Archives for eNewsletter

One Book, One White Plains

This September and October, White Plains will come together as a community to read Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You. A gripping page-turner and striking family portrait, the novel follows a Chinese American family in 1970s small-town Ohio as they try to understand the death of the oldest daughter, Lydia. It explores “alienation, achievement, race, gender, family, and identity” (Amazon.com). Writes the New York Times Book Review: “If we know this story, we haven’t seen it yet in American Fiction, not until now.” How to participate? If you have a book group, make Everything I Never Told You your
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Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.

Fall Do Gooders Schedule

Thanks to everyone who volunteered at the Library this summer! Overall, 80 volunteers completed 661 hours of community service in the Trove and the Edge in July and August. Our Do Gooders group made 55 dog toys for the Paws Crossed Animal Rescue center in Elmsford, 15 baby blankets for Project Linus, 128 paracord bracelets for military charity Operation Gratitude, four ziploc bags full of earrings for a women’s shelter, and countless birthday cards and placemats for Meals on Wheels. Thank you to the Allstate Foundation for the continued support of our various volunteer programs for teens. We can't wait
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Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Events, Library News, and Teens.

Book ‘Em Fall 2019-Spring 2020

Book ‘Em, our Mystery Book Group returns select Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. beginning September 11th. This year we’re reading contemporary women authors—both first time novelists as well as the most acclaimed crime writers—with books that take us from Canada to Ireland to Japan. See the full list of dates below: September 11 (USA) Celeste Ng: Everything I Never Told You A huge mystery eats away at the center of the Lee family. October 16 (Ireland) Jo Spain: With Our Blessing Could a recent murder be linked to the notorious Magdalene Laundries? November 13 (Australia) Jane Harper: The Lost Man A
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Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

July 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published in June that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman Published: 7/9/2019 by Berkley “Nina likes her bookish life just fine. She works in a bookstore and is on a highly competitive trivia team. She is funny and snarky and great company (says this reader). Suddenly, a father she never knew dies and leaves her with a pack of brothers and sisters and Nina may be forced out of her comfortable reading chair.
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.

New Playaway Launchpads

We just added over 30 new Playaway Launchpads to the Trove's collection. The new ones are in two types – video content (blue Launchpads) and apps (orange Launchpads) on various themes. We added several that are language-learning focused (ESL, learning Spanish, and learning Chinese), STEM concepts, and early literacy. Every Playaway Launchpad is pre-loaded with high-quality, ad-free learning apps and games, providing hours of interactive learning and play. Apps are grouped onto Launchpads by subject area, theme, grade level, and age. Featuring popular characters and brands, apps content spans subject areas from math and science to critical thinking and creativity,
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Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

One Book, One White Plains

This post has expired. For the latest information on One Book, One White Plains and to register for a pop-up discussion group, visit this post. We are excited to announce that Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng, has been selected as our choice for One Book, One White Plains. A moving exploration of family, history and the meaning of home, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and an examination of the rifts that keep us apart. “One Book, One White Plains is an opportunity for White Plains residents of all backgrounds to come together
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Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, and Events.

Donations for Children & Teen Events

The Trove and Edge are asking for donations of items to be used in their upcoming programs. All items need to be in good condition. Donations can be brought to the Trove any time during our hours of operation. Items needed: Barbies, Kens, and similar sized dolls, as well as doll clothes that fit those dolls Matchbox or Hot Wheels type cars Action Figures – any kind Board Games and RPG manuals Construx, Mega Blox, KNEX, always accepting LEGOs
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Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

June 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published in June that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Novel by Linda Holmes Published: 6/25/2019 by Ballantine Books “Relationships are hard, whether with a spouse, a best friend, a new love interest, or ourselves. Evvie navigates all of these after a life-changing series of events. An engaging novel that explores relationship nuances without being too dark or too cutesy. For fans of Jenny Colgan, Cecilia Ahern, and Sophie Kinsella.”—Maribeth Fisher, Scotch Plains Public Library, Scotch Plains,
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.

Welcome to Summer Reading

This post has expired. Check back next June for information on our 2020 Summer Reading programs. The Library's 2019 Summer Reading Game kicks off July 2 and runs through August 9! In the Trove, families with children up to Kindergarten age will take part in a bingo-style game – reading, coming to Library programs, and completing activities to fill out their bingo board. Completed boards will enter families into raffles for fun grand prize packages in August. Children in Grades K-6 will use a game board, keeping track of their reading and attendance at Library programs, to get to the
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Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.

Summer Maker Camps for Teens

This post has expired. Check back in June 2020 for next summer's camps or visit our teen calendar for current events. Our Summer of Making with the EDGE-ucators returns next month. Register today! Monday-Thursday (except where noted), 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. For teen entering grades 7-12 in fall 2019. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. There is a $5 materials fee that will be collected on the first day. Session 1: Constructing a City – July 1-3 All those curious how a city is designed and built from bridges to dams and buildings, come build a city with a
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Categories: eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.

