Archives for Library News

Celebrate National Humor Month

Celebrate National Humor Month

April is National Humor Month! National Humor Month was created by Larry Wilde in 1976. He wanted to demonstrate how humor can lift our spirits and relieve stress: “The idea of laughing and the use of humor as a tool to lift ailing spirits is growing. Scientific research now indicates that the curative power of laughter and its ability to relieve debilitating stress and burnout may indeed be one of the great medical discoveries of our times.” The average adult laughs 17 times a day. That works out to one chuckle per hour. Let’s see if we can increase that
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March 28, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: improv events, improv events in westchester, jokes, laughter yoga, and national humor month.

Author Visits in April

Author Visits in April

We have three author visits scheduled this April. Join us to hear these authors read their stories, and discuss with the authors in person! Dental Health Storytime and Author Visit Thursday April 6 at 11:00 a.m. Galaxy Hall Ages 2-6 Meet Joanne Roos, RDH from Main Street Pediatric Dentistry and author of Who Visits Me from A to Z. She will do a short reading of her book, a short demonstration on dental health, and a movie. All participants will receive a goody bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste and an activity sheet. Author Visit Storytime: My Dad and the Dragon
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March 28, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: author visits, storytime, storytime for children, storytime for kids, and The Trove.

Rainforest Butterflies

Rainforest Butterflies

Rainforest Butterflies All ages Thursday, 2:00 p.m. – April 6 Galaxy Hall Children, teens, families, and adults are invited to a presentation on the butterflies of the world’s rainforests. View spectacular butterfly and moth displays from the world’s tropical rainforests: Central America, Amazon, Africa, Southeast Asia and New Guinea, many collected by the presenter. Learn about and discuss science concepts including camouflage, mimicry, insect anatomy, metamorphosis, tropical climate, and more.  Presenter Steve Fratello has explored the world’s tropical rainforests for approximately 1,000 days and led a half dozen major scientific expeditions for the Smithsonian and Field Museums.
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March 28, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: butterflies, rainforest butterflies, science, STEAM, and The Trove.

“The Gratitude Project” Exhibit

“The Gratitude Project” Exhibit

Artist: Hilda Green Demsky “The Gratitude Project” Painting and Poetry Exhibit Interpretive oil paintings inspired by responses of 36 United States Poets Laureate to The New York Times inquiry “What people in their State would be thankful for” during the Covid pandemic. Demsky's exhibit will be on display in the Library's Gallery from April 3rd through April 28th, with an opening reception on Saturday, April 15th, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. Demsky will also give an Artist's Talk on Sunday, April 23rd at 3:00 p.m. This exhibit is part of the Library's celebration of National Poetry month. When thirty-six United States poets
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March 27, 2023 1:00 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Gallery, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: art exhibit, art exhibit in white plains, art gallery, covid-19, Hilda Green Demsky, national poetry month, Observances and Celebrations, and poet laureates.

Igloo VR Programs (April-May)

Igloo VR Programs (April-May)

Attention all patrons! Get ready for a journey like no other as the Library invites you to explore new and exciting virtual experiences with our newly installed panoramic video room, the “Optimum Technology Room,” which uses technology installed by Igloo Vision. Thanks to the support of Optimum and the White Plains Library Foundation, we are now able to bring you 360 virtual reality content without the need for a headset. You'll be able to experience 360 videos, interactive immersive apps, 360 slideshows and more, all projected onto three walls in the room. Minecraft VR for Youth: Mondays, 4:00 p.m. –
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March 27, 2023 12:58 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, Technology, and Teens.
Tags: adults, all ages, children's events, events, Igloo, Igloo Room, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM learning, technology, teens, The Edge, The Trove, trove events, and virtual reality.

