Posts by Erik, Teen Librarian

STEAMy Summer Days for Gr. 6-12, M-Th through 8/4

STEAMy Summer Days for Gr. 6-12, M-Th through 8/4

Attend one or all of our STEAM activities for grades 6-12 this summer! No registration is required, pop-in anytime during the program to participate.  See below for each week's activities. July 25-28, 1:00-4:00 pm: Coding Using p5.js, with Yiping Dong Day 1: Do an instructional drawing (making a image a partner described) Day 2: Make a fun random face generator Day 3: Make a clock or something creative with the time reading functions Day 4: Make a pong game August 1-4, 1:00-4:00 pm, 3D Design & Printing Projects with Elijah Lederman Day 1: Keychain/Jewelry Design Day 2: Dream House Design
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July 22, 2022 9:55 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: edge events, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM learning, STEAM learning for teens, STEAM program, STEAMy Summer Days, STEAMy Summer in the Edge, summer reading, teen events, and Teen events in White Plains.

Erik’s Goodbye

Erik’s Goodbye

I started working here over 11 years ago. I was interviewed and hired by Assistant Director Pat Thorsen and Director Sandra Miranda. I was brought to White Plains to help build Young Adult services in anticipation of the Library’s new teen space, The Edge. After my first year here we had an administrative change. Brian Kenney and Kathy Degyansky replaced our Director and Assistant Director. When I first met Brian he wanted to talk about the design of The Edge. We visited many libraries to see what worked and what didn’t and created an entirely new plan for our teen
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June 27, 2022 3:38 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Erik Carlson and The Edge.

Community Service Grab and Go Kits

Community Service Grab and Go Kits

Starting Monday, June 27th, we will be giving out Community Service Grab & Go Kits. These are for students who need community service hours. Parents and teens can come to the Edge or ask for Erik Carlson to pick up a kit. There are 4 kits with different crafts. Students can complete the kits in the Library, during Edge hours, using our supplies, or take them home. When all of the crafts are complete they return them. If the student has done a sufficient job then they will earn the number of hours posted on the kits. Completed projects will
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June 22, 2022 2:38 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: community service, volunteer opportunities, and volunteering.

Everything You Need To Know About Ms. Marvel

Everything You Need To Know About Ms. Marvel

Premieres June 8th on Disney+ Ms. Marvel is an amazing character and her comics are awesome. That being said, I am a little nervous about a live action show. Ms. Marvel has appeared in the animated series Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (Disney+). I’m worried because Ms. Marvel is a shapeshifter, and from the previews it looks like they have pared down her powers. Ms. Marvel is Kamala Khan, a high school student in Jersey city. She has overbearing parents, an internal battle between her religion and American culture, and a crush on an older boy who works in a corner
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June 12, 2022 1:18 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Everything You Need To Know, Marvel, Marvel Studios, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

What You Need To Know About: Doctor Strange

What You Need To Know About: Doctor Strange

It’s kitchen sink time! From what we have seen in the trailers, Marvel is throwing everything they have into the second Dr. Strange movie: Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness (out May 6th). Following up from destroying the fabric of reality in Spider-man: No Way Home, Dr. Strange has to fix the multiverse. Marvel has decided to add so many characters to this film that I don’t know where to start. Yes I do, America Chavez or Miss America, which means the MCU is finally showing signs of diversity, maybe. We also saw Defender Dr. Strange, Zombie Defender Dr.
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May 5, 2022 9:21 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange Into the Multiverse, Marvel, Marvel Studios, and What You Need to Know About.

Dungeons & Dragons for Beginners

Dungeons & Dragons for Beginners

Are you curious about D&D but don’t know where to start, or don’t want to join a long campaign? This Spring the Library will be hosting 3 individual campaigns for students in grades 7-12. These will take one session to complete, you can join for one or all of them. You will learn about characters, role playing, how to succeed in campaigns and what a 20 sided dice is used for. Click on the date below that you want to sign up for: Wednesday, April 27th from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25th from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22nd from 4:30-7:30
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May 1, 2022 10:18 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dungeons and Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons groups in White Plains, tabletop games for teens, Virtual Table Top Gaming, and Westchester Dungeons and Dragons.

