Which Craft? Wednesday has been phased into Grab & Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding materials around the house, teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Due to wintry weather and winds, Grab & Go Kits are now held inside the Library. Rather than having them sit outside to be picked up, when you arrive at the Library to pick up a kit,
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Archives for Featured
Long Live Pi
Pi Day is on March 14th, and any day that combines fun, education, and pie is a day worth celebrating! Pi, also known by the Greek letter “π,” is a constant value used in math that represents the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is just about 3.14….15…9265359… (and so on). Not only that, but the fourteenth of March is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so all together it’s nothing short of a mathematician’s delight. Celebrate Pi Day with some of the titles below, and with our Grab & Go Kit for K-3 that is available
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Peculiar Picks
Peculiar Picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Peculiar Picks are books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. I really enjoy meta-fictional books for younger readers. By this I mean books that are “aware” of their book-ness, or that actively reinforce their book-ness to the reader. For example, characters may interact with the physicality of the book, provide commentary on themselves and their world within the book, or break the fourth wall and address the reader. I’ve
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Blood Pressure Monitor Loaner Program
Blood pressure management is more important than ever during the pandemic. The Library will begin loaning blood pressure monitors on March 15th. The monitor comes with a cuff, instructions, and a log the patron may keep for recording daily readings. The monitors can be placed on hold by any Westchester County library card holder in good standing and may be kept for 14 days. Patrons may pick up and return the device to White Plains Public Library only. Cuffs can be placed on hold here. High blood pressure is often the first domino in a chain or “domino effect” leading
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March Events for Younger Kids
Some great regular events for younger children take place all month long. See below for times and access. Note: All youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account. Creating an account is free and easy at http://zoom.us/signup. Grab & Go: Kits Grab&Go: Kits are fun and educational activities to do at home. Kits are available in a variety of age ranges throughout the month, including AtoZ and special themed PreK level Kits. Dates that new Kits are available for pickup can be found on our online calendar. Trove Storytimes Storytimes for ages 2-6 with Trove Librarians – books, songs and
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children's events, dance, kids, live music, March 2021, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.
Celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year
Please join us on Friday, March 19th for a cultural spring program celebrating the Persian New Year. This year, White Plains Public Library is hosting a reading of The Phoenix of Persia, written by Sally Pomme Clayton and Amin Hassanzadeh Sharif. Afterwards we will work on coloring eggs for the Haftseen. Grab & Go spring bags for our Nowruz program will be available on March 15th. If you are unable to register or pick up a kit, please feel free to join us. You will need white vinegar, eggs, and food coloring or washable markers. Nowruz, or the Persian New
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Parenting: Great Books for Emerging Readers
Read Across America day, March 2nd, has already passed. But with all the media attention it and Dr. Seuss received this year, I wanted to address it. First, some history: Read Across America is the National Education Association’s (NEA) celebration of reading. Since its inception in 1998, it has focused on motivating children and teens to read, emphasizing that reading is about everyone and for everyone. So what is the big deal this year? Read Across America has long been associated with Dr. Seuss. The NEA had a partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to help draw attention to reading. While
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Battle of White Plains, the Movie
In anticipation of our country’s 250th birthday in 2026, we have uploaded “The Battle of White Plains,” the movie, to our YouTube Channel. The 25-minute black and white film, which re-enacts the battle, was made over two weekends in the fall of 1977 near Silver Lake. It debuted at the White Plains Public Library on June 1, 1978. According to Joe Ryan, founder and president of the Living History Education Foundation, who played a Continental soldier in the movie, “The film was created on a limited budget with a lot of local volunteer help. It provided valuable experience for those
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WandaVision & Marvel
WandaVision is a current cultural phenomenon and a hit that proves longer-form stories and a move to the smaller screen can work for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Take a deep dive into the roots of the show’s funny, magical, dark, twisty, trauma-filled story with these: Vision (2015-2016) Hoopla / Library Catalog House of M Hoopla Vision and the Scarlet Witch: the Saga of Wanda and Vision Library Catalog Marvel-verse: Wanda & Vision Hoopla / Library Catalog Avengers: Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) Hoopla / Library Catalog Avengers: Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985-1986) Hoopla Scarlet Witch (2015-2017) Hoopla /
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Turtle Dance Music Recorded Show
Turtle Dance Music provided a fantastic virtual show for the Library on February 16th. The “Space: the Cosmos for Kids Dance Party” was a wild and fun musical time. If you missed the show, Mr. Matt has graciously provided a recorded version of the program you can watch whenever you want! Like the show? There are more Turtle Dance Music performances to come, monthly, starting April 22. About Turtle Dance Music Turtle Dance Music is a children's music company dedicated to furthering child development through arts-integration, music, and educational entertainment. Turtle Dance Music sparks children's curiosity and imaginations through interactive,
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children's events, performance, streaming, trove events, Turtle Dance Music, and video.