April Programs for Younger Kids

April Programs for Younger Kids

Great programs for younger children take place all month long, every month, at the Library. See our online calendar or stop in the Trove for location information. Storytime! Ages 2-6, Families Saturday, 2:00 p.m. – April 1 Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – April 11, 25 Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – April 20 Stories, songs and fun with a Trove Librarian. Following Storytime on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the children and caregivers are invited to Toy Time in the Story Trove – a time to play and socialize! FIESTA! Concert with Flor Bromley Children, Families Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. – April 4 FIESTA! is a
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March 27, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Activities for children in Westchester, activities for children in White Plains, April 2023, children's events, dance, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

April Tweens Talk Banned Books

April Tweens Talk Banned Books

April Tweens Talk Banned Books Grades 4-6 April 27th at 4:30-6:00 p.m. Location: Galaxy Hall Registration required. Register here As cases of censorship have grown more widespread throughout the U.S., the Library has kicked off a celebration of banned books – #WPFreedomToRead – that started during Banned Books Week (September 18-24 2022.) Join us at the Trove for a bi-monthly book club designed for tweens in grades 4-6, Tweens Talk Banned Books, to discuss challenged books!  Our book discussion series seeks to engage in open and honest conversations about diverse books and sometimes difficult material as an alternative to book
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March 27, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: #WPFreedomtoRead, banned books, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, book discussion for teens, books for children, and juvenile fiction.

Sit Down & Write

Sit Down & Write

Sit Down & Write Grades 4-8 April 3-6, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Edge Media Lab Librarians Kat, Caroline, Donna, and Erica will be hosting a series of creative writing sessions for kids and teens during the first week of April! Monday the 3rd is Characters with Kat and Erica Tuesday the 4th is Blackout Poetry with Donna and Caroline Wednesday the 5th is Fairy Tales, Classics, and the Public Domain with Erica and Kat Thursday the 6th is Voice with Caroline and Donna Each day, there will be a discussion on the topic, quiet time to write or create, and time to
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March 26, 2023 10:06 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: events for kids, events for teens, Sit Down and Write, writing, writing workshop, youth writing workshop, and youth writing workshop in Westchester.

April Book Bunch

April Book Bunch

Thursday, April 20th at 4:30 p.m. Click here to register for our Book Bunch Join Caroline and Donna for a book discussion and trivia game for 4th through 8th graders! We will be reading They Call me Guero by David Bowles. This is a perfect book to read to celebrate National Poetry Month. Guero is a bilingual boy who also identifies as a border kid. He receives the nickname “Guero” because of his freckles and distinct red hair. However, Guero is a Mexican boy who loves music, video games, and reading. Guero also runs around with a group of misfit
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March 25, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book bunch, book discussion, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, and The Trove.

National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

On March 29th, please visit your local Mom and Pop Shops and give them your continued support. At the library, we are proud to support our local business community. One way we do that is by subscribing to Reference Solutions, the premier source of information for reference and research. If you are looking for sales leads, sizing up your competition, or looking at historical data for your industry, Reference Solutions can do that and much more! Access with your library card and sign on today through our library website!
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March 24, 2023 12:54 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Observances and Celebrations, Reference, and Reference Solutions.

Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month

Celebrate National Arab American Heritage Month

National Arab American Heritage Month takes place in April; and it celebrates Arab American heritage & culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans. In April 2021, President Biden and the U.S.Department of State recognized April as National Arab American Heritage Month. The President wrote in his letter commemorating the event, “The Arab American community exemplifies so much of what our country stands for: hard work, resilience, compassion, and generosity… Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and it is essential that we continue celebrating, promoting, and educating others about the myriad ways that the
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March 23, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Arab-American Heritage Month, children's books, Observances and Celebrations, Observances and Holidays, picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, and YA Fiction.

Nature Heroes Show with Jumpin’ Jamie

Nature Heroes Show with Jumpin’ Jamie

Nature Heroes Show with Jumpin’ Jamie Children, Families Tuesday, 2:00 p.m. – April 4th Auditorium “Kindie rock” musician Jumpin' Jamie returns with his friends Mo The Manatee, Simon The Sloth, and Tim the Toucan as they learn about the dangers our planet is facing and how we can be like superheroes to help save it. A fun, musical, interactive and rockin' performance with positive environmental lessons for Earth Day (April 20)!
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March 22, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Earth Day, events for kids in White Plains, Jumpin' Jamie, music, puppets, and white plains.

