Archives for Library News

Grab & Go Kits for Grades 7-12: Watercolor Circles

Grab & Go Kits for Grades 7-12: Watercolor Circles

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructional video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, June 20th in the Library lobby. This month we're learning about watercolor. The kit includes a watercolor set and watercolor paper. You'll also need a cup of water and a paper towel. We'll follow a video tutorial from creativebug, a database with thousands of
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June 20, 2022 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: arts and crafts, arts and crafts for teens, creativebug, Grab & Go, and Grab & Go kits.

FDR Library & Museum Passes Now Available

FDR Library & Museum Passes Now Available

We are pleased to announce that the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is up and running under routine procedures once again! The Public Library Complimentary Guest Pass Program has been reactivated. All you need to do to participate in this program is have a valid White Plains Library card and be 18+ years old. Come to the Library and go to the Hub Desk to request your complimentary pass. Staff will give you the pass that you must complete before visiting the Museum. All they require is that you: a) provide a name b) indicate the number of
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June 16, 2022 2:40 pm | by | 1 Comment
Categories: Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: FDR Library, FDR Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park, museum pass, and museum passes.

Countdown to Eternity: Dr. MLK, Jr. Photo Exhibit

Countdown to Eternity: Dr. MLK, Jr. Photo Exhibit

On display in the Library's Museum Gallery June 15th–July 30th. Opening Reception: Thursday, June 16th, 6:30 p.m. COUNTDOWN TO ETERNITY is a photographic tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. documenting the last year of Dr. King’s life. The photographer, Benedict J. Fernandez has captured some of the most iconic images of the 1960’s and beyond. A distinguished educator, in the 1970’s he established the Photography Departments at the New School and Parsons School of Design and created the Leica Medal of Excellence. He also received numerous awards including Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellowships and has published a number of books.
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June 16, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Gallery and Library News.
Tags: art exhibit, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., exhibits, Martin Luther King Jr., and photo exhibit.

Short-Story Discussion

Short-Story Discussion

Join White Plains Librarian Barbara Wenglin via Zoom to explore compelling stories with the theme, “Family Matters,” from the rich anthology used last fall. The program concludes in June with a film discussion. Use Zoom Registration Link for full series & attend when you can! 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories Edited by Lorrie Moore and Heidi Pitlor (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015) The collection celebrates the diversity of the genre and the American experience from 1915-2015. Available in print through the Catalog and as an eBook in hoopla and Libby/OverDrive. Thursdays from 2:00 – 4:15 p.m. on Zoom
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June 15, 2022 9:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: 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.

Everything You Need To Know About Ms. Marvel

Everything You Need To Know About Ms. Marvel

Premieres June 8th on Disney+ Ms. Marvel is an amazing character and her comics are awesome. That being said, I am a little nervous about a live action show. Ms. Marvel has appeared in the animated series Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (Disney+). I’m worried because Ms. Marvel is a shapeshifter, and from the previews it looks like they have pared down her powers. Ms. Marvel is Kamala Khan, a high school student in Jersey city. She has overbearing parents, an internal battle between her religion and American culture, and a crush on an older boy who works in a corner
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June 12, 2022 1:18 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Everything You Need To Know, Marvel, Marvel Studios, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Peculiar Picks

Peculiar Picks

Peculiar Picks are a selection of odd, funny, interesting, curious, moving, irreverent, and otherwise wonderfully awesome, but perhaps not well known, reads. Peculiar Picks are books for younger readers and their grown-ups, handpicked by the Library's Youth Services Manager, Joshua Carlson. No real theme today, just a selection of funny Peculiar Picks! What Animals Really Like by Fiona Robins Library Catalog / hoopla This zany picture book features a cacophonous animal chorus that fails to live up to its conductor’s expectations when the animals refuse to perform the parts expected of them, instead demonstrating what they really like to do.
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June 9, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, dragons, Peculiar Picks, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

African American Genealogy with Dennis Richmond

African American Genealogy with Dennis Richmond

Thursday, June 9th at 7:00 p.m. Click here to register. Yonkers native Dennis Richmond, author of the memoir He Spoke at My School, will talk about the genealogical research he did for his family and provide tips for people on starting their own genealogy projects.   This program is made possible with support from the White Plains Library Foundation.
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June 8, 2022 3:19 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: african american genealogy, ancestry, Dennis Richmond, genealogical research, genealogy, and research.