Harriet Tubman Grab & Go Kit

Harriet Tubman Grab & Go Kit

To celebrate Harriet Tubman’s statue coming to White Plains we have a special Grab & Go kit for teens! We have a coloring page showing Harriet Tubman’s fierce determination in leading enslaved people to freedom using the north star, Polaris. This kit comes with materials to light up her lantern and Polaris with LED lights. Students will use copper tape, batteries and LEDs to create an electrical circuit that will light up this coloring page. These kits will be available starting Monday, May 16th as Grab & Go kits you can pick up in the lobby of the Library and
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April 29, 2022 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Black History, edge events, events, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, library events, Observances and Celebrations, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEM, teens, White Plains events, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

Intro To 3D Design and Printing For Adults

Intro To 3D Design and Printing For Adults

Hybrid Program Mondays, April 4, 11, 18, & 25, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Monday evenings in April, Erik Carlson will be teaching 3D design and printing for adults. This will be a hybrid program, there will be 4 spots open for people who want to come to the Library to attend the program. This class will cover a brief history of 3D printing, how 3D printers work, how to design 3D objects to be printed, and how to send your designs to be printed for free at the Library. This will be taught on Zoom for those who cannot
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March 23, 2022 2:50 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: 3D design, 3D design class for adults, 3D printer, 3D printer in White Plains, 3d printing, 3D printing class, digital technology, and tech classes.

What You Need To Know About Moon Knight

What You Need To Know About Moon Knight

On Disney+ March 30th Marvel gives Matt Murdock a cameo appearance in Spider-man: No Way Home, but no new Daredevil series. Instead they are introducing Moon Knight. Moon Knight is a relatively unknown character in Marvel so it’s surprising that he is getting his own series this year, especially since everyone wants Daredevil. Moon Knight was created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin. He first appeared in Werewolf, and later had his own series run. Who is Moon Knight? Marc Spector, who has dissociative identity disorder, commonly referred to as multiple personality disorder. He received his powers from the Egyptian
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March 23, 2022 2:49 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Marvel, Marvel Studios, MCU, Moon Knight, and What You Need to Know About.

KnowlEDGE: Teen Services

KnowlEDGE: Teen Services

Welcome to KnowlEDGE, news and information about teens services at the White Plains Public Library. With cases of the Omicron variant dropping significantly and State mask restrictions being lowered we have made some changes in the Edge. The biggest change is video games. On Tuesdays you and your friends can come in and play the PS4, and on Thursdays you all can play the Nintendo Switch. Future changes are coming. Things to look out for are in-person programs with Kat, Austin, and Erik! More computers to use and easier printing. The biggest change will be enjoying snacks in the Edge
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March 16, 2022 9:32 am | by | No Comments
Categories: COVID-19, Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Edge updates, KnowlEDGE, teen events, teen programming, teen services, teen services news, and The Edge.

What You Need To Know About: The Uncharted Movie

What You Need To Know About: The Uncharted Movie

I think the first mention of the Uncharted movie was before the Edge was built, even before I started working at the Library. So yeah, this movie has been a long time coming. To put in the gaming timeline, this movie was first talked about when the Playstation 3 was still out, now we are on the PS5. In that time Uncharted has become insanely popular. There are four games in the series as well as four spin-off games, plus collections of the games. The movie has seen a change of cast and directors while the video game has reached
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February 8, 2022 1:54 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: films, movies, Uncharted, videos games, and What You Need to Know About.

3D Printing and Design Class

3D Printing and Design Class

During the February Winter school break, Librarian Erik Carlson will be teaching a class on 3D printing and design for students in grades 4-6. We start on Tuesday, February 22nd and meet everyday until Friday, February 25th, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. You must be able to attend all of the sessions otherwise you will miss some important info. We will be learning to use three different 3D design software programs (CAD and Mesh). You can create free accounts for all of these, just follow the links: TinkCad SculptGL (no account needed) OnShape Education Each day will have a new lesson and
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January 26, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: 3D design, 3D Design class for kids, 3D printer, 3d printing, STEAM, STEAM activities, and STEAM learning.

Learn Something New This Winter

Learn Something New This Winter

Winter is a great time to explore indoor activities. Winter during a pandemic is an even better time to explore indoor activities. I have curated a list of videos that will help you learn a new hobby or skill. All of these videos are available through the Library’s databases, make sure you have your Library Card ready and know your PIN to access these. There are plenty more videos than what I listed here, take a look through these resources to see what else you can learn – creativebug, Linkedin Learning, and medici.tv. Learning a new hobby or building your
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January 14, 2022 12:53 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: art, crafts, learning, self paced learning, technology, and tutortials.

