Archives for Library News

Greenburgh Nature Center Pass Now Available

Greenburgh Nature Center Pass Now Available

The White Plains Public Library is pleased to announce the addition of Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale, NY to the Museum Pass Program. The Library pass provides free admission for two adults of the same household and all children under 18 to the Manor House, which is home to the Live Animal Museum, and its grounds. The Manor House is open Tuesday-Sunday, from 10am-4pm. There is a lot to see and discover within the walls of the historic Manor House. The first floor features animals and a greenhouse. Upstairs, visitors can come up close and hands-on with live animals from
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October 2, 2023 3:35 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Greenburgh Nature Center, museum pass, and museum passes.

Celebrate Day of the Dead

Celebrate Day of the Dead

Celebrate Day of the Dead/Celebra el Día de los Muertos Day of the Dead Workshop Series / Taller del Día de los Muertos For: Children in Grades 2-5 & Their Families / Para niños en grados 2-5 con sus familias Tuesdays, October 10th, 17th, & 24th at 4:30 pm / los martes 10, 17 y 24 de octubre a las 4:30 pm Location / Salón: Galaxy Hall Children in grades 2-5 with their families will create an altar honoring a very special person already departed. Sessions 1 & 2 will be devoted to creating your altars. At session 3, we
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September 28, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, events for children, Observances and Celebrations, and The Trove.

K-2 Thursdays

K-2 Thursdays

Starting in October, 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursdays will be K-2 Hour! A variety of different programs for kids in kindergarten through 2nd grade will be hosted at the library. Each month will have a different combination of the programs described below: K-2 Tales will be a storytime: reading engaging books, singing and a fun craft. Each month will have a different theme – October, for example, will be the Halloween-themed story of Just In Case: A Birthday Tale! K-2 VR Storytime Experience will be reading both fiction and nonfiction books and discussing what we know before and learn during the
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September 28, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: events for children, K-2 Hour, Kindergarten programs, storytime for grades K-2, and The Trove.

October Programs for Younger Kids

October 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. Some programs require advance registration, while others may require a ticket.  If registration is required, details will be provided for how to register on our online calendar. If a program requires a ticket, tickets will be handed out on a first come, first served basis starting 30 minutes before the program. Tiny Tots! 0 – 24 months, with a caregiver Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. – October 3, 10, 17, 31 Fridays, 11:00 a.m. –
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September 27, 2023 4:51 pm | by | 2 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, dance, kids, live music, music, October 2023, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

Celebrate Spooktober!

Celebrate Spooktober!

We 🧡 Halloween in Youth Services at the Library and we have some great events coming up to celebrate the spookiest of months, October.  Also, be sure to check out some of our older Halloween blog posts for great ideas for Halloween activities and reads! K-2 STEAM: Zombie Edition Grades K-2 Thursday, 4:30 p.m. – October 19 Ticket required.  Please pick up tickets in the Trove starting 30 minutes before the program. Halloween Grab & Go Kit Grades K-3 Available while supplies last starting Tuesday, October 24. Family Storytime: Ghosts & Ghouls Ages 3+, Families Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. – October
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September 27, 2023 2:58 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: events for children, events for teens, halloween, halloween crafts, Observances and Celebrations, and Spooktober.

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.

New Books in the Edge: September 2023

New Books in the Edge: September 2023

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. The Dark Place by Britney Lewis Grades 8 and up Library Catalog “The day before her 17th birthday, Hylee Williams vanishes from a cookout at her Kansas City home. She emerges nine years in the past in a twisted alternate version of a childhood memory
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September 26, 2023 8:15 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: new books, new in the Edge, staff picks, staff recommendations, YA Fiction, and YA literature.

This Month in the Edge: October 2023

This Month in the Edge: October 2023

This fall we've planned a bunch of different fun things for grades 7-12. From our new College and Career Club to the monthly After Hours for grades 9-12, we have a range of options available. Stop by anytime during Edge hours to say hello and find out more about the Edge. Edge Fall Hours: Monday – Thursday: 3:00-8:00 p.m. Friday: 3:00-8:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 1:00-5:00 p.m. Drop-in Activities: No registration is required for these ongoing programs for grades 7-12. Movie Monday Join us for a movie each Monday at 4:00 pm. (Please note the Library will be closed on
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September 25, 2023 2:27 pm | 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.

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.

