Library Closed on Sunday Dec. 31st and Monday Jan. 1st for New Year's
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Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st
Monthly Archives December 2023
Board Meeting Documents for January 10, 2024
Combined Agenda – 01-10-24 01-10-24 Library Board Agenda Agenda Item #1 – 12 13 23 Regular Library Board Minutes – DRAFT Agenda Item #2 – Budget Report – December 2023 Agenda Item #3 – Claim List 5 Agenda Item #4 – Adult Services Report – December 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Assistant Directors Report – December 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Collection Management Report – December 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Community Outreach Report – December 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Digital Media Specialist Report – December 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Library Systems Report – December 2023 Agenda Item
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Celebrate Three Kings Day
Celebrate Three Kings Day Program! Saturday, January 6th from 1-4 pm For Families and Children Location: Gallery, Igloo, Auditorium & Rotary Room Families are invited to come celebrate Three Kings Day at the Library on Saturday, January 6th starting at 1 pm! Join the White Plains Puerto Rican Cultural Committee, Comite Noviembre & PRIDA and the White Plains Public Library for an afternoon full of family-friendly activities such as taking a 3D visit to a Puerto Rican Beach in the Library’s Igloo, and enjoying a special appearance by the Three Kings! At 3 pm, there will be a fun bilingual
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Fun, Food and Football
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT! The White Plains Library Foundation invites you to join us for an afternoon of fun, food and football! Tailgate at Wolf and Warrior Brewing Company Special Guest: BRUCE BECK, WNBC Sports Anchor Sunday, February 4, 2024 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include a beer or glass of wine and delicious snacks. BUY TICKETS HERE Funds raised through this event support year-round Library programs for children, teens, and adults. We're thrilled that Bruce Beck will be talking with us about Trends in Sports Journalism. If you'd like to submit a question, email
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January Festivities
During the year, each month celebrates a variety of observances and celebrations that can include celebrations of food, cats, historical events, poets, etc. Observations in January include well known International days to lesser, funny (and downright strange) events celebrating things such as whipped cream, introverts and chickens. I have highlighted a few holidays that are fun, a few that are educational and some that are cultural and historical: January 3rd is Tolkien Day The Complete Guide to Middle Earth by Rober Foster. Explore Middle Earth: a fantastical land full of Elves, Orcs, Dwarves and wizards. Who was J. R. R.
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Celebrate Dragon Appreciation Day
Celebrate Dragon Appreciation Day on January 16th! On January 16th, readers of all ages can celebrate one of the most magnificent creatures that has been a part of our imagination and mythology. Many books, films and shows center around dragons: from shimmering dragon eggs, to taming them, and becoming friends with them – dragons are a delight! Dragons also are known to protect treasure as illustrated in J.R.R Tolkien’s beloved classic The Hobbit. Dragons can also represent the embodiment of enlightenment in Asian mythology/spirituality. We can learn more about dragons as we celebrate Dragon Appreciation Day and for some other
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Short Story Discussion Series: Fall 2023
Join Librarian Barbara Wenglin to explore compelling selections from the rich anthology, New York Stories, ed. by Diana Secker Tesdell, (Everyman’s Pocket Classics, c2011). These vibrant and varied works by acclaimed authors provide a colorful vision of “the city that never sleeps” in all its grittiness and glamour “from high life, low life, nightlife, and everything in between.” A copy of the book is on hold at the Hub/Reference Desk for reading in the Library with circulating copies available to borrow through the catalog. Zoom Register Here for full series and attend when you can! Newcomers welcome. Thursdays from 2:00
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New Books in the Edge: December 2023
One of the best parts of my job is ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Read on to find out about some of the new YA fiction titles coming to our shelves this month. Salt the Water by Candice Iloh Grades 9 and up Library Catalog “A Bronx teen is compelled to explore a free, expressive life by any means necessary. In this novel in verse, Cerulean Gene, a nonbinary Black high school senior, is frustrated with school, especially
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January Programs for Younger Kids
Great programs for younger children take place all month long, every month, at the Library. See our online calendar or stop in the Trove for location information. Some programs require advance registration, while others may require a ticket. If registration is required, details will be provided for how to register on our online calendar. If a program requires a ticket, tickets will be handed out on a first come, first served basis starting 30 minutes before the program. Tiny Tots! 0 – 24 months, with a caregiver Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – January 2, 16, 30 Fridays, 11:00 a.m. – January
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The Foundation’s Annual Appeal
If you appreciate the Library, then now is the time to show your support by donating to the Foundation’s Annual Appeal. We count on community contributions to help fund new programs, updated technology, and timely opportunities like events with authors, genealogists, and historians. Have you noticed all the wonderful children’s events with musicians, dancers, magicians, and other performers? These types of interactive programs are funded by the Foundation and your gift ensures they keep happening! Your support also helps expand access to laptops, mobile HotSpots, 3-D printing, coding classes, language resources, craft workshops, and new software including tools for using
