Archives for Library News

November Book Bunch

November Book Bunch

Tuesday, November 15th 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 Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith. This is a perfect read to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. Sisters of the Neversea is a retelling of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. Lily and Wendy were friends long before they became step-sisters. As summer approaches, Wendy, who is English, is going to stay with her father in New York City. Lily, who’s Muscogee Creek, is staying
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November 2, 2022 8:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: book bunch, book discussion, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, Native American Heritage Month, and Observances and Celebrations.

Wanderhome: The Journey Begins

Wanderhome: The Journey Begins

Wednesday, November 9th, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Grades 7-12 Edge Media Lab No registration required! For more information click here. Have you ever been interested in playing D&D but felt too intimidated by all the rules? Ever read books like Erin Hunter's Warriors or Brian Jacques' Redwall series and wanted to have adventures like those characters? Look no further than the roleplaying game (RPG) Wanderhome! Wanderhome is a game created by Jay Dragon based on cooperative storytelling, with only a couple rules and guidelines to keep straight after character creation. The game is run either by a game master or
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November 1, 2022 2:00 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: dnd, Dungeons and Dragons, Roleplaying game, RPG, table top games, table top gaming, tabletop games, tabletop gaming, and Wanderhome.

November Middle Grade Pick of the Month

November 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! Windswept by Margi Preus Library Catalog: Print Windswept is a story within a story, regaling the reader with a story fit for a fairy tale about the journey of a young girl in search of her lost siblings. In a future of our world, when stories are banned, anyone under the age of fifteen is forbidden from going outside for fear of the wind sweeping them away.
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November 1, 2022 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.

Parenting Collection

Parenting Collection

Did you know the Library has a Parenting Collection in the Trove filled with books for adults and children to help with various topics related to raising a child? Stop in and check it out! The Parenting Collection is a collection of titles to help caregivers raise children from pregnancy through teen years, as well as books written for children to help them understand themselves & the world, organized into topics including: Big Ideas! (social justice & activism, gender identity, racism & prejudice, etc.) Brain & Body COVID Family Illness Family Types Feelings Grief Maturing New Baby New Places Potty
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November 1, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books for parents, books on parenting, caregivers, parenting, parenting books, parenting collection, parenting collections, and The Trove.

Announcing Kids Pick

Announcing Kids Pick

The Trove has a new program called Kids Pick which is for all Trove patrons to participate in! What is Kids Pick? Well, you just read a book and give us your review! Did you just read a book you can't stop talking about? Do you have a favorite book you think everyone should read? Maybe you love the illustrations in a new graphic novel! It is as easy as 1, 2, 3… Read a book! Fill out the Kids Pick form available in the Trove. Give the form to a Librarian at the Compass desk. We will put your
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October 31, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: book review, children's books, juvenile fiction, juvenile nonfiction, Kids Pick, and The Trove.

Freedom to Read Storytime

Freedom to Read Storytime

Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00 p.m. Age group: Children 3+ with their families Location: Auditorium Come celebrate Native American Heritage Month with us with the award-winning title Fry Bread; a Native American Family Story, by Kevin Noble Maillard and The People Shall Continue, by the multi-award winner author Simon J. Ortiz. Have fun with a family game and make a craft to take with you. Freedom to Read Storytime is part of the Library’s #WPFreedomToRead initiative. While the books read may not all be challenged, they represent the topics, themes, and people being censored – themes and creators representing diverse
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October 26, 2022 3:36 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: #WPFreedomtoRead, Freedom to Read Storytime, Native American Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, and storytime.

Lynn Spurgat & Jason Wirth Performance

Lynn Spurgat & Jason Wirth Performance

Sunday, November 6th 2:00–4:00 p.m. Auditorium Soprano Lynn Spurgat will once again be joined by pianist Jason Wirth to present a performance of selections by Mendelssohn, Strauss, Poulenc, Brahms, Nin, and Weill. Described by critics as “a force of nature”, busy soprano Lynn Spurgat was recently seen as Norma in Norma by Bellini in New York City. New York audiences have also delighted in her performances of Anna Bolena in Donizetti's Anna Bolena, Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni, and Richard Strauss heroines Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos, Chrysothemis in Elektra and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. In Montecarlo, Italy,
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October 25, 2022 8:36 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: classical music, live music, music, music event in White Plains, music events, music in White Plains, and musica.

