May Chapter Chats May 13th @ 5:00PM For kids in Grades 3-6 looking for a quiet area and time dedicated to reading, join us for our sit-in read and chat book club! We will have 20 minutes of reading time and then come together to discuss our books. Don’t have a book in mind? Here are some recommended reads: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith All available formats In a world where girls have magic and boys become knights, nonbinary Callie has always been determined that their gender will not be able to stop them from
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Archives for Library News
May College and Career Edge Programs
College and Career Edge Programs in May 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: Financial Literacy We will be
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New Books in the Edge: April 2024
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. Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber Grades 7 and up Library Catalog “A teen with a rare illness struggles to bridge her hospital and school relationships. Ellie Haycock insists that her high school friends—especially her boyfriend, Jack—never know how thoroughly VACTERLs affects her
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April 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! Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow All available formats here Simon is probably the only tween in existence to be actually sort of excited to be moving into a town where technology and Internet access is limited – but then again, he and his family are hoping for a fresh start. Simon relaxes into making friends out of the shadows of his past and figuring out
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Good Trouble: Environmental Activism
Earth Day takes place annually on April 22. We’ve created many Earth Day related blog posts, reading lists and activities over the past several years and I urge you to look through them for some great ideas and great reads. Below find some reads related to the formation of Earth Day and climate and environmental activism. The Day the River Caught Fire: How the Cuyahoga River Exploded and Ignited the Earth Day Movement by Barry Wittenstein, art by Jessie Hartland Library Catalog A shockingly true story about how on a day in the summer of 1969 the Cuyahoga River
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May the 4th Be with You
Stop by the Trove on Saturday, May 4 and pick up some great Star Wars reads! In addition, while supplies last, grab a fun Star Wars sticker! Be sure to check out some of the great Star Wars content we’ve posted over the years, including activities, reading lists and much more: https://whiteplainslibrary.org/tag/star-wars/
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May the 4th and Star Wars.
How to Fight Censorship & Book Bans
On Monday, April 24, 2023 the first national Right to Read Day was held. Organized by the American Library Association (ALA), and kicking off National Library Week, Right to Read Day was established as a call to action in response to the past few years of attacks on access to, and even the existence of, certain books – overwhelmingly those with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters, themes, and information (check out the top 13 challenged books of 2022 to see what I mean). While ALA’s Unite Against Book Bans, and other organizations, highlighted going to the library and checking out banned
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Lee Palmer Storytelling Celebration
The Library is excited to present its first annual Lee Palmer Storytelling Celebration – a two-day event consisting of a workshop for librarians and educators and a storytelling celebration for children and families. The Storytelling Workshop will take place on Friday, April 12th, at 1:00 p.m. in the Library’s Auditorium. This free workshop for adults, entitled “Off the Page: Storytelling Craft and Technique,” will be presented by storyteller Rachael Harrington. Refreshments will be available. This interactive workshop will equip you to bring favorite stories off the page to become oral storytelling experiences. Participants will explore story selection, methods of storyboarding,
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Beautiful Bilingual Books, Part 19
BEAUTIFUL BILINGUAL BOOKS, Part 19 LINDOS LIBROS BILINGÜES, Parte 19 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 monthly 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. Children’s Day/Book Day is celebrated nationwide on April 30th. To celebrate this day, the
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New: Text Notifications for Teen Events!
We're excited to announce that you can now sign up to receive texts about events for teens in White Plains! We'll be sending texts about events going on in White Plains, including those sponsored by the Library and other City agencies. Teens and parents are encouraged to sign up. For instructions on how to sign up, read on. If you need help, feel free to come to the Edge and we'll help you with the process. And for organizations that would like to submit their events for teens to be featured through text alerts and our After Hours page, please
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20th Anniversary Slam
This year marks the milestone 20th Anniversary of the Library’s monthly Poetry Slam and to celebrate, the Library will host a special event in April. The Library invites the community to celebrate the Poetry Slam’s 20th Anniversary this National Poetry Month on Wednesday, April 3rd, from 6:00–9:00 p.m. with refreshments, featured performances from Rebecca P. Bruckenstein and Nina Belen Robins, and a Poetry Slam. Registration for those who wish to perform in the Slam start at 6:00 p.m. in the Museum Gallery. At 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium, the two featured poets will perform, and the Slam will start shortly
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2024 Total Solar Eclipse
On April 8th, 2024, a total eclipse will pass over the South Pacific Ocean passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. To commemorate the event we will have a glasses giveaway for safe viewing. The giveaway will be on Wednesday, April 3rd, from 3:00-5:00 PM while supplies last! We will also host a livestream of the total eclipse on Monday, April 8th, 2024 from 2:00-2:30 p.m. Register here!
