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Our Annual Report

Our Annual Report

In the past year, the Library has grown in every way imaginable while we continue to support our Strategic Plan. Our strategic goals infuse everything we do: promote equity, diversity and inclusion; expand community engagement; renew our infrastructure; improve sustainability; and learn from our experiences with COVID. We have acquired more content than ever, although you may not notice as much of it is digital. We’re circulating a range of items, from hotspots and laptops to museum passes. But more significantly, we’ve expanded our programs, with White Plains residents coming together to learn English, become citizens, discuss books, experience 360-degree
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September 27, 2023 2:13 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: annual report and White Plains Public Library Annual Report.

KidLit Local Author Book Fair

KidLit Local Author Book Fair

KidLit Local Author Book Fair Sunday, October 22nd, 2:00-3:30 pm For: Families, Toddlers to 5th Graders Location: Auditorium Join us for a children’s local author Book Fair to meet a group of friendly local authors who are excited to share their books with the community! The local authors who will be at the Book Fair are: Alise Curran, Mona Voelkel, Alyssa Londoño, Jayne Pillemer, Gabriella Gizzo, and Marsha Campbell. There will be craft activities and opportunities to buy books. For added fun, come spin the wheel and win prizes including books from the local authors!
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September 25, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Teens, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Book Fair, children's authors, children's book fair, KidLit, and KidLit Book Fair.

Short Story Discussion Series: Fall 2023

Short Story Discussion Series: Fall 2023

Join Librarian Barbara Wenglin to explore compelling selections from the rich anthology, New York Stories, ed. by Diana Secker Tesdell, (Everyman’s Pocket Classics, c2011). These vibrant and varied works by acclaimed authors provide a colorful vision of “the city that never sleeps” in all its grittiness and glamour “from high life, low life, nightlife, and everything in between.” A copy of the book is on hold at the Hub/Reference Desk for reading in the Library with circulating copies available to borrow through the catalog. Zoom Register Here for full series and attend when you can! Thursdays from 2:00 – 4:15
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September 21, 2023 1:00 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Barbara Wenglin, book groups in Westchester, book groups in White Plains, Short stories, short story book discussion series, and short story discussion groups.

Terry Kessler Schwarz: “Impressions” Exhibit

Terry Kessler Schwarz: “Impressions” Exhibit

Terry Kessler Schwarz Impressions Art Solo Exhibit On display in the Museum Gallery from September 22nd through November 28th In her upcoming drawing and painting exhibition Impressions, Terry Kessler Schwarz will be presenting drawings and paintings of nature focusing on land, sky, water and city life. TERRY KESSLER SCHWARZ is a painter, calligrapher, illustrator, photographer and teacher.  She received her BFA from Syracuse University and MFA in printmaking/painting from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.  She has also trained at Tyler School of Art (Temple University) in Italy, Rochester Institute of Technology, Parsons School
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September 19, 2023 12:54 pm | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Events, Featured, Gallery, and Homepage.
Tags: art, art and artists, art exhibit, gallery, and Terry Kessler Schwarz.

Iranian Women Speak

Iranian Women Speak

Caroline Reddy is a Children’s librarian at White Plains Public Library. Her work has appeared in Active Muse, Calliope, Clinch, CulturalDaily, Grey Sparrow, Starline, and Tupelo Quarterly Review among others.  In the fall of 2021, her poem “A Sacred Dance” was nominated for the Best of The Net prize by Active Muse. A native of Shiraz, Iran, Caroline’s work has also appeared in the anthology Iranian Women Speak (IHRAF)  to raise awareness for #ZanZendegiAzadi, #WomenLifeFreedom movement, in Iran. Her first manuscript Shake the Atmosphere to Reclaim an Empty Moment is forthcoming with Pierian Springs Press. For more information please click
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September 6, 2023 9:20 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: author interview, Caroline Reddy, Iran, Iranian Women Speak, and Meet the Staff.