Biography of a House

Biography of a House

“Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?” Researching the Biography of a House Thursday, October 27th 7:00-8:00 p.m. Click here to register for this Zoom event. In this presentation, house historian Beth Potter will talk about ways to flesh out the “biography” of a house-not the history of the building per se, but the stories of the people who lived there. Who celebrated birthdays in the living room, what special recipes were created in the kitchen, were any residents in the military – those are just some of the questions that can be answered using newspaper records, church records, etc.
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October 25, 2022 4:29 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: biography of a house, local history, local history events, and research.

Westchester Breathes

Westchester Breathes

Fridays 9:30AM, October 28 – January 20. Come when you can! Register at conversations.westchesterlibraries.org/breathe Increase Your Resilience, Lower Your Stress This is a Zoom program. Participate in a program of gentle movement, breathing and relaxation exercises that reduce the experience of stress and anxiety. Come to this program to learn simple, proven exercises that can have a positive impact on your health and well-being. Get ready for the next moment from a place of calm and clarity. Sponsored by: Bedford Free Library, Bedford Hills Free Library, Harrison Public Library, Mamaroneck Public Library, New Rochelle Public Library, Ruth Keeler Memorial Library,
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October 25, 2022 2:30 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: Wellness, Wellness programs, and Westchester Breathes.

Free Citizenship Classes

Free Citizenship Classes

The New-York Historical Society offers free online citizenship classes for green card holders preparing for the naturalization interview. The online citizenship course prepares permanent residents for the civics test portion of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization interview. The interactive online naturalization preparation course covers all 100 questions from the USCIS Civics Test. Participants learn about American history and government using objects, paintings, and documents from the New-York Historical collections through videoconferencing. Online citizenship classes are taught in English and are accessible to English Language Learners. They also offer an online Spanish citizenship class for people who
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October 20, 2022 11:01 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: citizenship, Citizenship classes, and U.S. citizenship.

Dementia Info Session

Dementia Info Session

Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior Wednesday, November 2nd 7:00-8:00 p.m. During the middle stage of dementia, the person with the disease often starts to exhibit new behaviors that can be confusing for a caregiver. These behaviors are a form of communication, and are essential to understanding the needs of the person with dementia. This program will help attendees identify common triggers for behaviors associated with dementia and learn strategies for addressing common dementia-related behavior. Please register with Jessica Flores at jmflores@alz.org or 845-610-6916 to register for this event.
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October 19, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: dementia, events for seniors, Health events, healthcare events, programs for seniors, and seniors.

The Writer’s Law School

The Writer’s Law School

If you're a writer, you know how difficult it is to obtain information about protecting your rights in creative projects as well as how to decipher the “legalese.” That's why you should attend The Writer’s Law School: Protecting your Artistic Rights, on Wednesday. October 19th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Click here to register. In this workshop designed for writers, you'll learn: The differences between Copyright, Trademarks, Patents and Service Marks The Copyright Registration Process and the CASE law What is the Public Domain? What is the Fair Use Doctrine? Which Business Entity is best for my writing career? What
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October 18, 2022 10:22 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, and Library News.
Tags: author event, author rights, copyright law, Jode Millman, writing, and writing law.

October Book Bunch

October Book Bunch

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30 p.m. Grades 4-8 Story Trove in the Trove Registration required. Click here to register. Join Caroline and Donna for a book discussion and trivia game for 4th through 8th graders! We will be reading Fake Blood, by Whitney Gardner. This is a perfect read for a Halloween treat! Fake Blood, by Whitney Gardner, is a coming-of-age story of a young man who wants to win the approval of his crush Nia. When AJ and Nia become partners for a project on Transylvania, AJ finally has a shot at proving he isn’t an ordinary kid. The Trove
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October 16, 2022 10:15 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: book bunch, book discussion, Book discussion for kids, book discussion for middle grade students, halloween, Observances and Celebrations, and October.

October Tweens Talk Banned Books

October Tweens Talk Banned Books

Tweens Talk Banned Books Grades 4-6 Thursday, October 27th at 4:30 p.m. Virtual Registration required. Register here. Note: All of our youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account to attend. Sign up for a free Zoom account here: https://zoom.us/signup. Book banning is sadly nothing new, and cases of censorship are growing more and more widespread throughout the US. Librarians oppose censorship and believe that open, honest conversation about challenged material is an alternative to book banning. Join Erica for Tweens Talk Banned Books, a year-long book club designed for middle school students to celebrate and discuss banned and challenged
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October 16, 2022 8:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: 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.

