Archives for Kids

Holocaust Remembrance Day Author Visit

Holocaust Remembrance Day Author Visit

This event has passed. Please visit our children's calendar here for a current listing of events. Israeli-born Larchmont resident Amalia Hoffman is a renowned children’s book author and illustrator. She has appeared at the Library to talk about such books as All Colors, Astro Pea, Dreidel Day, and The Klezmer Bunch, and her honors include the PJ Library Author Incentive Award for Dreidel Day. On Monday, January 27, at 4:30 p.m. in the Library’s Galaxy Hall (second floor), Hoffman will make a return visit to discuss her newest book The Brave Cyclist: The True Story of a Holocaust Hero (Capstone
Read More

January 16, 2020 9:45 am | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Events, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Amalia Hoffman, author visit, Gino Bartali, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and The Brave Cyclist.

January Trove Movies

January Trove Movies

Movies continue in the Trove in January with a great selection of classic and new family friendly films! Here’s a quick look at the titles we’ll be showing in Galaxy Hall throughout the month of January. A Dog's Way Home (2019, PG, 137 mins.) Sunday, 1/5 at 2:00 p.m. A lost dog goes on an epic 400 mile journey to be reunited with her owner. Along the way she meets a host of new friends, both human and otherwise. Homeward Bound (1993, G, 85 mins.) Sunday, 1/12 at 2:00 p.m. Three pets escape from a California ranch and embark on
Read More

December 21, 2019 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: film screening and kids movies.

Día de Reyes / Three Kings Day

Día de Reyes / Three Kings Day

This post is now expired. For information on upcoming Trove programs, please visit our online calendar. Three Kings Day, or Día de Reyes is celebrated all over Latin America. Every country celebrates differently, but the basics of the holiday is this: Each January 5th, children prepare to receive the Three Kings and their camels by gathering food for the animals and writing letters. The letters can be mailed beforehand or written on the very night of the Kings' arrival. The food for the camels might be placed on a shoe box, in a basket, or even inside shoes underneath the
Read More

December 18, 2019 10:59 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: dia de reyes and three kings day.

2019 Staff Picks

2019 Staff Picks

The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring cookbooks, DVDs, music, audiobooks, and plenty of plain old books. 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 or resource where they're available (simply click on the title) as well as a blurb on why staff enjoyed it. Gluten-free Baking at Home by Jeffrey Larsen (Cookbook) “Why I liked it: Because of the mix of classic recipes like carrot cake and
Read More

December 11, 2019 3:30 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: best books of 2019, book recommendations, books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Macmillan, eBooks, and Access

Macmillan, eBooks, and Access

If you are looking for a new eBook published by Macmillan and can’t find it in our collection, it’s because the publisher, Macmillan, has taken the unprecedented act of limiting public library access to their eBooks. In response, the White Plains Public Library has decided to suspend the acquisition of all eBooks published by Macmillan. Macmillan, one of the country’s five largest publishers, includes such well-known brands as Farrar, Straus & Giroux, St. Martin’s Press, Picador, Tor, and more. This fall, Macmillan announced that it would make eBooks available to libraries under a new model: a library may purchase one
Read More

November 20, 2019 2:54 pm | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: eBooks, Macmillan, and publishers.

A Year in Review

A Year in Review

Sometimes it's good to pause and take a look at where you've been—and where you're going. In June, at the end of the Library's fiscal year, we put together a Year in Review that summarizes many of the changes the Library has gone through in the past year, from the completion of The Hub, the opening of the Everyday Healthy Cafe, to new programs and services. Download and view the PDF here, or if you prefer to read in print, pick up a copy the next time you are in the Library. Thanks go to the Mayor and Common Council
Read More

September 4, 2019 3:12 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: annual report.

New Playaway Launchpads

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,
Read More

July 30, 2019 5:51 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: launchpads.

Donations for Children & Teen 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
Read More

July 15, 2019 4:32 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: donations.

Citywide School Art Show

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.)  
Read More

May 24, 2019 9:30 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Gallery, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: art exhibit, art reception, citywide school art show, and student art.

Free Comic Book Day Photos

Free Comic Book Day Photos

On Saturday, May 4 the Library celebrated Free Comic Book Day, an annual event promoting reading through comic books. During the event, Library staff and volunteers distributed 256 free comics to kids and teens. As part of the event, the Library showed the Academy Award winning animated feature, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, which one attendee remarked, “was a great movie!” We also had a presentation about the life and career of Marvel Comics creator, Stan Lee. In addition, there were superhero mask crafts, fun comic book coloring, and a photo booth. Summing up the general feeling of the event, one
Read More

May 9, 2019 4:31 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Free Comic Book Day.