Future is Female Book Discussion

Future is Female Book Discussion

Be a part of the Future is Female book group led by Ellen O’Connell, White Plains resident and retired teacher. We will continue to meet on Zoom on Monday afternoons from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Check our online calendar for the Zoom link. September 11 A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende All available formats October 2 Stars in an Italian Sky by Jill Santopolo All available formats November 6 Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer All available formats December 4 Wintering by Katherine May All available formats January 8 Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin All
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September 4, 2023 2:10 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book group, book groups, book groups in Westchester, book groups in White Plains, books discussions, and Future is Female.

Book ‘Em 2023-2024

Book ‘Em 2023-2024

Join us for the return of Book ‘Em, our popular crime fiction book group. 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 for a printable PDF of dates & titles. Book ‘Em 2023/2024 Schedule October 18, 2023 Jesse Q. Sutanto: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
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August 22, 2023 10:00 am | by | 3 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.

Forever Young Adult Book Club

Forever Young Adult Book Club

Forever Young Adult is a group for YA fans who are a little less “Y”(oung) and a bit more “A”(dult). Whether you're a regular YA reader or you need a break from your usual “To Read” list, all are welcome! Thursday, September 28th, at 7:00 p.m. The Red Palace by June Hurs (All available formats) Click here for the Zoom link. Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head
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August 20, 2023 11:00 am | by | 4 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: author event, book club, book discussion, book group in westchester, book group in white plains, book groups, and Forever Young Adult Book Club.

White Plains After Hours for Grades 9-12

White Plains After Hours for Grades 9-12

Friday, June 2nd marked the launch of a new citywide initiative aimed at offering dedicated spaces and events in the evening for White Plains residents in grades 9-12. The Library came together with various City departments and White Plains based organizations after local teens expressed an urgent need for a place to hangout in the evening. White Plains Teen After Hours is a collaboration between ArtsWestchester, the City of White Plains, El Centro Hispano, White Plains Recreation & Parks, the White Plains Youth Bureau, and the White Plains Public Library.   Below is our upcoming schedule. We have more events
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August 19, 2023 1:20 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: After Hours, events for teens in White Plains, White Plains After Hours, and White Plains teen after hours.

The Library’s TTRPG Collection

The Library’s TTRPG Collection

Did you know the Library has a collection of tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) books you can borrow?  They are located just outside the Edge, our teen library (though anyone can check them out!).  Holds cannot be placed on the titles, but you can pick them up at the Library and borrow them for three weeks! Titles in the growing collection include (by game system – Will be updated as new titles are added. Links for unlinked items will be added as they become available.) What’s a TTRPG? A tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) is a system of rules so that a
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August 1, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: library collections, RPGs, staff picks, staff recommendations, tabletop gaming, tabletop roleplaying games, and TTRPGS.

Discover Aspen Discovery!

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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June 1, 2023 10:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Aspen Discovery, catalog, Library Catalog, and library resources.

How to Fight Censorship & Book Bans

How to Fight Censorship & Book Bans

On Monday, April 24, 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 books
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April 26, 2023 7:45 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, and Library News.
Tags: #WPFreedomtoRead, activism, banned books, book banning, book bans, censorship, community activism, and first amendment.

Homework Help and Resume Assistance

Homework Help and Resume Assistance

Are you looking for a tutor for your child? Do you need help preparing for college entrance exams? Maybe you need assistance writing a resume or looking for a new job? With Tutor.com you can get expert assistance with all of the above and much more at no cost to you with your White Plains library card. Here are just a few of the resources available through Tutor.com: Connect with a live tutor on a variety of subjects from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Submit a paper for review – tutors will get back to you in 12 hours. Drop
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February 14, 2023 2:46 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: homework help, job search help, library resources, resume help, tutor.com, tutoring, and tutors.

Edward Steinberg Photo

Edward Steinberg Photo

Edward C. Steinberg (1942-2018) worked for White Plains from 1970 to the mid-1990s in the Urban Renewal Agency and later as Commissioner of Planning. He helped build the Galleria, the Transportation Center, the Public Safety Building, the Westchester Mall, and the Federal Courthouse. He was also a photographer, and recently his widow donated three of his photographs to our local history collection. One is of the Transportation Center, one shows workers pouring cement, and the other the demolition of a building.  Part of the pouring cement photo is shown below (it doesn’t say what building it was for, unfortunately). Feel
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January 24, 2023 10:59 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Local History.
Tags: local history and white plains collection.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