Learn about Owls
The Library is excited to host two STEAM-azing programs in March about the fascinating nocturnal birds called owls. STEAM at Home: Owls & Owl Pellet Dissection Grades K-3. Registration required. Space is limited. Tuesday, March 23, 4:00 p.m. During the program, participants will hear some owl stories and Greenwich Audubon Center will provide information about owls and lead an owl pellet dissection to learn more about what owls eat. Registered participants will pick up an Owl Pellet Dissection Kit prior to the program from the Library. An email address must be provided during registration to receive your Kit. Click here
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children's events, owls, STEAM, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, and trove events.
Peculiar Picks
Peculiar Picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Peculiar Picks are books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. Like so many folk and fairy tales, such as The Three Little Pigs, there are many versions of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. For a traditional telling, check out this bilingual version on Hoopla by Candice Ransom or this version by James Marshall on Kanopy. However, since this is Peculiar Picks, here are three of my
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Perfect Picture Book Biographies for Women’s History Month!
Congress first designated March as Women’s History Month in 1987 to honor and celebrate women’s achievements and contributions to American history. The beginnings of the March celebration of women and their important accomplishments started much earlier, however. Kate Hannigan writes in her blog, “Like any great creation, Women’s History Month traces its roots to the tiniest seed of an idea—or in this case, a single date on the calendar: National Woman’s Day. First observed on February 28, 1909, it was organized by the Socialist Party of America to call for equal rights for women on the job and at the
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AARP Foundation Tax-Aide
The White Plains AARP Tax-Aide program will not be able to offer the kind of in-person service taxpayers have become used to for so many years. The primary concerns remain the health and safety of taxpayers and preparers, and the protection of confidential taxpayer information. White Plains will operate a no-contact, electronic service, which involves the transmittal of instructions, forms, permissions, and scans of tax documents using email. After the initial contact, taxpayers will receive an email with instructions and documents to print, fill out and return for tax preparation. Documents will need to be scanned and attached to the
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AARP Foundation Tax Aide, tax assistance, tax filing, and taxes.
Dive into Diversity: YA Romance
In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature #ownvoices authors, or authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity, as much as possible. Predictably, the February edition highlights books that feature romance as a central plot element. Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon Grades 9 and up OverDrive; Library Catalog I was excited to read David Yoon's next book after loving Frankly in Love when I read it in 2019, and
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Dive into Diversity: Comics Edition
White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. The graphic novel section in the Trove is one of our most loved collections. Read on for some recommendations of great diverse graphic novels and be on the lookout for a new kids comic book discussion club that we’ll be starting
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Dive into Diversity: Girl Power
To celebrate Women’s History Month, I have gathered together ten diverse titles with feisty and loving girl protagonists. Most are recently published titles and all are available as eBooks on OverDrive, or can be obtained by placing holds on the titles through the library catalog and picked up at the Library. For further reading, I also recommend: “55 Multicultural Picture Books About Strong Female Role Models”, a “Girl Power” booklist from Colours of Us (a website dedicated to multicultural children’s books) as a good resource for both nonfiction and fictional picture books to celebrate Women’s History Month. With all these
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Women’s History Month StoryWalk
Mae Among the Stars By Roda Ahmed, Illustrated by Stasia Burrington Starting February 26th, 2021 Get ready to journey into outer space as you take a walk along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the Library Plaza. Follow the panels and read, Mae Among the Stars, by Roda Ahmed and Illustrated by Stasia Burrington. The StoryWalk will be available to view from February 26 – March 29. Mae Among the Stars is inspired by the life story of Dr. Mae Carol Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space. As a child, Mae’s family encouraged her to
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My Mother the Astronaut
Traveling Lantern Theater Company presents “My Mother the Astronaut,” a video performance celebrating women STEM fields. The show will be available for unlimited viewing from March 7 – March 14. To receive access to the performance, visit the Library’s online calendar and register for the event on any of the days it is available for viewing. Be sure to provide an email address during your registration, as the access link will be sent via email! About the Show Aquarius' mom is an astronaut and today is “Take your child to work day.” Aquarius can't wait to go to NASA and
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Irish Lore and Enchantment
Saint Patrick’s Day, a day honoring Ireland’s patron saint, is March 17th. This March, we’ll celebrate Ireland, its culture, and its people, with some traditional Irish tales. Ireland is a land of green beautiful landscapes and rich folklore: fairies, pookas, leprechauns, banshees, and storytellers. This island nation has a lot to offer. Join us in celebrating Ireland by enjoying these wonderful stories. Have you ever heard of a goat being crowned king? Come listen to the tale of King Puck, from the town of Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland to find out more about this “King” and sing about leprechauns with
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