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New Books in the Trove: April 2024
We have new books coming in all the time with them on display right as you enter the Trove. Here’s some of our recent favorite new titles! For Wee Ones Eyes, Ears, Nose and Toes by Sophie Aggett (Birth to 3 Years-Old) Library Catalog “Yeah, I admit it. I’m pretty easy. You slap some big old baby faces in a board book and then add an element like soft felt flaps? Instant inclusion on this list! What’s funny is that so few board book creators have ever thought to do this. There are only so many different elements you can
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What’s Next in the Edge: April 2024
Read on to find out about the activities we've planned for grades 7-12 in 2024. From our 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 Hours: Monday – Thursday: 3:00-8:00 p.m. Friday: 3:00-6:00 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 on Mondays at 4:00 pm. Tech Tuesday Youth in grades 4-12 will learn
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April 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. First Annual Lee Palmer Storytelling Celebration Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – April 13 Three fantastic storytellers, along with giveaways and snacks! More information
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April Is…
Each month a variety of observances and celebrations take place, from well-known holidays to much lesser known fun (and downright funny or strange!) observances. National Poetry Month Check out some of the Library’s poetry programs and events all month long, along with some great selections of poetry books for kids! April 17th is specifically International Haiku Poetry Day! Here’s some haiku to read. Jazz Appreciation Month Learn about jazz and jazz musicians: A Child’s Introduction to Jazz: The Musicians, Culture, and Roots of The World’s Coolest Music by Jabari Asim, Jerrard K. Polk Library Catalog Benny Goodman & Teddy Wilson:
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April is National Poetry Month
The Library will be celebrating National Poetry Month with programs that are educational and fun for the whole family. Magnetic Poetry During Library Hours in April The Trove All Ages Visitors to the Trove will be able to create their own poems with word magnets on our magnetic board on display. Children will be able to engage with, play with and arrange the words to come up with their own poems. Branch Out: Poet-Tree Creation During Library Hours in April The Trove All Ages Help us grow a beautiful tree of poems! We’ll have leaves, explanations for nontraditional forms of
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April K-6 Programs at The Trove
For our elementary schoolers, please join us for our K-6 programs! In April, we will learn about the constellation Aries, axolotls, flowers, and STEAM. STEAM April 4th @ 4:30PM Enjoy a story and an activity related to science, tech, engineering, art, and/or math! We will be creating magic blooming flowers using markers, water, paper and scissors. Free ticket required. Please pick up tickets starting 30 minutes before the program. Under the Sea April 11th @ 4:30PM Experience Virtual Reality (VR) without a headset in the library's newly installed panoramic content room. With views from 360° content, we will read stories,
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Let The Good Times Roll: April 2024
April 10th 5:00-6:00PM in Galaxy Hall April 24th 5:00-6:00PM in Galaxy Hall Join Erica and Erika for our gaming hour for those in grades 4-8! No registration required. Our gaming stations will include the following: Sorry! – Try to get all your pieces home before your friends can say “sorry!” and send you back to base. Parcheesi – This classic strategy game has you and your friends race around the track and attempt to block each other's paths. Who will get their pieces home first? Connect 4 – Have a chill session of making 4 connections of your colored tokens
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New Books in the Trove
We have new books coming in all the time with them on display right as you enter the Trove. Here’s some of our recent favorite new titles! For Wee Ones Global Baby Grandparents by Maya Ajmira (Birth to 3 Years-Old) Library Catalog “I’m sorry, but do I even have to make a write-up for this book? If you know any of the ‘Global Baby’ books in the series then you know they pretty much sell themselves. The only mystery surrounding this particular title comes in wondering how they held off from doing a grandparents book before now. As per usual
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