Posts by Kristen, Adult Librarian

Short Story Book Series: Spring 2023

Join White Plains Librarian and Fulbright Scholar Barbara Wenglin via Zoom to explore compelling selections from the rich anthology, Stories of Fatherhood, edited by Diana Secker Tesdell (Everyman’s Pocket Classics, c2014).  In varied settings and cultures, the collection gathers more than a century of timeless stories about having, becoming, loving and losing fathers. 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! Thursdays from 2:00 – 4:15 p.m. June 8 “My Oedipus
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Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

2023 Foundation Gala Photos

The White Plains Library Foundation hosted its first gala in several years, attracting a strong showing of Library supporters. Held on Saturday, March 25th, the Gala, entitled Celebrating the Freedom to Read, addressed censorship and book banning. After dinner on the Library's first floor, attendees headed to the auditorium to honor White Plains resident Oren J. Teicher, former CEO of the American Booksellers Association, Board member of National Coalition Against Censorship, and 2019 recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. In keeping with the theme, the Foundation also welcomed special guest
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Foundation, Library Foundation, and Library News.

“The Gratitude Project” Exhibit

Artist: Hilda Green Demsky “The Gratitude Project” Painting and Poetry Exhibit Interpretive oil paintings inspired by responses of 36 United States Poets Laureate to The New York Times inquiry “What people in their State would be thankful for” during the Covid pandemic. Demsky's exhibit will be on display in the Library's Gallery from April 3rd through May 25th, with an opening reception on Saturday, April 15th, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. Demsky will also give an Artist's Talk on Sunday, April 23rd at 3:00 p.m. This exhibit is part of the Library's celebration of National Poetry month. When thirty-six United States poets
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Categories: Events, Featured, Gallery, Homepage, and Library News.

Women’s History Month Books & Films

Celebrate Women's History Month with one of our staff selected books and films. See our staff curated Libby list here. Books She Came to to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman by Erica Armstrong Dunbar Library Catalog: Print / CD Audiobook Libby: eBook / Audiobook National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before. Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds of slaves, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the
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Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.

Kanopy Goes British

Looking for some of the best of British programming? We know how popular British TV series are, especially mysteries. So we’re very happy that the streaming video collection Kanopy is adding many new titles from the BBC Studios. To access the new BBC Studios collection, just go here. What will you find? The Inspector Lynley series, the classic Father Brown, the very popular Death in Paradise, Maigret, and more. Plus science fiction, thrillers, and comedy. So make a good strong cup of PG Tips, crack open a box of shortbread biscuits, and let it snow!
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Categories: Featured and Library News.

Homework Help and Resume Assistance

Are you looking for a tutor for your child? Do you need help preparing for college entrance exams? Maybe you need assistance writing a resume or looking for a new job? With Tutor.com you can get expert assistance with all of the above and much more at no cost to you with your White Plains library card. Here are just a few of the resources available through Tutor.com: Connect with a live tutor on a variety of subjects from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Submit a paper for review – tutors will get back to you in 12 hours. Drop
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Categories: Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Celebrate Black History Month

From novels to genealogy workshops, dance performances to films, and storytimes to memoirs, we've got scores of ways to help you celebrate Black History Month. For a list of recommended reads for children, see Raquel's dazzling list of nonfiction picks here. Events Black History Month StoryWalk February is Black History Month. Come view the Library’s StoryWalk featuring Molly, By Golly!: The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by Dianne Ochiltree, illustrated by Kathleen Kemly. In addition to the StoryWalk, there will be some photos related to the history of firefighting in White Plains on display. The StoryWalk will
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Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

Volunteers from AARP will prepare taxes free of charge on select dates beginning February 1st through April 17th. Appointments are required. Just one appointment is needed. To make an appointment, call 914-348-3467 or email 500177589@aarpfoundation.org (please note: if you call and leave a message, when the call is returned the number will not say AARP so please pay attention to the above number and answer the call). At your scheduled appointment time, please bring the following: 1. Copy of last year's federal and state tax return 2. W-2 forms showing income from your employer 3. 1099-R forms showing pension or
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Lunchtime Meditation 2023

Our popular Lunchtime Meditation series returns to Zoom this January. This wellness program includes brief beginning instruction followed by meditation. No experience is needed. A variety of guest instructors will lead the program from 12:00–12:45 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: January 25: Sharon Lewis February 1: Seth Segall February 8: Daniel Lauter February 15: Sharon March 1: Seth March 8: Andrea Deierlein March 15: Russ Michel March 22: Sharon March 29: Dan Cayer April 12: Seth April 19: Andrea April 26: Sharon May 3: Andrea May 10: Seth May 17: Sharon May 24: Dan June 7: Seth June 14: Andrea
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Most Popular 2022 Checkouts

Below is a list of the 2022 top five most popular fiction, nonfiction, films, children's books, and YA titles based on the number of times they've been checked out from our collection. We told you what our staff loved last year, well, here's what was most popular among your fellow Library patrons. I'm sure you'll notice a few trends – our patrons really love Colleen Hoover, memoirs, Dog Man, and Disney! Fiction The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (Library Collection / Libby) It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (Library Collection / Libby) Verity by Colleen Hoover (Library Collection / Libby)
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Short Story Discussion: January 2023

Join White Plains Librarian Barbara Wenglin via Zoom to explore compelling selections from the rich anthology, Stories of Fatherhood, edited by Diana Secker Tesdell (Everyman’s Pocket Classics, c2014), along with discussion of a related film. If you haven’t registered yet for fall series, use Zoom Registration Link for January sessions. Program is supported by the Friends of the Library. All are welcome, including newcomers Stories of Fatherhood A copy of the book is on hold at the Hub Desk for reading in the Library along with circulating copies available to borrow through the catalog. Thursdays from 2:00 – 4:15 p.m.
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Categories: Library News.

