Archives for Library News

Book a Trove Visit

Starting Saturday, July 17, appointments will no longer be necessary to visit the Trove. We will still be mindful of the number of the people using the space at any given time, so we may ask you to wait a few moments before entering until another visitor leaves. Want to pick up some great books or movies from the Trove? You can! You can visit the Trove by booking an appointment below to browse and select materials. Visits are 45 minutes long, starting on the hour. Please arrive on time for your visit, as late arrival will reduce your amount
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Categories: Library News.

July 2021 LibraryReads

Here are the books published this month that librarians across the country love. Find out more here. Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda Library Catalog: Print “The tight-knit neighborhood of Hollow's Edge is supposed to be a safe, private place where the neighbors all know each other. But secrets lie behind every door. Miranda creates a vivid setting where the characters develop quickly, and the twisty plot will keep readers guessing until the end. For fans of psychological thrillers like The Other Mrs., Into the Water, and Every Secret Thing.”—Leslie Hagel, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT All The Little
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Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.

New Movies Streaming in July

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 Bali: Beats of Paradise (2021 documentary) Directed by Livi Zheng. Starring Nyoman Wenten, Judith Hill, Nanik Wenten. Bali: Beats of Paradise is a documentary that pulls back the curtain on gamelan music and Nyoman Wenten, an Indonesian traditional music composer who sets out to pay homage to the sacred but shrinking tradition of Balinese music and dance. Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How
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Categories: Library News.

creativebug: Arts and Crafts Classes

Creativebug offers thousands of art and craft classes by well-respected designers and instructors who bring years of practice, tried-and-true teaching methods, and the ability to demonstrate every step clearly.
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Categories: Library News and Research.

Access Our Digital Magazines

Library patrons now have access to over 3,000 magazines titles digitally through OverDrive or the Libby App. All you need is a White Plains Library card to access them. For information on getting a library card, click here. For instructions on accessing our digital magazine collections in either Libby or OverDrive, see below. Libby: 1. Open the Libby app 2. Click on the Magnifying glass. 3. Click on the three little dots next to “Westchester Library System.” 4. Next to the word “Format” click on “Any” and select “Magazines.” 5. If you click “Search” you will get a page with
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Categories: Library News.

Magazines on Libby & OverDrive

Library patrons now have access to over 3,000 magazines titles digitally through OverDrive or the Libby App. All you need is a library card from the Westchester Library System to access them. For information on getting a library card, click here. We've also curated some lists to help you get started, including Popular titles, Cooking, Crafts, Design, Fashion, Music, Sports, and more. You can read the magazines on a smartphone, iPad, or computer. When you see an article you want to read, click on it and you'll be prompted to Read the Article. This opens up the article, making for
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Categories: Authors & Books, Director's Corner, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

Summer Staff Picks

Whether you're looking for a steamy romance or a great rib recipe, Adult Services & Marketing Librarian Kristen has compiled a variety of titles for you to enjoy this summer. If you're looking for something different, leave us a comment below with the genre or theme you're looking for and we'll give you a personalized recommendation! Beach Reads Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin Library Catalog: Print OverDrive & Libby: eBook / Audiobook “A self-made Black millionaire invites her three goddaughters for a last Martha's Vineyard summer–at the end of which one will get the mansion. In the first
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, and Library News.

Remembering 9/11 Writing Workshop

Tuesdays July 13th through September 14th* 7:00-8:30 p.m. Click here to register. *Class will not be held on August 24th. In this workshop, we will explore memories of and around the events of September 11th, 2001. Around the country, twisted bits of metal from the Twin Towers are displayed in memorials with the words “Never Forget.” But what exactly do we want to remember about that day? What should we remember? Join us for a deep but gentle dive into our memories around the tragedy, and how we’ve grappled with it in the twenty years since. You will be given
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Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.

Reserve a Study Room

The Library has three study rooms available that individuals or a group of two can use to work. Here's what you need to know: To book an appointment online, you can use your White Plains library card. If you have a library card from another Westchester library, please call 422-1400 and we can reserve an appointment for you. You must have a library card in good standing to use a Study Room. Appointments are for two hours. You can only reserve one appointment at a time, up to thirty days in advance. Once the original appointment is completed, you may
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Categories: Evergreen, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.

The Westchester County Jail Riots of 1981

Thursday, July 8th 7:00–8:00 p.m. Click here to register. Jails and prisons that offer little in the way of rehabilitation. Drug laws that unfairly target people of color. These conditions plague today’s criminal justice system. Forty years ago, they were also the focus of complaints by Westchester County Jail inmates, leading them to stage an unprecedented uprising. Seth Kershner, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts, discusses the July 1981 uprising at Westchester County Jail–three riots in three days that caused one million dollars in damage. Although inmates hoped to amplify complaints about racism in the county’s criminal justice system,
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Categories: Library News.

