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New WLS Mobile App is Now Live!

New WLS Mobile App is Now Live!

The new WLS mobile app has launched and is ready for you to use! Enjoy the convenience of using the catalog from your mobile device. The new app allows you to: Search the collection Browse and discover Check out e-books and e-audiobooks Manage your account Store family library cards Receive notifications of holds Create lists Opt into saving your reading history Learn about library events Scan ISBNs of physical books to see if they're within the WLS collection and more! Be sure to remove the former WLS mobile app from your device. Then go to the Apple App Store or
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February 21, 2025 11:04 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Burkina Faso Portraits: 3 Families, 50 Years

Burkina Faso Portraits: 3 Families, 50 Years

White Plains Public Library is pleased to present a new exhibit in the Museum Gallery titled Burkina Faso Portraits: 3 Families, 50 Years by Beryl Goldberg. The exhibit will be on display through the end of March. Photographer Beryl Goldberg presents this photo essay of three families from Burkina Faso: “I first met the founding generations—the parents—in 1972. They were true entrepreneurs. They moved from rural villages to the cities, where they found opportunities that were only possible in the urban environment: schools, financial (economic) possibilities, and different standards of living. They all had connections to the city markets, where
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February 13, 2025 3:06 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Gallery, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: African Diaspora, Beryl Goldberg, Burkina Faso, museum gallery, Photo Essay, and Photography Exhibit.

Black History Month Events

Black History Month Events

February is Black History Month and we've got a great lineup of events in celebration!  Be sure to also check out or great list of new and noteworthy reads for Black History Month! R&B / Soul Line Dancing  Every Saturday in February, 10:30-11:30am Line dancing has important cultural ties to the Black community in America. This program will break down easy line dances that allow everyone to learn at a comfortable pace while improving their memory and balance. Trove Trivia Book Club Tuesday, February 4, 4:30pm Grades 3-6.  Registration required. Discussion of the book The Parker Inheritance, which draws upon
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February 13, 2025 8:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, Library News, and Uncategorized.
Tags: adult events, all ages, Black History, black history month, children, children's events, Observances and Celebrations, teens, and trove events.

Celebrate Black History Month with Books!

Celebrate Black History Month with Books!

To celebrate Black History Month, we have gathered together a list of noteworthy new 2024-25 titles (from birth to adult!) in the Library – enjoy! For Wee Ones We Are Black History by Tequitia Andrews (Birth to 3 Years-Old) Library Catalog The We Are Black History board book from Mudpuppy is a wonderful introduction to the black leaders and trailblazers who have shaped our world! From the inspiring words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the incredible calculations of Katherine Johnson, celebrate the achievements of Black pioneers featuring colorful and vibrant illustrations by Tequitia Andrews. Black History: Little Legends
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February 1, 2025 8:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Black Authors, black history month, books for adults, books for kids, books for teens, celebrate black history month, and reading.

Canned Food Drive

Canned Food Drive

You may notice that calendars mark February as National Canned Food Month. Why is this the case? The answer dates back to the inspiration for its invention. In February, 1795, the French government required a way to feed its troops in enemy territory and offered a cash prize for an invention that would ensure both food preservation and transportability. After fourteen years of experimentation, confectioner Nicholas Appert claimed the prize with a method that involved putting food in jars, sealing, and then boiling them. (Shortly thereafter, an innovation of using tin cans – more durable and less likely to explode
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January 29, 2025 10:22 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured and Homepage.
Tags: canned food, food drive, and westchester library system.

The Dia:Beacon: Museum Pass Available Now!

The Dia:Beacon: Museum Pass Available Now!

What effect do environments we walk through have on us? And if they affect us, are they in a sense art? You may find yourself asking these or similar questions when you visit the Dia:Beacon museum, which as a White Plains Public Library cardholder you can now do with our new Dia:Beacon Museum Pass. The Greek word “dia” means “through,” and this museum celebrates conceptual art about space and environment. Operated by the Dia Art Foundation, the Dia:Beacon offers works from the ‘60s to the present. Its collection features many long-term exhibits including Andy Warhol’s “Shadows” (1979), a series of
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January 23, 2025 11:37 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Dia:Beacon, museum pass, and museum passes.