June is Audiobook Month

June is Audiobook Month

Have you heard? June is audiobook month, and we're highlighting a few noteworthy titles here, but you'll find thousands more to choose from on our free app, Libby. Can cookbooks make good audiobooks? Yes! Learn why brilliant chef and food writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt reaches for his Wok more than any other pan in his kitchen. Listeners can access the book's recipes and photos by typing the codeword “Sauce” on the publisher's website. Want Lily Zabar's Chicken Soup recipe? Borrow Zabar's and hear how Louis Zabar fled antisemitic persecution in Russia and went on to found a foodie's paradise and
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June 7, 2022 2:06 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: Audiobook month, audiobooks, digital audiobooks, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

New Movies Streaming in June

New Movies Streaming in June

Maybe you're already familiar with our streaming services hoopla and Kanopy, but did you know that they add new content each month? Find a list below of some exciting new titles available on each platform this month. hoopla The Door (2012 Drama) Directed by István Szabó. Starring Helen Mirren, Martina Gedeck, Erika Maroszán. Emerence, an elderly and private woman, is hired to be the housekeeper of a struggling writer. An event in the writer's life prompts Emerence to disclose details of her traumatising past, which will bond the two women forever. Lioness: The Nicola Adams Story (2022 Sports Documentary) Directed
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June 7, 2022 11:52 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: free library movies, hoopla, Kanopy, library staff movie recommendations, library staff picks, movies streaming at westchester libraries, staff picks, and streaming movies.

June LibraryReads

June LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill Library Collection: Print Libby: eBook hoopla: eBook / Audiobook “Freddie is at the Boston Public Library when a murder occurs. While waiting for the police, she strikes up a conversation with others at her table. The four become friends, but could one of them be the murderer? Much misdirection and an unreliable narrator make for a tight little thriller that will have you sure you know whodunnit until you don't. For fans of The Body in the Library, Magpie
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June 7, 2022 10:53 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, librarian recommendations, Library Reads, LibraryReads, and staff picks.

Celebrate Pride in June

Celebrate Pride in June

Now more than ever it is important to celebrate Pride and show support for LGBTQ+ families! The attack on LGBTQ+ rights this year and the psychological toll it has had on LGBTQ+ kids, teens and their families has been enormous. This wave of hate is being perpetrated by only a small (though powerful) minority of Americans. This hateful legislative push runs completely counter to the beliefs and values of most Americans. Matt Lavietes and Elliott Ramos write in their NBC article, “As the number of anti-LGBTQ bills hits record highs, research shows that so, too, has support for LGBTQ rights
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June 7, 2022 10:47 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, LGBTQIA+, Observances and Celebrations, Observances and Holidays, and Pride Month.

Great Outdoors Month

Great Outdoors Month

On June 5th, 2019, the US Senate designated June as Great Outdoors Month. Great Outdoors Month is a wonderful opportunity to spend time exploring nature. Spending time outdoors is refreshing, fun, and has great health benefits. According to The American Hiking Society, being in nature is great for both mental and physical health. You can spend time outdoors in a park, garden, at the beach, or hiking. There are many fun activities that you can do with your family and friends. Try using one of the suggested activities such as creating a nature bracelet, identifying different trees, camping, and stargazing.
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June 7, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for children, children's books, Great Outdoors Month, Hiking, nature, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Tiny Tales: I Love All of Me

Tiny Tales: I Love All of Me

Tiny Tales are short “bite-sized” song and story videos. Watch one for a short early literacy break, or a few for a whole storytime! You can find our entire collection of Tiny Tales videos right here! Today’s video features Trove librarian Caroline presenting I Love All of Me by Lorie Ann Grover, illustrated by Carolina Búzio. Tiny Tales are made possible with support from the White Plains Library Foundation.
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June 7, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: library storytime recording, library storytime video, online library storytime, storytime, The Trove, Tiny Tales, video, videos, virtual library storytime, westchester libraries, westchester library storytime, white plains library, and white plains new york.