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This Month in the Edge: January 2024
Read on to find out about the activities we've planned for grades 7-12 in 2024. From our College and Career Club to the monthly After Hours for grades 9-12, we have a range of options available. Stop by anytime during Edge hours to say hello and find out more about the Edge. Edge Hours: Monday – Thursday: 3:00-8:00 p.m. Friday: 3:00-6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 1:00-5:00 p.m. Drop-in Activities: No registration is required for these ongoing programs for grades 7-12. Movie Monday Join us for a movie on Monday at 4:00 pm. January 8, 22, and 29 Winning Wednesday Play
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January Trove Book Groups
January Book Bunch Thursday, January 25th @ 4:30PM Click here to register Join Caroline and Erika for a book discussion and trivia for 4th-8th graders! We will be reading Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao. Zachary Ying always struggled with his identity as a Chinese American and Hui Muslim boy in a predominantly white town. To his surprise, he gets roped into assisting the spirit of the first Chinese emperor via his VR headset on a journey through China from ancient spirits. The Trove will provide a free copy of the book for the first eight
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Uncovering Westchester LGBTQ+ History
Uncovering Westchester LGBTQ+ History Thursday, January 11 at 5:00 p.m. Teens, Adults Edge Media Lab Allee Manning, founder of the Westchester LGBTQ+ History Project, will give a presentation on her research of Westchester LGBTQ+ history and lead attendees in a game of trivia. For additional information and oral history interviews, see the project's website.
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Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 15
BEAUTIFUL BILINGUAL BOOKS, Part 15 LINDOS LIBROS BILINGÜES, Parte 15 The Library has a lovely collection of bilingual Spanish/English books. To celebrate reading in two languages, we are featuring our beautiful new books in a monthly blog – so enjoy practicing your Spanish and English skills with these picture books. La Biblioteca tiene una colección hermosa de libros bilingües en inglés/español. Para celebrar leyendo en dos idiomas, le presentamos nuestros lindos libros aquí. Así que disfrute practicando sus destrezas en ambos idiomas con estos libros ilustrados. Cinco monitos : Colección de oro / Five Little Monkeys : Storybook Treasury, by
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The Edge Turns 10!
The Edge, the Library’s center for teens in grades 7-12, opened on December 14, 2013. We celebrated this tenth anniversary (or, tenth Edgeversary) at our December After Hours event. The White Plains High School Songwriters Club hosted a lively open mic event. We had games of many kinds, from chess to the PlayStation 5, and teens tested out a new racing setup with Austin in the Igloo virtual reality space. Local teaching artist Joan Lloyd led an earring-making workshop, with teens making pairs of earrings to donate to a women’s shelter–along with pairs to keep, of course. We were honored
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College and Career Edge Winter/Spring Series
Join us in The Edge for our College and Career Edge series this winter/spring. We'll be using our new Igloo room to host a variety of virtual and in-person programs. In the Igloo, students can experience Virtual Reality (VR) without a headset in the library's newly installed panoramic content room. Views from 360° content and more will be provided in this fun series of programs. Technology installed by Igloo Vision and funded by the Library Foundation/Optimum. College and Career Edge Series: Stand Out for College We will be hosting the following programs in partnership with Stand Out For College. These
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December Middle Grade Pick of the Month
Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis All available formats here Evelyn is determined to do whatever it takes to lead her middle school robotics team to victory – no matter who she runs roughshod over. Allie is new at school and already gotten into fights – too many fights, according to the principal. Successfully working with the robotics team will be her last chance to prove
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Board Meeting Documents for December 13, 2023
As the November meeting had been canceled, those meeting documents as well as the ones for December's meeting appear below. Approved Library Board Meeting Minutes – 12-13-23 Combined Agenda 12-13-23 12-13-23 Library Board Agenda Agenda Item #1 – 10-11-23 Regular Library Board Minutes – DRAFT Agenda Item #2 – Budget Report – November 2023 Agenda Item #3 – Claim List 4 Agenda Item #4 – Adult Services Report – November 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Assistant Directors Report- November 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Collection Management Report – November 2023 Agenda Item #4 – Community Outreach – November 2023 Agenda
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2023 Staff Favorites
The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring literary fiction, audiobooks, fantasy, music, and more. It's a wonderfully wide-ranging list, full of lots of surprises, and should help with your holiday shopping or just some entertainment for yourself. Enjoy! Below you'll find a list with links to the catalog as well as a blurb on why staff enjoyed it. Fiction Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah All available formats From the opening page you are hooked, violently, by this book. In this dark, dystopian future, prisoners held within the privatized penal system fight to
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