May 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang Published: 5/7/2019 by Berkley Jove “On the autism spectrum, Khai doesn’t feel anything for anyone. His mother recruits Esme, a young Vietnamese woman, to marry him. A realistic, humorous romance that reveals the slow path to love and a meaningful relationship. For those who loved The Kiss Quotient, The Rosie Project, and The Wedding Date.”—Jessica C. Williams, Tiffin-Seneca Public Library, Tiffin, OH The Book Woman of
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.

Citywide School Art Show

Join student artists and their families for a reception celebrating the art of White Plains City School children, grades K-12, on the second floor of the Library on Thursday, May 30th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be on display through June 6th. (Images below are from last year's art show.)  
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Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Gallery, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

New Books Perfect for Book Groups

If you’re in a book group, you are always looking for a great book that can stand up to the scrutiny of your friends. Not too long, not too short. Richly detailed but not too slow. Challenging but not Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. Well here are five books—all published in the past few months—that are perfect for a book discussion: complex, nuanced and full of issues that reverberate with the present. Oh, and none are over 350 pages! The Only Woman in the Room: A Novel by Marie Benedict In her rousing historical novel, Benedict imagines lesser known aspects of Hedy
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Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.

April 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. Lost Roses: A Novel by Martha Hall Kelly Published: 4/9/2019 by Ballantine Books “The Ferriday family (The Lilac Girls) returns in this story of love, loss, and triumph. The voices of four compelling female characters tell of the devastating effects of the Russian Revolution and World War I. Highly recommended for book clubs and fans of Anthony Doerr, Susan Meissner, and Lauren Belfer.”—Mamie Ney, Auburn Public Library, Auburn, ME The Girl He
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.

Families of Veterans Writing Workshop Returns

The adjustment for American veterans returning from war (depicted brilliantly by The Best Years of Our Lives after World War II and Coming Home and Born on the Fourth of July after the Vietnam War) extends to their families. Irvington-based telecommunications consultant Julia Rust watched how memories from World War II affected her late father David Rust in “the way he moved, the way he drove, and who he was,” and that led her and Veterans Writing Workshop (VWW) director David Surface to initiate writing workshops for family members in 2014. “I participated in the first one–the reading was held
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Categories: Classes, eNewsletter, Events, and Library News.

A New Catalog

In March, the public libraries in Westchester County will be moving to a new catalog system. For you, this means an improved interface with better—and easier—search capabilities, greater control over your notifications, and better access to what’s available through the library. Library staff members are getting an open source system, which means the libraries have more control over how the system works. Going forward, we’ll be able to customize the catalog for what works best for Westchester. But migrating to a new catalog won’t happen overnight. To facilitate the process, the catalog will be offline from March 11 to March
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Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

March 2019 LibraryReads

Here are the top ten books published this month that librarians across the country love. Just click on a title or book cover to place it on hold. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing Published: 3/26/2019 by Berkley “An incredible, dark, twisty psychological thriller with two of the most seemingly normal but disturbingly depraved people you will read about in fiction. This brilliant debut needs to be at the top of your must-read list. For readers who like taut suspense and works by Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, and Mary Kubica.”—Rachel Reeves, Weatherford Public Library, Weatherford, TX Beautiful Bad by Annie
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.

Best Audiobooks of 2018

Every year, through the Listen List Council of the American Library Association, librarians create the Listen List, selected for both avid listeners of audiobooks and those new to the pleasures of the fastest-growing format in publishing. This juried list of twelve newly-released titles features extraordinary narrators and listening experiences. This past year jury members listened to 2,574 hours as they narrowed the field to 58 nominated audiobooks and selected winners that include fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and poetry, each an outstanding performance in terms of voice, accents, pitch, tone, inflection, rhythm and pace. Here’s the 12 that made the final cut:
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Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.

Reserve Best Picture Nominees

Interested in watching some of the films nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award this year? Just click on the DVD covers or titles below to easily request Bohemian Rhapsody, BlacKkKlansman, Green Book, and more. And don't forget to tune in to the 91st Academy Awards this Sunday, February 24th.   Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) A chronicle of Freddie Mercury and the band Queen during the years leading up to their appearance at the 1985 Live Aid concert. The Favourite (2018) Early 18th century England is at war with the French. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and
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Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, and Library News.

Museum Passes: Family Edition

We’ve having a break in the weather, so why not head off to a museum? Highlighted here are some of the Library’s museum passes that families will enjoy. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, located on West 83 Street, has way too much going on to describe here (Dynamic H2O; Art, Artists & You; Let’s Dance). Best of all, the museum provides plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning and activities. Visit their website for the full lineup. Trains, buses and ferries are universally fascinating, and the New York City Transit Museum has plenty on display. Check out the exhibit Ticket to
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Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.