Future is Female Book Discussion

Future is Female Book Discussion

Winter/Spring 2022 Schedule 2:00-3:00 p.m. the first Monday of each month Led by Ellen O’Connell, White Plains resident and retired English teacher, this book group focuses on compelling works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by and about women. Join in for thoughtful and lively discussions of the following texts. June 6th: All In: An Autobiography (2021), by Billie Jean King. This path-breaking feminist and world-class athlete of indomitable spirit has been described by Serena Williams as “a constant role model in my life…a leading example of integrity in the face of adversity.” The memoir is available in the Library’s physical
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June 6, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: book club, book clubs in Westchester, book clubs in White Plains, book discussion, books by women, feminist book club, the future is female, and women authors.

P is for PLANET

P is for PLANET

Climate change is a direct threat to a child’s ability to survive, grow, and thrive. As extreme weather events such as cyclones and heat waves increase in frequency and ferocity, they threaten children’s lives and destroy infrastructure critical to their well-being. Floods compromise water and sanitation facilities, leading to diseases such as cholera, to which children are particularly vulnerable. This is the first time a global generation of children will grow up in a world made far more dangerous and uncertain as a result of a changing climate and degraded environment. Addressing climate change and mitigating its impact is imperative
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June 3, 2022 1:46 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, climate change, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Underground Railroad Storytime

Underground Railroad Storytime

Thursday, June 9th at 4:00 p.m. (Grades K–3) Come to the Library Plaza to hear the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winning book, Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom, by Shane W. Evans, along with other stories and poetry related to the Underground Railroad. Then work on a Harriet Tubman craft project! The Underground Railroad: In 1619, the first enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia, one of the newly formed 13 American Colonies. They had been kidnapped from their homes and were forced to work on tobacco, rice, and indigo plantations from Maryland and Virginia all the way to Georgia. According
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June 3, 2022 10:43 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, Harriet Tubman StoryWalk, library events, Observances and Celebrations, outdoor events white plains, storywalk, Trove StoryWalk, White Plains Harriet Tubman, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

June Harriet Tubman StoryWalk

June Harriet Tubman StoryWalk

Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free By Alice Faye Duncan & Keturah A. Bobo Wednesday, June 1st to Thursday, June 30th, 2022 Sculptor Wesley Woffard’s 9-foot monument honoring Harriet Tubman (entitled “The Journey to Freedom”) is in White Plains. The sculpture is on display at the Renaissance Plaza until June 30th, and the City and the White Plains Public Library will be honoring Harriet Tubman with a wide variety of programs throughout its stay. A full listing of the Library’s events can be found here. To celebrate, from June 1st-30th the Library will have on display the
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May 26, 2022 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman sculpture, Harriet Tubman StoryWalk, library events, Observances and Celebrations, outdoor events white plains, storywalk, Trove StoryWalk, White Plains Harriet Tubman, and White Plains Harriet Tubman Events.

The Castle: A Space for Tweens in Grades 4-6

The Castle: A Space for Tweens in Grades 4-6

Starting on May 16th, The Castle in the Trove will open as a new, refreshed space for students in grades 4-6. This will be a space just for youth in Grades 4-6 to hang out, talk to friends, do homework, and work on school projects together. In addition, the Castle will have a variety of activities available: tabletop games, puzzles, LEGOS, arts & craft projects, and STEAM activities, and more! Librarians will also be available right outside to help with their homework and will sometimes run programs in the Castle to engage their interests.  **Note: for Homework Help, also be
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May 20, 2022 11:41 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: library updates, programs for tweens, The Castle, The Trove, and tween programming.

Middle Grade Pick of the Month

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, Ashley will recommend great books for children in this age group! Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk Libby Library Catalog I can’t remember exactly when I discovered the first book in Kristen Gudsnuk’s Making Friends series. What I can recall is being immediately drawn to its bright cover as well as how loud I cackled while reading it. A few of the other youth services librarians at the White Plains Public Library can attest to this as many of
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May 19, 2022 10:32 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.

New in the Edge: May 2022

New in the Edge: May 2022

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. Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer Grades 9 and up Library Catalog “After a year away, Ellis returns home to confront her past. Graduating from high school far from everything familiar was not part of Ellis Truman’s original plans, but she nevertheless ended up
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May 19, 2022 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.