AARP Tax Assistance 2025

AARP Tax Assistance 2025

The AARP Tax-Aide program will once again offer free tax preparation services at the White Plains Public Library from February 3, 2025, to April 14, 2025 (excluding February 17, 2025). We will also be scheduling appointments for Tuesday, February 20, 2025. PLEASE NOTE: THIS SERVICE IS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Appointments will be available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with the last appointment scheduled at 2:00 PM. To schedule an appointment online, please visit the Tax-Aide Appointment Scheduler. Be sure to enter your email address to receive confirmation and reminders. Alternatively, you can call 914-348-3467 to
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January 14, 2025 10:10 am | by | 6 Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: aarp, adults, senior services, tax assistance, and tax help.

Short-Story Book & Film Series – Winter/Spring 2025

Short-Story Book & Film Series – Winter/Spring 2025

Join White Plains Librarian Barbara Wenglin to explore compelling selections from the rich anthology Stories of Books and Libraries, (ed. Jane Holloway, Everyman’s Pocket Classics, 2023). These vibrant and varied readings by diverse authors pay tribute to the written word in works published throughout history, to their readers, and to the intriguing spaces that house them. This group meets on Zoom — all are welcome! Click here to sign up and receive the zoom link. Schedule: Thursdays, 2pm-4pm February 27: “Forewarned” by H.H. Munro writing as “Saki” (p.341) & “Three Kinds of Association” by Michel de Montaigne (p.275) March 13:
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January 2, 2025 1:38 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Book Discussion, Events, Featured, and Homepage.
Tags: book discussion, events for seniors, film discussion, and Short stories.

2024 Staff Favorites: Music and Movies

2024 Staff Favorites: Music and Movies

The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their favorite movies, music and television. It's a wonderfully wide-ranging list 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. On the Screen: The Booksellers  This documentary presents a lively view of New York’s antiquarian, rare-book scene and the fascinating, passionate collectors and dealers who inhabit it. The film is directed by D.W. Young and narrated by actress Parker Posey, with insightful comments
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December 10, 2024 3:08 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: 2024 staff picks, movies, music, and staff favorites.

2024 Staff Favorites for Adults

2024 Staff Favorites for Adults

The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring literary fiction, audiobooks, fantasy, music, 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 as well as a blurb on why staff enjoyed it. Adults AI Prompt Writing by Emma Grimberg Whether you’re creating stories, art, or music, this guide shows you how to harness the power of AI prompts to bring your ideas to life in a whole new
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December 10, 2024 3:07 pm | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, books for adults, staff favorites, and staff picks.

2024 Staff Favorites for Kids and Teens

2024 Staff Favorites for Kids and Teens

The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year for kids and teens! It's a wonderfully wide-ranging list 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. Kids: Elephant and Piggie Series and more by Mo Willems My first-grade son, who recently switched from a frustrated reader to an excited reader, devours Mo Willems' books – especially the Elephant and Piggie Series. He insists nightly that he reads one Elephant and
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December 10, 2024 3:07 pm | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Homepage Kids.

‘Wicked’ at Your Fingertips

‘Wicked’ at Your Fingertips

Are you off to see the Wizard?  Or have you already seen Wicked, and now you can't stop humming Defying Gravity? Never fear, you can fully immerse yourself in all things Wicked for free with your library card on hoopla!  Listen to the film's soundtrack starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, or reminisce with the original Broadway cast recording featuring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Read or listen to the book by Gregory Maguire that the movie is based on, and get ready for the forthcoming sequel by reading Maguire's Son of a Witch.  They even have a documentary about the stage production,
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December 5, 2024 11:53 am | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: hoopla, movie soundtrack, and wicked.

Local Food Pantries

Local Food Pantries

Below is a list of active local food pantries. Schedules vary. Alcance Latino 346 S. Lexington Ave, White Plains, NY 10606 (914) 458-5088   El Centro Hispano 295 Central Ave, White Plains, NY 10606 First and Third of the month 3:00 p.m. (914) 289-0500   Grace Episcopal Church 33 Church St, White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 949-2874   Ridgeway Alliance 465 Ridgeway, White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 949-3714 Make the Road New York 46 Waller Ave, White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 948-8466 Salvation Army 16 Sterling Ave White Plains, NY 914.949.2908   Ecumenical Food Pantry Thomas H. Slater Center 2
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November 27, 2024 2:33 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: COVID-19, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: food bank, food pantries, and food pantry.