October Programs for Younger Kids

October Programs for Younger Kids

Some great regularly occurring programs for younger children take place all month long, in-person, at the Library. Check the online calendar or ask in the Trove for specific locations for each event. Autumn StoryWalk: Full of Fall On display on the Library Plaza through Wednesday, 11/30 Featuring Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre – a visually stunning picture book that captures the essence of Fall. More information here. Special Author Storytime! Saturday, 2:00 p.m. – October 1 Enjoy a storytime with local author Deborah Johnson to celebrate her book Eggplants on the Farm: Adventures with Little Chef Debbie. Storytime!
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October 16, 2022 8:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: children's events, dance, kids, live music, music, October 2022, performances, programs, storytime, The Trove, trove, and trove events.

SUNY WCC Session for Teens and Parents

SUNY WCC Session for Teens and Parents

SUNY WCC Information Session Tuesday, 10/25, 5:00 p.m. Teens, Adults Virtual Registration required. Register here. SUNY Westchester Community College’s Admissions Information Sessions provide an opportunity to learn about WCC’s more than 65 different degree programs, student services, admission requirements, and the enrollment process. This program is presented by Wendoli Tejada, Adjunct counselor in the Office of Admissions, SUNY WCC. This program is offered in conjunction with Somers Library and other Westchester Library System libraries.
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October 15, 2022 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: college, College Prep, College Readiness, and Westchester Community College.

Activism 101 for Teens and New Adults

Activism 101 for Teens and New Adults

Saturday, 10/15: 1:00 p.m. Teens, Adults Virtual Registration required, space is limited. Register here. Learn how to act on your vision for a better world with Omkari Williams. This program is an opportunity for teens and new adults to find their way into activism and learn how to participate in causes that are important to them. This program includes: Identifying your activist archetype; Exploring your “origin” story (why you care about social justice in the first place) and finding out how to use that to fuel your social justice work; Choosing your cause(s); Building a plan of activism that is
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October 15, 2022 7:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: activism, community building, Everyday activism, Omkari Williams, programs for new adults, programs for teens, and social justice.

Grab & Go Kits for Grades 7-12: Bat Window Clings

Grab & Go Kits for Grades 7-12: Bat Window Clings

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the instructions below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the instructions to make the project. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, October 17th in the Library lobby. For this month’s project, we’re making bat window clings. The kit includes puffy orange paint, Ziploc bags, and a printed bat template. You'll need to provide tape and a flat surface (like a piece of cardboard.) This craft is
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October 13, 2022 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: arts and crafts, arts and crafts for teens, Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, and halloween crafts.

Banned Books Quiz: Halloween Edition

Banned Books Quiz: Halloween Edition

Can you find the titles of the 22 banned or challenged books we've hidden in the text passage below? It was well past twilight on Halloween and the sky was black enough that you could barely see the bats circling the shrouded moon.  One flew over the cuckoo's nest in the rotted roof of the haunted house next door.  Carrie dipped her fangs in cold blood.  “What sort of monster are you supposed to be?” she asked Ed, noting the long bandages and sunglasses he was sporting.  “I'm the invisible man, 1933 version, of course,” he replied. “Great costume.  My fake blood
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October 12, 2022 12:20 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: #WPFreedomtoRead, banned books, and Banned Books Quiz.

New in The Edge: October 2022

New in The Edge: October 2022

Nothing beats waking up to a crisp autumn breeze and the aroma of cider filling your room. There isn’t a more perfect time to curl up with a great book. Fall is officially here, and with it, a bounty of new books for you to browse! When you visit the Edge where you’ll find something for every kind of reader.–Alain Laforest Big Lies: From Socrates to Social Media by Mark Kurlansky Grades 7 and up Library Catalog “In this noteworthy guide to media literacy, Kurlansky (Bugs in Danger) details events occurring over the past 300 years to break down the
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October 1, 2022 4:39 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: book recommendations, new books, new in the Edge, staff picks, staff recommendations, YA Fiction, and YA literature.