Volunteers from AARP will prepare taxes free of charge on select dates beginning February 1st through April 17th. Appointments are required. Just one appointment is needed. To make an appointment, call 914-348-3467 or email 500177589@aarpfoundation.org (please note: if you call and leave a message, when the call is returned the number will not say AARP so please pay attention to the above number and answer the call). At your scheduled appointment time, please bring the following: 1. Copy of last year's federal and state tax return 2. W-2 forms showing income from your employer 3. 1099-R forms showing pension or
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January 24, 2023 10:25 am | by | 7 Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: AARP Foundation Tax Aide, AARP Tax Aide, tax help, tax prep, and tax preparation.

English Conversation Group

English Conversation Group

English Conversation Group Thursdays 2:00–3:00 p.m. Community Room Our English Conversation group returns in February. The Library is offering adults who speak English as a second language the chance to meet and converse in English. This program is free and open to learners age 18 and up who want to improve their English conversation skills. Attendees are welcome and encouraged to bring conversation topics. Refreshments will be provided. No registration required. For more information, contact Austin at 914-422-6922. Grupo de conversación en inglés Los jueves a la 2:00 p.m. La Biblioteca Pública de White Plains ofrece a los adultos que
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January 24, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Español, Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: english as a second language, English Conversation, english conversation group, and Grupo de conversación en inglés.

Lunchtime Meditation 2023

Lunchtime Meditation 2023

Our popular Lunchtime Meditation series returns to Zoom this January. This wellness program includes brief beginning instruction followed by meditation. No experience is needed. A variety of guest instructors will lead the program from 12:00–12:45 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: January 25: Sharon Lewis February 1: Seth Segall February 8: Daniel Lauter February 15: Sharon March 1: Seth March 8: Andrea Deierlein March 15: Russ Michel March 22: Sharon March 29: Dan Cayer April 12: Seth April 19: Andrea April 26: Sharon May 3: Andrea May 10: Seth May 17: Sharon May 24: Dan June 7: Seth June 14: Andrea
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January 18, 2023 9:36 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: lunchtime meditation, lunchtime meditation at the library, Meditation, meditation classes in White Plains, mindfulness, Wellness, wellness classes in white plains, Wellness programs, and Wellness Wednesdays.

Most Popular 2022 Checkouts

Most Popular 2022 Checkouts

Below is a list of the 2022 top five most popular fiction, nonfiction, films, children's books, and YA titles based on the number of times they've been checked out from our collection. We told you what our staff loved last year, well, here's what was most popular among your fellow Library patrons. I'm sure you'll notice a few trends – our patrons really love Colleen Hoover, memoirs, Dog Man, and Disney! Fiction The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (Library Collection / Libby) It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (Library Collection / Libby) Verity by Colleen Hoover (Library Collection / Libby)
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January 17, 2023 1:58 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, books, end of year lists, film, patron favorites, top checkouts, and tv.

Booklist Reader

Booklist Reader

Need help deciding what to read next? Then pick up a free copy of Booklist Reader. The Reader includes new titles, available in print and audio, top graphic novels, books on a theme–like traveling on foot–plus books for teens and children, including picture books and biographies. Included in every issue are interviews and profiles of authors and illustrators. Copies of the Booklist Reader, a publication of the American Library Association, can be found in the Hub area on the first floor as well upstairs in the Trove. Many of the titles in the Reader are owned by the Library, but
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January 11, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations and Booklist reader.

Rotary Club Events

Rotary Club Events

The Rotary Club of White Plains holds many of its programs at the Library, and everyone–Rotarians or not–are invited to attend. Follow the newsletter to keep up with presenters and dates. All programs take place in the Library's auditorium on the second floor, adjacent to the gallery. The speaker for January 17th is Robin Davies-Small, Executive Director of YesSheCan, Inc. Yes She Can Inc., a Westchester based non-profit founded in 2013, is dedicated to helping young women with autism and related disabilities develop transferable job skills and workplace social skills – through authentic work experience. We serve teen girls in
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January 4, 2023 9:59 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Rotary Club, Rotary Club of White Plains, and YesSheCan Inc..