Banned Books Photobooth

Get caught reading a Banned Book in the Library's Lobby! Take a “mugshot” holding your favorite banned or challenged book with our “crime” sign in front of our backdrop. Post your selfie to social media using the hashtag #WPFreedomtoRead OR upload your photos to our website here. We'll add your “mugshots” to this page and our gallery as they come in. We'll also have a pop-up photobooth at upcoming #WPFreedomtoRead events where staff can take your photo. “Mugshot” Gallery:
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Grab & Go Kit: YearCompass Journal

All kits have been taken. If you'd like to print out your own copy or complete a digital version, visit YearCompass here. Reflect on the past 12 months with YearCompass, a journaling activity looking back on the last year, and working on planning your year ahead. Grab & Go Kits including one printout booklet and a colored pen will be available on a table in the lobby starting Wednesday (12/14) afternoon. Supplies are limited and available first-come, first served.  
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Categories: Library News.

2022 Staff Favorites

The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring mystery, audiobooks, fantasy, 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 or resource where they're available as well as a blurb on why staff enjoyed it. Fiction Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. Library Catalog This is the sixth novel in the Martin Beck series, Beck being the go-to detective in Sweden's National Homicide Squad
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Local History.

Opening of Optimum Technology Room

This morning, the Library hosted a ribbon cutting for our new Optimum Technology Room, which uses Igloovision, software that provides an immersive experience. Imagine being in a room in which the walls serve as your computer display, effectively putting you inside a wrap-around 12k television. Or think of a room as a giant walk-in Virtual Reality (VR) headset, except one in which the immersive experience can be shared with one or more others. This is the concept behind the Igloo, an immersive workspace created by Igloovision. Any kind of digital content can be shown on the walls of an Igloo:
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Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Native American Heritage Month

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month this November by reading one of these selected titles written by Indigenous authors and about Indigenous people and history. Find our Libby list here. As Long as Grass Grows by Dina Gilio-Whitaker Library Collection: Print Libby: eBook The story of Native peoples resistance to environmental injustice and land incursions, and a call for environmentalists to learn from the Indigenous community's rich history of activism Through the unique lens of Indigenized environmental justice, Indigenous researcher and activist Dina Gilio-Whitaker explores the fraught history of treaty violations, struggles for food and water security, and protection of sacred
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Categories: Authors & Books.

#WPFreedomToRead Challenge

“I'll be absolutely candid and honest, it's embarrassing that we are banning books in this country, in this culture, in this day and age.” – LeVar Burton As part of our year-long celebration of banned and challenged books, adults and teens are invited to join our #WPFreedomToRead Challenge. It's fun! It's easy! There are prizes! Yes, YOU could win a Kindle Paperwhite or other bookish prize! All you need to do is read banned or challenged books and log what you've read in READsquared. Each banned or challenged book you read and log earns you an entry in our prize
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

What Should I Read Next?

Overwhelmed by all the new books this fall? Then come and join us for Carol Fitzgerald's presentation, “What Should I Read Next?” A book lover event. Date: Thursday, November 10th Time: 6:30 p.m. No need to register. Here's the Zoom link. Get a heads-up on new books and refresh your reading list with books you might have missed with publishing insider Carol Fitzgerald. Back by popular demand, Carol will share news about the season’s buzzworthy titles and chat about what book groups have been enjoying. Carol Fitzgerald is the President of The Book Report Network—a group of internet sites on
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Categories: Library News.

New in The Edge: October 2022

Nothing beats waking up to a crisp autumn breeze and the aroma of cider filling your room. There isn’t a more perfect time to curl up with a great book. Fall is officially here, and with it, a bounty of new books for you to browse! When you visit the Edge where you’ll find something for every kind of reader.–Alain Laforest Big Lies: From Socrates to Social Media by Mark Kurlansky Grades 7 and up Library Catalog “In this noteworthy guide to media literacy, Kurlansky (Bugs in Danger) details events occurring over the past 300 years to break down the
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

September LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell Library Collection: Print / Large Print Libby: eBook / Audiobook In 16th-century Italy, teen Lucrezia de Medici passes from her father's control to her husband's, with neither considering her a person with a right to her own life. O'Farrell's poetic writing pulls you into this tale based on the likely subject of Robert Browning's poem “My Last Duchess.” For fans of Geraldine Brooks, Isabel Allende, and Hillary Mantel.”—Diana Armstrong, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORThe American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas Library
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.