Our Poetry Slam & Open Mic program this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. features Venessa Marie Marco, a member of the 2013 Nuyorican National Slam Team, which placed third in the National Poetry Slam in Boston in August. She is an Afro-Caribbean writer who recently moved to New York to pursue her education in creative writing and anthropology. Come hear Venessa and share one of your poems with us. The program starts with an open mic session, and ends with a poetry slam, with our guest’s performance in between. To take part in the open mic or slam, please register at
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Archives for Featured
Julia and the "Duke"
The White Plains Jazz Festival is coming to town September 6, 7 and 8! Our contribution to this celebration of excellent music and food is to bring back Julia Breanetta Simpson, who performed her acclaimed one-woman show “Harlem On My Mind” here in February 2011. The auditorium was packed! It's best to arrive early to ensure a seat – and entrance to the concert, we have fire codes to adhere to! Please join us for another amazing show, this time featuring the music of Edward “Duke” Ellington, on Saturday, September 7 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Like
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Kindergarten Here I Come!
School starts in White Plains on Monday, September 9. For children entering Kindergarten, it is an important time. Watch a film together with your child to help them get ready. Upbeat and authentic, this 18 minute, special video generates excitement about starting Kindergarten. There will be an all day continuous showing in The Cave alternating in both English and Spanish, from 12 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4, Thursday, September 5, and Friday September 6.
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International Film Festival Coming to a Close
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this summer's festival. We plan to be back next year with a variety of acclaimed international films. Our last film will be Rudo y Cursi (Mexico, comedy/drama/sport), starring Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal, who also starred together in the critically praised Y Tu Mamá También. Rudo y Cursi will be shown Monday, August 26 at 2 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m. All of this summer's films will be put in our DVD collection. We hope you will borrow any you missed or particularly loved.
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Library Team Competes in National Poetry Slam
The Library's poetry slam team is competing in preliminary bouts at the 2013 National Poetry Slam in Boston this Tuesday and Thursday. Hostage, Eric ZORK Alan (slammaster), Nina Robins, and AJ won spots on the team by competing in our Poetry Slam Finals in May. Assistant slammaster LV (Laura Vookles) will also travel to Boston with the team. The White Plains Library Slam will be one of 72 teams from all over the United States and Canada who will take part in the preliminaries at seven venues in the Boston-Cambridge area. Twenty teams will advance to the semifinals on Thursday,
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Don't Miss the Rest of the International Film Festival
Join us while you can for our International Film Festival! Each film will be shown at 2 p.m., and repeated at 7 p.m., on Mondays through the end of August. Last week's film, The Band's Visit was sweet. If you haven't seen it, I recommend borrowing the DVD from our collection. In it, an Egyptian ceremonial band traveling to the opening of an Arab cultural arts center in Israel find themselves in the wrong small Israeli town after the last bus has left. This leads to an interesting night for all as the Israelis and Arabs touch each others lives
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The Final Four Films!
Our International Film Festival concludes at the end of August, so join us while you can! Each film will be shown at 2 p.m., and repeated at 7 p.m., on Mondays. Here's the remaining films: 8/5 The Band’s Visit (Israel, comedy/drama) 8/12 Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and … Spring (South Korea, drama) 8/19 Albert Nobbs (UK/Ireland, drama) 8/26 Rudo y Cursi (Mexico, comedy/drama/sport) We hope you'll come see as many films as your schedule allows. After the festival, the films will be put in our DVD collection and you can borrow any you missed. All films will be shown with
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Library Reads – A new nationwide list for book lovers
Every day our library staff share books they love with our patrons. Now, you can reach beyond the White Plains Public Library walls to find out what books librarians in the rest of the country can’t wait to share. LibraryReads – a new program, launching today, harnesses the value of “library staff picks” into a single nationwide discovery tool, a monthly list of ten newly released must-reads. To discover the first list, visit the Library Reads website at libraryreads.org
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What's Next in the International Film Festival?
If you haven't yet, please join us for our ongoing International Film Festival. On Mondays in July and August we're showing films from a variety of countries. Each film will be shown at 2 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m. We hope you'll come see as many films as your schedule allows. After the festival, the films will be put in our DVD collection and you can borrow any you missed. All films will be shown with subtitles. Here's the remaining films: 7/29 Talk to Her (Spain, drama) 8/5 The Band’s Visit (Israel, comedy/drama) 8/12 Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and
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Downloading Free Music with Freegal
Come to our computer class on Thursday, August 1, from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m., and learn how to download files from Freegal Music, a service provided by the Library. Bring your MP3 player and choose from thousands of artists and millions of pop, rock, country and classical songs, in genres ranging from acapella to zydeco. You can listen to a 30-second clip of any available song before you decide whether or not you want to download it. The downloads on this site are all in MP3 format with no DRM. Freegal will work with any MP3 player, including iPod, and
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Teen Cartooning Workshop with Jerry Craft
Tuesday, July 30 at 3:00 PM Teens will learn drawing and storytelling techniques, and create their own cartoon. Check out http://jerrycraft.net/ to see some of the artist’s work.
