book Club for Teens

Calling all middle and high school students for a monthly virtual book club for teens. Each month, join librarians Kat and Lauren to discuss a Project LIT book and compete against friends in a mini trivia game. On Friday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m., we’ll discuss Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess. A novel in verse, Solo is a quick read. At the beginning of the story, Blade’s trying to convince his girlfriend’s parents that he won’t follow in the footsteps of his rock star, drug addict father. When he discovers a family secret, he heads off to
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January 15, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: book discussion, book group, book groups, Project Lit, and teen book club.

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

This year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on Monday, January 18th, 2021. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929 and his legacy is profound – perhaps now more than ever. “As a child, I remember studying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. only from one perspective—the man who had a dream. Without a deep understanding of Dr. King, I lacked the ability to apply some of his profound principles to my life. Years later as an adult, I read his autobiography and was amazed at the depth of his personhood. Out of this
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January 15, 2021 9:47 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: children's books, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, and YA books.

Peculiar Picks

Peculiar Picks

Peculiar Picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Peculiar Picks are books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. Ben Hatke is best known for his excellent graphic novel series, Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl, but he’s done a number of other works that are absolutely worth reading. Two of these are his picture books, Nobody Likes a Goblin and Julia’s House for Lost Creatures, which feature his signature art style and have amusing, heartfelt, stories. My
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January 14, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Ben Hatke, children's books, children's literature, Peculiar Picks, picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, and The Trove.

De-cluttering Event with Jamie Novak

De-cluttering Event with Jamie Novak

Sorting Through Sentimental Stuff & What To Never Toss When De-Cluttering Sunday, February 28th, at 2:00 p.m. If you have trouble letting go of stuff then this is the virtual program for you. Log on for author and organizer Jamie Novak’s humorous take on how to part with those things. Overcome common obstacles to getting organized like keeping clothes you think you’ll wear, holding onto treasures, and saving items “just in case,” plus you'll learn what to KEEP when de-cluttering. Log off the program with lots of helpful hints and resources. Click here to register.
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January 11, 2021 2:23 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: clutter, decluttering, hoarding, Jamie Novak, and organization.

Sit Down and Write

Sit Down and Write

In November, librarians Caroline and Kat hosted a series of creative writing sessions for kids and teens. We enjoyed talking about National Novel Writing Month, fan fiction, and fairy tales. But the quiet time to write was everyone's favorite part of each session. So, we've decided to set aside some more time for creative writing with a new weekly program starting in January. On Thursdays at 4:00 p.m., we'll sit down “together” on Zoom and write for a half hour. While this program is intended for grades 4-8, teens who would like to attend are welcome to do so. See
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January 11, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: creative writing, trove events, virtual events, writing workshop, and youth writing workshop.

Grab & Go Kit Gr. 4-8: Paper Rollercoaster

Grab & Go Kit Gr. 4-8: Paper Rollercoaster

The next Grab & Go STEAM kit for Middle Graders will teach some paper engineering techniques. Kids and Tweens will assemble a rollercoaster using paper. This involves creating stability with a very unstable material. They will make pillars to hold up the rollercoaster, fold the paper to make stable rails, and learn how to cut paper to create curves. Limited kits are available at the Library. Couldn’t get a kit? No problem! All you need is paper, tape, and scissors. You can follow along with the video instructions.
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January 11, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: engineering, Grab & Go kits, Grab and Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM learning, STEM, and The Trove.

Board Meeting Documents for January 13th, 2021

Board Meeting Documents for January 13th, 2021

Approved Library Board Meeting Minutes – 01-13-21 Combined-Agenda-01-13-21 01-13-21 Library Board Agenda Agenda Item #1 – 12-09-20 Regular Library Board Minutes Agenda Item #2 – Budget Report – December 2020 Agenda Item #3 – Claim List 5 Agenda Item #4 – Adult Services Report – December 2020 Agenda Item #4 – Assistant Directors Report – December 2020 Agenda Item #4 – Collection Management Report – December 2020 Agenda Item #4 – Community Outreach Report – December 2020 Agenda Item #4 – Digital Media Specialist Report – December 2020 Agenda Item #4 – Library Systems Report – December 2020 Agenda Item
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January 7, 2021 1:36 pm | by | Comments Off on Board Meeting Documents for January 13th, 2021
Categories: Trustee Documents.

Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Popsicle Stick Grabber

Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Popsicle Stick Grabber

January’s Grab & Go STEAM kit for Teens is a Grabber Arm using popsicle sticks. You can pick up the kits at the Library, there are a limited number available so get there soon! The grabber arm is cool and educational. Teens will learn about a scissor lift, a piece of engineering that is used for lifting heavy objects like cars off the ground. Couldn’t get a kit? No problem. You can make these with some materials from home, just be creative! Just follow along with the video instructions.
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January 5, 2021 10:28 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, STEAM, STEAM kits, STEAM learning, and teen kits.

Top Ten Checkouts

Top Ten Checkouts

Below is a list of the 2020 top 10 most popular fiction, nonfiction, CD audiobooks, films, and TV shows based on the number of times they've been checked out from our collection. We told you what our staff loved this year, well, here's what was most popular among your fellow Library patrons. Top 10 Fiction Books: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens The Dutch House by Ann Patchett Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng The Guardians by John Grisham The Night Fire by Michael Connelly Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout Moral Compass by Danielle Steel A Minute to Midnight
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January 5, 2021 10:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, books, cd audiobooks, end of year lists, film, patron favorites, top checkouts, and tv.