October Trove Book Groups

October Trove Book Groups

October Book Bunch Wednesday, October 25th at 4:30 p.m. Click here to register. Join Caroline and Erica for a book discussion and trivia game for 4th through 8th graders! We will be reading The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner. Meet Moth Hush – she is obsessed with witches but doesn’t realize that she and her family have a connection with witches. When bullies disrupt Moth’s Halloween, Moth begins to discover that she has magical powers. Moth finds a strange diary, unlocks a hidden world and also discovers secrets about her family’s legacy and her town – Bluff, Massachusetts. The Trove
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September 21, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book bunch, book discussion, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, Graphic Novel Book Club, and The Trove.

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, October 26th, at 7:00 p.m. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (All available formats) Click here for the Zoom link. Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered: There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won't allow its students to
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September 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.

September Middle Grade Pick of the Month

September 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! Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King All available formats Mac is a kid who believes in the importance of asking questions – *especially* the hard ones teachers don’t always want to answer. So when he and his friends find out that their sixth-grade teacher has given them books with censor bars over certain words – specifically hiding references to a young girl’s breasts –
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September 18, 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.

Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 13

Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 13

LINDOS LIBROS BILINGÜES – PARTE 13 The Library has a lovely collection of bilingual Spanish/English books. To celebrate reading in two languages, we are featuring our beautiful new books in a blog – so enjoy practicing your Spanish and English skills with these picture books. La Biblioteca tiene una colección hermosa de libros bilingües en inglés/español. Para celebrar leyendo en dos idiomas, le presentamos nuestros lindos libros aquí. Así que disfrute practicando sus destrezas en ambos idiomas con estos libros ilustrados. Let’s Be Friends / Seamos amigos, by René Colato Laínez. Library Catalog Two boys, an English speaker and a
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September 13, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Bilingual, Bilingual books, books for children, picture books, spanish books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

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. 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 available formats February 5 We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo
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September 12, 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.

October Tweens Talk Banned Books

October Tweens Talk Banned Books

Celebrating Banned Books Week – October 1st-7th, 2023! Tweens Talk Banned Books American Born Chinese & Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy Grades 4-6 Thursday, October 5th at 4:30-5:30 pm Location: Galaxy Hall Registration required. Register here Join us in the Trove for a special-edition, double-title book club designed for tweens in grades 4-6 – Tweens Talk Banned Books – to celebrate Banned Books Week 2023 and discuss challenged books!  Our book discussion will seek to engage in open and honest conversations about diverse books and sometimes difficult material as an alternative to book banning. There will be a BINGO game
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September 10, 2023 1:04 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Book Discussion, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: banned books, Banned Books Week, book clubs for kids, book groups, Bre Indigo, Gene Yang, graphic novels, Rey Terciero, and Tweens Talk Banned Books.

Good Trouble: Greta Thunberg

Good Trouble: Greta Thunberg

This installment of Good Trouble features a few books about, and by, Greta Thunberg to inspire environmental activism. From the time she was 11, Greta Thunberg has been taking on climate change, politics, governments and corporations. Greta is a role model for young people to be activists and changemakers. As Greta says, “No one is too small to make a difference.” Little People, Big Dreams: Greta Thunberg by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, illustrated by Anke Weckmann Library Catalog This biography in the popular and well-made Little People, Big Dreams series provides an introduction to the young activist’s life. Greta Thunberg
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September 8, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: activism, climate activism, environmental activism, environmentalism, Good Trouble, greta thunberg, John Lewis, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

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.

New Books in the Edge: August 2023

New Books in the Edge: August 2023

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. Clementine and Danny Save the World (and Each Other) by Livia Blackburne Grades 8 and up Library Catalog “Classmates Clementine Chan, an anonymous tea blogger and student journalist, and Danny Mok, who’s spent most of his life working at his family’s tea shop, are barely
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August 30, 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, YA Fiction, and YA literature.

College and Career Edge Fall Series

College and Career Edge Fall Series

The Edge at the White Plains Public Library is happy to announce our new College and Career Edge series this fall. We'll be using our new Igloo room to host a variety of virtual and in-person programs. In the Igloo, students can experience Virtual Reality (VR) without a headset in the library's newly installed panoramic content room. Views from 360° content and more will be provided in this fun series of programs. Technology installed by Igloo Vision and funded by the Library Foundation/Optimum. College and Career Edge Series: College and Career Club The College and Career Club will begin meeting
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August 30, 2023 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: career, college, college admissions, College and Career Edge, College Prep, and The Edge.