Archives for Library News

International Day of Friendship: YA Fiction

International Day of Friendship: YA Fiction

In honor of the International Day of Friendship on July 30, I read When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk, a new release that I’d been looking for an excuse to read. Somewhat ironically, the friendship at the heart of this book actually goes up in flames… but its true value becomes painfully clear through its absence. High school sophomores Cleo and Layla have been best friends for years. But when Layla realizes her dream of joining the school choir and gains a new group of friends, Cleo’s left behind. Flashbacks reveal the initially subtle rift in the girls’ friendship
Read More

June 30, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: children, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, International Friendship Day, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, teens, and YA Fiction.

International Day of Friendship: Chapter Books

International Day of Friendship: Chapter Books

International Friendship Day is celebrated every year on July 30th. This day is for thinking about your friendships that are really important to you and cherishing those individuals. Friends come in all shapes and sizes – they can be classmates or family members. Take some time this summer to read about friendships and hopefully find a chance to reconnect with some of your friends! To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer For children in grades 4-6. OverDrive: Audiobook and eBook Avery Bloom and Bett Delvin are two extremely different twelve-year-olds. Avery is bookish as well
Read More

June 30, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, International Friendship Day, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, and The Trove.

July & August Virtual Book Bunch

July & August Virtual Book Bunch

We’re thrilled about how many folks are signing up for our July book discussion for children! We can’t wait to discuss Malamander with y’all and to learn more about the book and its creation from the author! For our July Virtual Book Bunch, we will be reading Malamander by Thomas Taylor! Kids of any age who have read the book are welcome to join us but we recommend this title for those in 3rd through 7th grade. Author Thomas Taylor will be joining us for a Q&A session after the discussion! Please register by calling the library at (914) 422-1400
Read More

June 30, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.
Tags: book bunch, book club, book discussion, book group, Daniel Isenberg, Malamander, summer programs, Thomas Taylor, trove events, and virtual book bunch.

Family Fun Friday – July 10: Turtle Dance Music

Family Fun Friday – July 10: Turtle Dance Music

The Library kicks off our Family Fun Fridays program series on July 10th at 11:00 a.m. with a virtual concert from Turtle Dance Music! Check out this awesome 10-minute mini-concert to prepare for next week's livestream performance: Everyone bring your golden ticket a.k.a. your library card! The Virtual Concert: Imagine Your Story is Turtle Dance Music’s signature music, bubble and comedy show featuring bubbles, flying books, dancing unicorns, and songs about autism awareness and acceptance! To attend the show at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 10th, click here to get the Zoom link!
Read More

June 29, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's events, family events, Family Fun Fridays, performances, summer programs, The Trove, trove events, and Turtle Dance Music.

STEAM at Home: Pop-Up Card

STEAM at Home: Pop-Up Card

This week for STEAMonday we made a pop-up card for a belated Father’s Day Gift. But you can make these for any occasion. Here’s what you need: 2 or 3 pieces of paper – preferably thicker paper than regular printer paper or notebook paper. Glue Stick Scissors Markers Other decorations You can make your own pop-up designs or use the ones I found here. Getting started: Take a piece of paper and fold it horizontally (landscape). At the fold side cut 3 tabs. Cut in six, 1.5”, slits along the fold. Then open the paper and fold your tabs into
Read More

June 29, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, and videos.

What to Watch This Weekend

What to Watch This Weekend

Here are just a few highlighted films you can stream on Hoopla this weekend. Just Mercy (2019) Drama Starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson A powerful true story that follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his battle for justice as he defends a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. Available as a Bonus Borrow through June 30th. Give Me the Banjo (2011) Documentary The banjo has been an emblem of American culture for centuries, yet few realize the instrument's complicated, checkered past. Narrated by Steve Martin and featuring such banjo masters as Pete Seeger,
Read More

June 26, 2020 3:26 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: films, hoopla, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

July Book ‘Em Mystery Book Group

July Book ‘Em Mystery Book Group

Join Library Director Brian Kenney for two mystery discussions in July. July 8 2:30-3:30 p.m. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Based on the true story of one of the nation's first female deputy sheriffs. Please borrow the eBook through Hoopla. July 22 2:30-3:30 p.m. Stone Cold Heart by Caz Frear. “Engrossing…exceptional characters…a satisfying mystery with a fraught cliffhanger.”—Publishers Weekly. Please borrow the eBook through Hoopla (Audiobook and eBook available).
Read More

June 24, 2020 4:43 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, and Library News.
Tags: Book 'Em, book discussion, and book group.