Summer STEAM Kit: Seashells

After the Summer Solstice on Sunday, June 20th, summer will officially be underway! We’re celebrating with a summer-themed Grab & Go STEAM kit, available for pick-up on June 28th. The kits will contain a seashell, googly eyes, and colored sand. You can make the design above or use these instructions for more ideas as you create your own unique craft. Whether you love to go to the beach, love art, or just want to unplug, this activity can provide a wonderful learning experience. For a STEAM enrichment activity, see if you and your child can identify your unique seashell using
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Categories: Authors & Books, Library News, and Teens.

Great Podcasts for Teens

Continuing our new series on Great Podcasts, here are some recommendations of Great Podcasts for Teens from YS Librarian, Erik! Most of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. If you have some great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Books, Games & Comics Shonen Jump Podcast Listen to discussions on the latest releases, interviews, and background stories of you favorite Manga series. IFanboy This weekly podcast focuses on comic books, comic book publishing, and comic book creators. Josh Flanagan, Ron
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Tiny Tales Videos On-Demand

Tiny Tales are short “bite-sized” song and story videos. Watch one for a little early literacy break, or a few for a whole storytime! All 36 Tiny Tales videos created by Trove librarians are available on the Library’s YouTube channel and social media (Facebook, Instagram). Trove librarians are on hiatus from creating new Tiny Tales videos for the summer, but look out for new ones coming in September! Start Watching Now!
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Categories: Evergreen, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Dive Into Diversity: Summer Reading

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. Did you know that we have a section in the Trove with tons of suggestions for children and tweens based on what grade they’re in? Starting with Pre-K and going up to grade 6, it’s a really handy resource and many
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Dive into Diversity: YA Historical Fiction

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature books written by authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity, as much as possible. This month, with the Fourth of July approaching, I'm highlighting some great YA books in the historical fiction genre. Not all of them are set in the United States, but many of the titles below examine events in U. S. history from a perspective that's different from the dominant
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Turtle Dance Music July & August Events

July date CANCELED – will be rescheduled at a later date Turtle Dance Music presents: Songs that Count! A Virtual Music, Bubble and Comedy Show! Do your kids love to count? Do they love to read books? Do they love making original hip-hop beats? Songs That Count: Add To The World! engages children with a fun, high-energy performance that includes exciting hands-on music, movement and counting activities. The performance will include exciting books, music technology, and visuals about counting, addition and subtraction. The show is crafted to be inclusive for all children, including children on the Autism Spectrum, and a
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Dive Into Diversity: Summer Reads

Summer is here! To celebrate the season, I have gathered together some great, diverse books about summertime. Parents might also like checking out Rebekah Gienapp’s blog, Summer Reading: 15 Diverse Picture Books Kids Will Love. Listed below are books for both younger and older children available as eBooks and audiobooks on OverDrive, Hoopla, and also in the Westchester Libraries. Enjoy! For Younger Readers: Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child, Gordon Jourdain & Jonathan Thunder (Grades K-2) Library Catalog “Ojibwe protagonist Windy Girl and her new dog, Itchy Boy, enjoy many good times, but none are so good as when they
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

TaleWise July & August Events

TaleWise presents: Unicorns: Break the Cage Tuesday, July 20, 3:30 p.m. Grades K-8 Access the program here. Note: a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. Join us on a wild adventure about two kids who visit the city zoo and discover all sorts of incredible animals, including a horse who knows in its heart that it’s truly a unicorn! The animals join forces to stand up to the tyrannical Zoo Owner — but do they have what it takes to leave their cages forever? The fun animated story segues
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Great Podcasts for Parents & Caregivers Pt. 1

I recently highlighted some staff recommendations for Great Podcasts for Kids, in this post, however, you'll find some Great Podcasts for Parents and Caregivers! We will highlight below some excellent podcasts in the topics of Parenting & Caregiving and Books, Reading and KidLit. You can find all of our published podcast related posts here – more to come! If you have some great podcast recommendations, leave them in the comments below! Most of these should be available on any service you use to listen to podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc. PARENTING & CAREGIVING
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

The Trove’s Summer StoryWalk

Who Am I? by Armando & Frederick Monday, July 12th – Friday, August 20th Take a stroll in the Garden Plaza and along your way enjoy the book, Who Am I? written by Armando and Frederick. Who Am I? is a cute and healthy story about fruits and vegetables that is perfect for the summer! There will be kits available in the Library’s lobby that will include a follow-up STEAM activities sheet and a craft (some seeds too!)* for you and your family to do and enjoy at home or outdoors. *craft and seeds available while supplies last. Below you
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.