Archives for Director’s Corner

Discover Aspen Discovery!

We are pleased to inform you that our new all-inclusive catalog is now available. Previously, if you wished to search for titles in all formats (that is, books, ebooks, and movies), you would have had to conduct a search not only in our catalog, but also in Libby, hoopla, and others. Now with Aspen Discovery, one search is all it takes, and you'll see search results from all our content providers presented at once. In addition to “one stop shopping” when it comes to title searches, Aspen Discovery also provides enriched content. Overall, it was designed to provide a much
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May 10, 2023 10:00 am | by John Lolis | 2 Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Aspen Discovery, catalog, Library Catalog, and library resources.

Book ‘Em 2022-2023

Join us for the return of Book ‘Em, our popular crime fiction book group. This season we'll be reading the best in crime fiction from 2022 and early 2023, ranging from traditional mysteries to thrillers to suspense. We will continue to meet on Zoom; check our online calendar for the link. Book ‘Em meets from 2:30-3:30 p.m. To request or check out a title, click on your preferred format. We hope to have more copies and formats available in the future. Some titles have yet to be published so we will add catalog links as they become available. Click here
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May 1, 2023 10:51 am | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Director's Corner, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Book 'Em, book discussion, book group, mystery, mystery book discussion, mystery book group, and mystery books.

Meet Lilian Boyd

Please join me in welcoming our newest staff member, Youth Services Librarian Lilian Boyd. What interested you in becoming a librarian? I began working in libraries as a library page and loved learning about the library and all the new books. After a year I was promoted to Information Assistant. As an information assistant I created many programs for the community. The response to the programs and support of colleagues inspired me to become a librarian. Why did you decide you wanted to work with youth? I decided I wanted to work with youth because I believe in the importance
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April 10, 2023 5:18 pm | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, and Library News.
Tags: library staff, Lilian Boyd, Meet the Staff, and staff interview.

Meet Donna Gehlmann

Please join me in welcoming our newest staff member, Youth Services Librarian Donna Gehlmann. What interested you in becoming a librarian? I have always loved books and reading. Going to our public library as a child with my mom and sister is a happy memory for me. I have volunteered at my son's school (in the libraries) and seeing the joy on all the children's faces when they come to the library has left an impression on me! Why did you decide you wanted to work with youth? I was a 2nd grade aide for three years and loved being
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December 20, 2022 3:52 pm | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Donna Gehlmann, library staff, Meet the Staff, and staff interview.

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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November 16, 2022 11:08 am | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Altice, Optimum Technology Room, press release, technology, and white plains library.

Meet Karen Jackson

Most library patrons will recognize Karen Jackson, who joined the Library 18 years ago. Besides many behind-the-scenes jobs, she was responsible for our periodicals collection and helped out at the Hub desk as well. We're very pleased that Karen is starting a new phase of her career with us as an adult services librarian. You mentioned that when you were getting your undergraduate degree, you had thought about becoming an accountant. What made you decide to become a librarian instead? I realized that what I really enjoyed was helping people, and that I could do more of that as a
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September 6, 2022 2:27 pm | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | 2 Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: Karen Jackson, library staff, Meet the Staff, and staff interview.

Meet Erica Roberts

Our newest librarian is Erica Roberts, a native of Maryland who recently graduated from the University of North Carolina’s School of Information and Library Science at Chapel Hill. What interested you in becoming a librarian? When I graduated college, I was sure I was going to end up working in the publishing industry. After a number of false starts, I ended up working at my local Barnes and Noble – and as much as I hated the sell-sell-sell focus of the job, I did really love interacting with customers and offering book recommendations. When a relative suggested I talk with
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September 5, 2022 5:09 pm | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | 1 Comment

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Erica Roberts, library staff, Meet the Staff, and staff interview.

Essential Cookbooks

Librarians love to create lists, and at the end of each year we publish lists ranging from the best picture books for children to the best audiobooks. But one of my favorites is Essential Cookbooks, a selection of cookbooks for public libraries. This wonderful list highlights titles for both avid home chefs and those just learning the rewards of making a meal. The list also supports those who appreciate the many joys of reading cookbooks, even if they rarely venture into the kitchen! These books are sure to become reliable favorites and nourish readers, today and for years to come.
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February 8, 2022 3:56 pm | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | 1 Comment

Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, and Library News.
Tags: cookbooks, staff interview, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Library Achieves Green Certification

The Library is pleased to announce it has achieved Green Business Certification through the Green Business Partnership (GBP), a public-private partnership managed in part by Westchester County. GBP offers support to businesses and organizations who are interested in reducing their carbon footprint and making their operations more sustainable. The Library’s Green Team–led by Librarian Kathlyn Carroll–worked to evaluate the Library's current performance in a variety of areas, including water and energy usage, purchasing decisions, and waste management. Many changes were made to Library practices, including use of LED lighting, green purchasing, waste audit tracking, and a greenhouse gas inventory. Recent
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November 22, 2021 11:32 am | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Green Business Certification Green Business Partnership, Green Team, sustainability, and White Plains Library Green Team.

SBA Disaster Assistance

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened a Business Recovery Center (BRC) at the New York Power Authority, 123 Main St, White Plains, NY 10601. Customer Service Representatives will be available at the BRC to answer questions about the disaster loan program and help businesses complete their applications. Hours of operations are Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (EDT), closed Saturday and Sunday. The center will operate until further notice. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. Visitors to the DLOC are encouraged to
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September 28, 2021 4:22 pm | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: Disaster Loans, SBA, and small business administration.