Summersgiving

Summersgiving

Summersgiving is a new holiday that can be celebrated the first Saturday after the summer solstice. To make this tradition a special holiday, you can try cooking a meal that welcomes the summer solstice, such as an old family recipe or a meal that celebrates a different culture. Here is my vegetarian interpretation on the Persian split pea soup- Khoresh Gheymeh. Hoopla Resources: Salsa, written by Jorge Argueta, and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, is a bilingual treat. The book is poetic and introduces children to Latin American culture and vocabulary words such as molcajetes (an authentic lava stone used in
Read More

June 24, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and Summersgiving.

STEAM at Home: Fairy Garden

STEAM at Home: Fairy Garden

I have always had a fascination with fairies and pixies. I remember reading about them as a child and wondering if fairies exist. The lore, myth and legends of fairies have also captured the heart of millions of people. To celebrate International Fairy Day, June 24th, I decided to play around with a variety of objects to create a fairy garden. Working on a fairy garden will stir the imagination and allow you to access your inner child. If you have children, working on a fairy garden can be a fun way to spend time outdoors. If you don’t have
Read More

June 23, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children, Fairy Day, Observances and Celebrations, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and STEM.

eBooks to Help with the Job Hunt

eBooks to Help with the Job Hunt

Looking for a new job or interested in job training assistance? We're regularly adding new eBooks to our OverDrive and Libby collections on job hunting, careers, entrepreneurship, programming languages most often required by employers, Word, Excel, and more. When we're open, some of the most frequently requested titles are Passbooks Study Guides, but did you know many are available as eBooks? Below are just some examples of the titles we've recently added to our collection. Modernize Your Resume Modernize Your Job Search Letters by Wendy Enelow Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), Mathematics Passbooks Study Guide Admission Test by National Learning
Read More

June 23, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage, and Library News.
Tags: book recommendations, CSEA, eBooks, job help, job training, passbooks, and staff picks.

COVID-19 Mindfulness Book for Children

COVID-19 Mindfulness Book for Children

As our region progresses through the phases of reopening, many parents are beginning to bring our children out into a very different world. A friend, Mandy Facchin, described the stresses of observing new COVID-19 regulations with her two-year-old at a recent pediatrician visit. Mandy, who holds a Master’s degree in education, created a printable book to help her daughter become more comfortable in a mask-wearing world. Each page of the book features a wellness-related affirmation statement and a space for children to add their own illustrations. The affirmations are lovely, a wonderful way for children to practice mindfulness during this
Read More

June 23, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, COVID-19, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children, covid-19, and families.

STEAM at Home: Paper Kite

STEAM at Home: Paper Kite

Learn how to build and fly a paper kite. Materials: Paper (colorful so you can see it in the sky) String Masking Tape Thick/wide Ribbon Light Sticks Pencil Ruler Spindle (or small piece of cardboard) Instructions: Hold the piece of paper horizontally (landscape) and fold it in half. Keep the crease to the left side. Measure 1” along the top from the crease and make a mark. Measure 3” along the bottom, from the crease, and make a mark. Line up the ruler on the right side of the 2 marks and fold the paper over the ruler. Flip your
Read More

June 22, 2020 10:01 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEM, and videos.

WLS on Systemic Injustice

WLS on Systemic Injustice

WLS Stands with NYBLC and BCALA in condemning violence and racism towards Black people and all People of Color. The Westchester Library System condemns both the recent violence and the systemic injustice against Black people and people of color in the United States. We are committed to anti-racist practice and will use our skills and resources to advance the production of knowledge for social justice. We stand in solidarity with the New York Black Librarians Caucus (NYBLC) and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). Read the NYBLC statement and BCALA statement to learn more.
Read More

June 19, 2020 11:23 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Director's Corner, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: statements, systemic injustice, and WLS.