Westchester Women: A Window into their Worlds Fiber Art by Heather G. Stoltz

Westchester Women: A Window into their Worlds Fiber Art by Heather G. Stoltz

Women often live multiple lives at once, trying to be the perfect mother, daughter, employee, boss, friend, and community member all while hiding challenges in one realm from those in another. Those carefully constructed walls came crashing down in 2020 when the pandemic forced everyone inside where those walls became windows and the different aspects of their lives began to merge together. This exhibition gives a glimpse of what was happening in some women’s lives during those tumultuous times. See how a women ranging from a priest to a doctor to a small business owner juggled the various aspects of
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November 19, 2024 10:46 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Gallery, Homepage, and Library News.

Featured Resource: Estante

Featured Resource: Estante

What video streaming platform do library patrons in Latin America use? They use Estante. And with your library card, you can too! Providing a plethora of Spanish language entertainment – from action-adventure movies to TV series (including telenovelas!) to recorded live performances to children’s cartoons, and more – Estante offers something for everyone and every viewing occasion. Use the “Advanced Search” to find content by country and subtitles, if desired. (The collection includes some content with English and/or Spanish subtitles.) Rely on Estante’s expertly curated collection for premium entertainment. Grab your library card and click here to take your viewing
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October 16, 2024 5:10 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Homepage.

Short Story Book/Film Discussion – Fall/Winter 2024-25

Short Story Book/Film Discussion – Fall/Winter 2024-25

Join White Plains Librarian and Fulbright Scholar Barbara Wenglin for our Zoom Story and Film Series using the rich anthology, Stories of Books and Libraries (ed. Jane Holloway, Everyman's Pocket Classics, 2023). Copies of the anthology are available to reserve through the Catalog with one held at the Reference Desk for reading in the Library. These vibrant and varied selections by diverse authors pay tribute to the written word in works published throughout history, to their readers, and to the intriguing places that house them. Click on these remaining dates for story and film selections:  12/5, 12/19, 1/2/25, 1/23/25 (final film
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October 9, 2024 7:57 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Book Discussion and Homepage.

New Resource: The CIA’s World Factbook

New Resource: The CIA’s World Factbook

Are you looking to travel internationally or launch a product in another country’s market? The CIA’s World Factbook is a useful resource with which to begin your research. It provides basic intelligence on over 260 country/territory entities around the world, including population, demographics, government, economy, energy, geography, environment, communications, transportation, military, terrorism, and transnational issues. Though earlier editions were classified for U.S. policymakers and officials, the CIA now makes The World Factbook publicly available on the internet, where it finds widespread use among students and academic researchers. Go to Resource
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August 30, 2024 12:25 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Homepage.

Greater Mental Health of New York

Greater Mental Health of New York

Mental health is a vital component of overall well-being, influencing how individuals think, feel, and act in their daily lives. Despite its importance, many communities face significant barriers in accessing the mental health care they need. Financial constraints, social stigma, and a lack of local resources often prevent individuals from seeking help, exacerbating the challenges they face. In response to these issues, the White Plains Public Library and Greater Mental Health of New York have instituted a weekly service that enhances community well-being through accessible mental health resources. Every Tuesday, from 12:30-4:00 p.m., two peer specialists are available in the
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July 1, 2024 10:18 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Homepage.

Forward & Out

Forward & Out

Forward & Out is composed of 49 episodes, was made for the LGBTQ+ community, and was produced by the White Plains Cable station. The show was produced from 1993 through 1996, and was broadcast from January 1994 through January 1997. At its peak, Forward & Out was broadcast via cable and over-the-air to 1.2 million households in primarily the NY/NJ/CT area and as far away as Philadelphia. The show’s mission was to stimulate pride and raise self-esteem within the LGBTQ+ community by promoting a positive image, and to encourage greater tolerance and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. Forward & Out hosted
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May 20, 2024 2:23 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Homepage and Local History.
Tags: Forward & Out, Katharine Andriotis, LGBTQ+ history, and local-history.

How to Fight Censorship & Book Bans

How to Fight Censorship & Book Bans

On Monday, April 24, 2023 the first national Right to Read Day was held. Organized by the American Library Association (ALA), and kicking off National Library Week, Right to Read Day was established as a call to action in response to the past few years of attacks on access to, and even the existence of, certain books – overwhelmingly those with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters, themes, and information (check out the top 13 challenged books of 2022 to see what I mean). While ALA’s Unite Against Book Bans, and other organizations, highlighted going to the library and checking out banned
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April 11, 2024 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, and Library News.
Tags: #WPFreedomtoRead, activism, banned books, book banning, book bans, censorship, community activism, fight for the first, first amendment, and freedom to read.