Catalog Update: Tips

Catalog Update: Tips

The Westchester libraries have completed migrating to new software, but there are still plenty of kinks to work out. Here are two pieces of advice. One, don't get frustrated, call us (914-422-1480). If something isn't working, or you are unsure of how to do something, let us help you. And two, give it a little time; this migration involved millions of books, patrons, and data, and it will take a bit longer to sort out everything. If you are having difficulties getting your PIN to work, first trying using all capitals if it is an alphabetical PIN. That should work.
Read More

March 20, 2019 3:00 pm | by | 12 Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: catalog.

A New Catalog

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
Read More

February 27, 2019 3:00 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: catalog.

Museum Passes: Family Edition

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
Read More

February 13, 2019 3:00 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Children's Museum of Manhattan, museum passes, New York City Transit Museum, Stamford Museum & Nature Center, and Stepping Stones Museum for Children.

2019 Children’s Book Awards

2019 Children’s Book Awards

Every January the American Library Association grants awards to a variety of talented authors and illustrators that highlight the year’s many excellent works created for children and youth with their Coretta Scott King Awards, (John) Newbery, and (Randolph) Caldecott Medals. Last week we highlighted past winners, this week we share this year's winners below. If you'd like to place a hold on one of the titles, simply click on the title or book cover. 2019 Caldecott Medal Winner Hello Lighthouse, illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. Masterful
Read More

January 28, 2019 3:57 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, and Kids.
Tags: caldecott medal and Newbery medal.

Award-Winning Children’s Books

Award-Winning Children’s Books

Every January the American Library Association grants awards to a variety of talented authors and illustrators that highlight the year’s many excellent works created for children and youth with their Coretta Scott King Awards, and their (Pura) Belpre, (John) Newbery, and (Randolph) Caldecott Medals. This year announcements of the winners will take place on Monday, January 28th, 2019. In celebration of these honored books, the Trove has four displays showcasing a sampling of the superlative works created for children that have won these prestigious awards and medals in past years. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Coretta Scott King
Read More

January 23, 2019 10:40 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Belpre medal, caldecott medal, Coretta Scott King award, and Newbery medal.

STEM Buddies

STEM Buddies

Join us every other Thursday at 4:30 p.m. beginning January 10th for STEM Buddies. During this program children in grades 1-4 can sign up at the Compass Desk in the Trove to work on STEM activities in small groups for 30 minutes with teen volunteers or college students. Sign-up will start at 4:00 p.m. STEM = Science Technology Engineering Math Read more about STEM and STEAM here.
Read More

January 2, 2019 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: STEM and STEM Buddies.

Meet Ashley Bressingham

Meet Ashley Bressingham

This month, we’d like you to join us in welcoming Ashley Bressingham to the Library and the White Plains community. Bressingham has joined our ranks as a Children’s Librarian in the Trove. You’ve probably already seen her at the Trove’s Compass Desk, but she’ll also be leading children’s programming events. I interviewed her this week to learn a little bit more about her and her love of libraries. Bressingham, who grew up in Garden City, Long Island, calls herself a “life-long library patron” as she began frequenting her local library at a young age. Further proof of an early interest
Read More

August 1, 2018 5:05 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Kids.
Tags: staff bio.

Puppet Playtime with Nicola Rose

Puppet Playtime with Nicola Rose

Actress and puppeteer Nicola Rose will bring her repertoire of interactive games, songs and stories to the Library for an 11:00 a.m. performance on Wednesday, July 11th.  “’Puppet Playtime’ is a series of short vignettes—games and stories—for toddlers and pre-schoolers,” she says. “I will be handing out scarves, toys and musical instruments so that the kids can play along with me. They will be very much involved.” The Bronx-based Rose is a Columbia University graduate and received a master’s degree in theater from the Sorbonne in Paris, where she studied for two years.  She is an accomplished independent film producer
Read More

June 27, 2018 9:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: Events and Kids.

We’re Fine Free!

We’re Fine Free!

We want kids to read. So we are eliminating one of the biggest impediments kids face: late fees on children’s and young adult materials. A public library’s most important responsibility is to develop readers. And research has shown that having books in the home is a critical factor in becoming a reader. But the sad fact is, too many young people can’t borrow books because of outstanding fines. But even though we are removing fines, kids and their caregivers will still be responsible for returning all library material—or else risk having their account suspended. How this works: We expect all
Read More

June 15, 2018 11:56 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, Kids, Library News, and Teens.