Summer Programs and Events for Kids, Teens, and Families

Summer Programs and Events for Kids, Teens, and Families

While we might not be able to hold them in the Library, that doesn’t mean we’re not offering a lot of great programs in July and August! For full details on each program, and to get Zoom links, visit our Online Calendar. Of course, we also have our annual Summer Reading Game to take part in, and tons of fantastic reading recommendations in our Reading Lists! Family Fun Fridays – Fridays, July 10-August 14, 11:00 a.m. A great performance for children and families every Friday. More information here. Illusionist Leon Etienne – Wednesday, July 22, 6:30 p.m. World-class magician Leon
Read More

June 18, 2020 11:30 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: children's events, Edge, edge events, events, family events, Family Fun Fridays, kids, performances, STEAM, STEAM Camps, STEM, storytime, summer programs, summer reading, summer reading game, teen events, teens, trove, and trove events.

Summer of Making

Summer of Making

The Library will be holding our free summer camps virtually this year. Thanks to a generous grant from Verisk Analytics to the White Plains Library Foundation we will continue with another Summer of Making. Starting on June 29th and going through August 6th, there will be 6 1-week mini-camps held on Zoom for teens in grades 7-12. Registration is required, and you must be able to attend all programs in the week you register for. This year we have Carolina Melo and Michael Brand teaching our camps. Carolina Melo is an artist and interdisciplinary designer based in New York. She
Read More

June 18, 2020 11:21 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: edge events, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM Camps, STEM, Summer of Making, summer programs, teen events, teen programs, and The Edge.

STEAM Programs for Middle Grades

STEAM Programs for Middle Grades

STEAM Programs for Middle Grades: Tuesdays and Thursdays in July, we'll offer a wide variety of virtual STEAM mini-camps for grades 4-6. Participants must be able to attend both sessions. Registration is required. To register, click on the date(s) you're interested in attending. Supplies will be provided by the Library. When they are ready you will be contacted to pick them up via contactless curbside pickup. June 30 & July 2 – 4:30-5:30 p.m. – Conor McFinn – Storyboarding and Storytelling Learn about Storyboarding and Storytelling for film in this 2-day workshop. Conor McFinn will teach techniques and secrets of
Read More

June 18, 2020 10:48 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: edge events, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM Camps, STEM, summer programs, teen events, teen programs, The Edge, trove events, and Verisk Analytics.

ConEd STEAM Camps: Gr. 4-6

ConEd STEAM Camps: Gr. 4-6

STEAM Camps for Grades 4-6 in August Thanks to the generous support of the White Plains Library Foundation and Con Edison, the Library is offering two free week-long virtual STEAM Camps in August. These camps will be taught by instructors from STEM Alliance Larchmont-Mamaroneck. Space is limited, and registration for the full week is required. Registration is on the first date of each camp in the Online Calendar starting July 6. To register, click the title of the camp(s) you're interested in. “STEM Superheroes” Camp – August 3-6, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Youth in grades 4-6 will learn about the historic inventors
Read More

June 18, 2020 10:00 am | by | 2 Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Con Edison, edge events, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM Camp, STEAM Camps, STEM, STEM Camp, summer programs, teen events, teen programs, and The Edge.

July & August Tabletop Games

July & August Tabletop Games

Join librarians Ashley and Erik from the Trove and the Edge to play fun virtual table top games this summer! We use the platform boardgamearena.com to play the games while we have a conversation on Zoom. Kids and teens that haven’t come to the program before will need to create a free account on boardgamearena.com. Note: Boardgamearena.com does have a for-pay premium service. Please take care when creating your account to not incur any unwanted charges. On the day and time of each program, simply login to your boardgamesarena.com account and join us on Zoom using the links for the
Read More

June 18, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: eNewsletter, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: board games, children's events, edge events, event, summer programs, tabletop games, teen events, teen programs, The Edge, and trove events.

Juneteenth: Children’s Books

Juneteenth: Children’s Books

On June 19, 1865, two months after the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, Union General Gordon Granger and approximately 1,800 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. Granger read General Orders No. 3, which declared in part: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) is a holiday commemorating this day, which marked the effective end of slavery in the United States.
Read More

June 17, 2020 2:14 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's literature, Juneteenth, Observances and Celebrations, and virtual book display.