New Monthly Rock Your World Concert

New Monthly Rock Your World Concert

We’ve got a new regular performer coming to the Library starting in March, Armelle Gloaguen!  Join Miss Armelle at her Rock Your World Concert for an educational multicultural music show with instruments you get to play! The program celebrates parents, grand-parents and caregivers, happiness, nature and human connections! Miss Armelle brings instruments for all to join in this performance of global tunes which include traditional favorites and new songs. Rock Your World Concert Up to age 8, Families Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m. – March 22, March 29 Galaxy Hall Armelle Gloaguen’s Rock Your World Concert will be joining the Library’s slate
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March 22, 2023 8:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Activities for children in Westchester, activities for children in White Plains, children's events, events for children, events for children in westchester, events for children in white plains, events for kids, events for kids in westchester, events for kids in White Plains, kids, live music, music, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, and trove events.

New Books in the Edge: March

New Books in the Edge: March

One of the best parts of my job is ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Read on to find out about some of the new YA fiction titles coming to our shelves this month. Stateless by Elizabeth Wein Grades 6 and up Library Catalog / Libby “Intrigue and danger in the air and on the ground make for an exciting read that is steeped in interwar history. In late August 1937, Stella North, 17, is representing Britain by flying
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March 21, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: new books, new in the Edge, staff picks, staff recommendations, The Edge, and YA Fiction.

This Month in the Edge: April

This Month in the Edge: April

This month, we have several activities going on in the Edge. Drop-in activities have more open availability during the month. Scheduled programs take place at specific times, linked below. Please join us for one or all! Drop-in Activities: Nintendo Switch We'll have our Switch available to play during Edge hours on Tuesdays and Fridays in April. Do Gooders Need to earn some community service credit? Drop in and make some cards for Meals on Wheels. Every Saturday in April. Scheduled Programs: Edge Advisory Board Saturday April 1 at 11:00 a.m. Edge Media Lab Grades 7-12 Help shape the future of
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March 21, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: events for teens in Westchester, events for teens in White Plains, teen programs, and The Edge.

April Graphic Novel Book Club

April Graphic Novel Book Club

Monday, April 3, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. in the Castle (in the Trove). Grades 3-6 The second book for the GNBC has been chosen: InvestiGATORS by John Patrick Green Library Catalog, ebook Registration required. Register here. Copies of the book are on hold at the Compass desk (the Trove) to check out. With their very exciting spy technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the
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March 20, 2023 9:23 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book clubs for kids, Graphic Novel Book Club, graphic novels, and The Trove.

March Middle Grade Pick of the Month

March Middle Grade Pick of the Month

Middle grade is a term that refers to books written for readers between the ages of eight and twelve. In this column, Erica will recommend great books for children in this age group! The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali Library Catalog: Print Libby: eBook Amos Abernathy is a gay middle schooler who’s been volunteering as a historical reenactor for most of his life – his mom runs the entire park. When Amos learns about the LGBTQ+ history in his backyard, he wants to share it with audiences through the park – but he gets passed over to
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March 15, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: middle grade, middle grade fiction, Middle Grade Pick of the Month, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Author Visit: Ryan Estrada, Banned Book Biographer

Author Visit: Ryan Estrada, Banned Book Biographer

Ryan Estrada, Banned Book Biographer Author Visit & Book Discussion Tuesday May 9 at 6:00 p.m. VIRTUAL – a free, registered Zoom account is required to join the program. Reading banned books can help change your life, or even change the world. Author Ryan Estrada learned this in writing a number of graphic novels on the topic. In Occulted, he and Amy Rose wrote about how she grew up in a cult just down the road from Heaven's Gate and used banned books to escape. He's done dozens more such interviews for his upcoming books No Rules Tonight and Good
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March 15, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: #WPFreedomtoRead, book clubs for teens, teen book club, The Edge, and YA Fiction.

Teen Job Search Workshops

Teen Job Search Workshops

This month, we have two opportunities for teens to learn skills and strategies for job searching. Read on to find out more! Teen Job Search Workshop: Tips, Applications, Resumes and More Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. Virtual Register here A free virtual workshop for teens, conducted by a professional Career Coach. Learn skills and strategies that will help you land a part-time or summer job. Presented by Phyllis Blake, from the Westchester Library System's (WLS) Career Coaching services. Topics covered include: What type of jobs are available for teens Where to look for jobs How to answer questions on
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March 13, 2023 10:05 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: careers, events for teens, events for teens in Westchester, events for teens in White Plains, and jobs.

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, as of 3/13/23 – 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
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March 13, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: library collections, RPGs, staff picks, staff recommendations, tabletop gaming, tabletop roleplaying games, and TTRPGS.