Book ‘Em 2021–2022

Join us as we discuss a wide range of crime fiction. Did the critics get it right? Book ‘Em meets from 2:30-3:30 p.m. over Zoom. To request or check out a title, click on your preferred format. We hope to have more copies and formats available in the future. To request or check out a title, click on your preferred format. Click here for a printable PDF of dates & titles. September 22 Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1) by Robert Bryndza Library Collection: Print “A compelling read with an intricate plot, a strong setting, and characters so real they are
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August 18, 2021 10:00 am | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Magazines on Libby & OverDrive

Library patrons now have access to over 3,000 magazines titles digitally through OverDrive or the Libby App. All you need is a library card from the Westchester Library System to access them. For information on getting a library card, click here. We've also curated some lists to help you get started, including Popular titles, Cooking, Crafts, Design, Fashion, Music, Sports, and more. You can read the magazines on a smartphone, iPad, or computer. When you see an article you want to read, click on it and you'll be prompted to Read the Article. This opens up the article, making for
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July 2, 2021 10:00 am | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | 2 Comments

Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: libby, magazines, and OverDrive.

Library Reopening April 29th

To read this text in Spanish, click here / Para español, haga clic aquí. We are very pleased that the Library reopened on Thursday, April 29th. A huge thanks goes to all of our patrons for their patience as we navigated this past year. Some facts about our service updates: We reopened with the exact same level of service we offered over the summer: Patrons are welcome to browse the first floor collections and check out material. Appointments are no longer required to visit the Trove. We will still be mindful of the number of people using the space at
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April 27, 2021 3:38 pm | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | 17 Comments

Categories: COVID-19, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: covid-19, COVID-19 update, COVID19, library hours, library reopening, and library services.

Stand Against Racism

This year, the Library is a sponsor of the YWCA's annual campaign Stand Against Racism. The theme is “Racism is a Public Health Crisis,” something we all witnessed this past year and which has been driven to the forefront of our national consciousness partly by the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. Understanding and addressing systemic racism from a public health perspective is crucial to eliminating racial and ethnic inequities, and to improving opportunity and well-being across communities. You can show your commitment to eliminating racism by participating in this year’s Stand Against Racism campaign in several different ways.
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March 29, 2021 4:50 pm | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Antiracism, covid-19, COVID19, public health, Racism, Stand Against Racism, and YWCA.

Book ‘Em 2020-2021

Join us as we discuss the best-reviewed crime fiction of 2019. Did the critics get it right? Book ‘Em meets from 2:30-3:30 p.m. over Zoom. Click the date(s) you're interested in to find out how to attend. To request or check out a title, click on your preferred format. September 16 Attica Locke: Heaven, My Home Library Collection: Print, Large Print, and CD Audiobook OverDrive & Libby: eBook and Audiobook Texas Ranger Darren Mathews is on the hunt for a missing child. October 7 Ann Cleeves: The Long Call Library Collection: Print, Large Print, and CD Audiobook OverDrive & Libby:
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February 20, 2021 3:52 pm | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | 2 Comments

Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, and Library News.
Tags: Book 'Em, book discussion, book group, and mystery.

Browsing Suspended, Grab & Go Continues

In response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Westchester County, the Library is suspending browsing in the building. This means there will be no access to our first floor collections or the Trove beginning Friday, November 27. We will continue to offer reference services via phone, text, and email. Our Grab & Go services have changed. To utilize Grab & Go pickup services, place items on hold through our catalog and you will be notified when they are available. Give us a call at 422-1490 when you are heading to the Library and we will place your items
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December 28, 2020 10:00 am | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | 4 Comments

Categories: COVID-19, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: building update, closures, coronavirus, covid-19, COVID19, library services, and library update.

2020 Staff Favorites

The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring cookbooks, DVDs, music, audiobooks, and plenty of plain old books. 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. Books: Peace Talks by Jim Butcher Library Catalog OverDrive and Libby: eBook and audiobook Harry Dresden is a wizard living in modern day Chicago. Think of this book
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December 16, 2020 9:32 am | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | 2 Comments

Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: best of 2020, book recommendations, books, music, staff picks, staff recommendations, and television.

medici.tv for Classical Lovers

If you love classical music, then you probably feel that the Library has been giving you short shrift. And you're right. As the circulation of our Classical CDs has continued to decline, we've invested less and less in that area. With the result that even fewer Classical CDs circulate. It's a vicious cycle. Fortunately, medici.tv–a streaming website–should go a long way to remedying this situation. Described as “the closest thing to a classical Netflix” by The New York Times, medici.tv offers a dazzling collection for classical music fans. Warning: it's hard not to get lost–for hours!–sampling medici.tv's holdings. There are
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August 27, 2020 4:05 pm | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: classical music, medici.tv, and resources.

WLS on Systemic Injustice

WLS Stands with NYBLC and BCALA in condemning violence and racism towards Black people and all People of Color. The Westchester Library System condemns both the recent violence and the systemic injustice against Black people and people of color in the United States. We are committed to anti-racist practice and will use our skills and resources to advance the production of knowledge for social justice. We stand in solidarity with the New York Black Librarians Caucus (NYBLC) and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). Read the NYBLC statement and BCALA statement to learn more.
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June 19, 2020 11:23 am | by Brian Kenney, Library Director | No Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: statements, systemic injustice, and WLS.

Contactless Curbside Pickup Starts June 15

We are excited to be offering Contactless Curbside Pickup as of Monday, June 15. This service is offered Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Every White Plains cardholder can request three items a day and pick them up during those hours. You can borrow books, movies, music, and audiobooks for yourself or your children. Here’s how to get started: Call (914) 422-1400. We’ll ask for your name, library card number, phone number, and email. Let us know what you are looking for. If you have a specific book or movie, great! If you want us to pick out items for
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June 8, 2020 1:49 pm | by Kristen, Adult Librarian | 6 Comments

Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: curbside pickup and library services.

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