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Help for the Unemployed and Under-Employed
Job Hunters: Come to Online Job Search, our computer class on Wednesday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m., to discover web sites to help you find a job or switch careers. Participants in this hands-on class will be introduced to a number of resources available on the web. Seats are limited, so don't delay! To register, go to our Computer Classes calendar, then click on the class name on the calendar and fill out the brief form.
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Exciting New Technology Program for Teens
The White Plains Public Library is proud to announce the first in what is expected to be a series of exciting new technology programs geared specifically for teens: Hacker Academy: How to create and program your own computer. In this course, consisting of four one and a half hour sessions from July 11 through August 1, teens will be introduced to the world of small board computers as well how to hack them to boot and use Linux. Provided for each of the 10 participants in the course is an Android-based computer, specifically the APC 8750 from VIA Technologies, Inc.
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classes, computers, Foundation, technology, teens, and workshops.
Six more films to go!
Please join us for our ongoing International Film Festival. On Mondays in July and August we're showing films from a variety of countries. Each film will be shown at 2 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m. We hope you'll come see as many films as your schedule allows. After the festival, the films will be put in our DVD collection and you can borrow any you missed. All films will be shown with subtitles. Here's the remaining films: 7/22 Circumstance (Iran, drama) 7/29 Talk to Her (Spain, drama) 8/5 The Band’s Visit (Israel, comedy/drama) 8/12 Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and
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What is Your Body Mass Index and What Does it Mean?
Ever wonder what your Body Mass Index (BMI) is? Stop by the White Plains Library to get your BMI tested in only two minutes. Come and talk with Sandy Gallo, RN on Thursday, July 25 between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. and she'll gladly answer your questions. Sandy can help you help understand what your BMI results mean, weight loss options and how your numbers may affect your risk for health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. No registration required, if you have questions please call 914-681-1192.
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International Film Festival Continues…
Library patrons have been enjoying our International Film Festival. We hope more of you will join us on Mondays in July and August to watch films from a variety of countries. Each film will be shown at 2 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m. Our festival has been running since 1987—26 years!— with only two summers when it went on hiatus due to construction of The Trove, and one summer where it was replaced with a jazz film festival related to the Museum Gallery exhibit at the time. We hope you'll come see as many films as your schedule allows.
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Library "breaks ground" for The Edge, our new teen space!
Over 80 community members joined Mayor Thomas Roach at the Library’s official groundbreaking ceremony on June 24 to kick off construction of The Edge, our new 3,000 sq. ft. space for teens. The Edge will be built this summer and fall as part of Phase I of the Library’s first floor renovations, a three-year capital project of the City of White Plains with major support from the White Plains Library Foundation. At the groundbreaking, a group of ceremonial “book movers” led by Mayor Roach pushed book carts loaded with Young Adult books off the floor, clearing the space to begin renovations. To read more about
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Meet Stephanie Evanovich, author of Big Girl Panties
Saturday, July 13 at 2:00 p.m. Interested in a sizzling hot beach book? Come and listen to Stephanie Evanovich speak about her debut novel. Big Girl Panties is a funny, clever, and well-paced read centered on a young widow who learns how to build a new life for herself. The author is a full-fledged Jersey girl from Asbury Park, former actor, holder of a black belt in tae kwon do, avid sports fan and mother of two sons. Refreshments served. Raffle prizes. Photo credit: Stephanie Evanovich by Ron Rinaldi
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International Film Festival 2013
Please join us for our annual International Film Festival. On Mondays in July and August (starting July 8th) we will show films from a variety of countries. Each film will be shown at 2 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m. Our festival has been running since 1987—26 years!— with only two summers when it went on hiatus due to construction of The Trove, and one summer where it was replaced with a jazz film festival related to the Museum Gallery exhibit at the time. We hope you'll come see as many films as your schedule allows. After the festival, the
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adults, film, foreign film, international film, and summer.
Be Inspired by The Trove's 2013 Summer StoryWalk®
Be inspired to discover the world! Children in grades 1 through 6 and their families are invited to take a walk along the Trove's 2013 Summer StoryWalk®, which opens Monday, July 1 at 10:00 am in the Trove. Come take a walk any time The White Plains Public Library is open throughout the months of July and August until the Walk closes on Friday August 30 at 6:00 pm. The book being featured is, The World is Waiting For You, written by Barbara Kerley and published by the National Geographic Society. Along the StoryWalk® you will view a series of
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