Winter Tips to Stay Healthy & Warm

Winter Tips to Stay Healthy & Warm

Winter is coming, you’ve all seen the meme. Here are some tips to stay healthy and warm through the winter. Healthy Diet: In the cold months we crave foods high in fats and carbs. Balance your diet and cravings with fruits and salads, even if they won’t make you feel warm inside. Wash Your Hands: There are lots of germs in the winter and they love your hands. So make trips to the sink after you cough or sneeze. Exercise Regularly: Laying on the couch under a ton of blankets is so inviting, but moving your body will keep you
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December 9, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: life hacks, stay warm this winter, teen life hacks, and tips for teens.

3D Printing and Design Class

3D Printing and Design Class

During the December Holiday school break, Librarian Erik Carlson will be teaching a class on 3D printing and design for students in grades 6-12. We start on Monday, December 27th and meet everyday through Thursday, December 30th, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. You must be able to attend all of the sessions otherwise you will miss some important info. We will be learning to use three different 3D design software programs (CAD and Mesh). You can create free accounts for all of these, just follow the links: TinkCad Leopoly Maker OnShape Education Each day will have a new lesson and design challenge.
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December 6, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: 3D design, 3d printing, events for teens, tech events for teens in Westchester, and technology classes for teens.

Science for Students

Science for Students

Join Science for Teens, a club created by local high school student Sophia DiFalco. Teens interested in science will connect with other teens virtually. A scientist with real life experience will be there to talk about their work and answer questions. Our first meeting will be with Keila Alves who is a lab manager at Micropath Pathology Laboratory, a gastroenterology lab. Keila will be joining us live from the lab! She will speak for 20-30 minutes, followed by 10-15 minutes of questions and answers. We hope you can join us for this exciting opportunity! The first meeting will be on
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December 3, 2021 9:37 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: events for teens in Westchester, science club, Science clubs in westchester, science clubs in White Plains, science for teens, STEAM, teen events, teens, and The Edge.

Mental Health Workshop for Teens

Mental Health Workshop for Teens

3 Amigos Of Mental Health Tuesday, October 5 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. For Teens in Grades 7-12 On the Library Plaza under the Big Tent Click here to register. Michael Weitzman, a professional mental health advocate and comedian, will lead a workshop on acceptance, wellness tools, and solutions to mental health challenges. He will share his own mental health story from discovery to recovery. Weitzman is a MHA trained and certified Peer Support Specialist and holds an Academy of Peers Services Provisional Certificate as a New York State Peer Support Specialist.   This program is supported by the White Plains Library
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October 1, 2021 4:28 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: events for teens, mental health, mental health awareness, peer support, teen events, and The Edge.

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Virtual Dungeons & Dragons Campaign For Teens in Grades 7-12 Starting October 6th, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month through January 4:00-7:00 p.m. Join us for a new Dungeons & Dragons campaign led by Dungeon Master Ben Seligson. Create your own character, give your character a backstory, then travel along with the group fighting monsters and saving the virtual world from impending doom. This campaign is open to new and seasoned veterans of D&D. We will be meeting on Wednesdays twice a month for 3 hours. You must be able to participate in all sessions, or your
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October 1, 2021 4:08 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons groups in White Plains, Library events for teens, The Edge, and Westchester Dungeons and Dragons.

What You Need To Know About… Ragnarok

What You Need To Know About… Ragnarok

Netflix has a fairly new TV series called Ragnarok (seasons 1 & 2 are available to watch). Don’t be confused by the title, this has nothing to do with Thor: Ragnarok from the MCU. No, this is actually based on Norse mythology, not just the popularized versions of Thor, Loki, Odin, and Freya from the Marvel movies. The show was filmed in Norway with an all Norwegian cast. It is a modern telling of Ragnarok, the end of the world, which will happen in the small coastal town of Edda. The Giants (the enemies of the Aesir (Norse Gods)) are
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September 28, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: netflix, Ragnarok, staff picks, staff recommendations, The Edge, tv shows, and What You Need to Know About.

Great Podcasts for Teens 2

Great Podcasts for Teens 2

Continuing our new series on Great Podcasts, here are some recommendations of Great Podcasts for Teens from YS Librarian, Erik! Most of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. All of our Great Podcasts recommendations, including those for Kids, Teens, and Parents and Caregivers, can be found here. If you have some great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Science: RadioLab RadioLab makes science fun. The team of Jad Abumrad, Lulu Miller, and Latif Nasser take a light hearted approach to
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September 20, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Great Podcasts, Great Podcasts for teens, podcasts, staff picks, and staff recommendations.