Perhaps, like me, you were awestruck during the inauguration on January 20. Not just by the glass-ceiling shattering of Kamala Harris, the transfer of power and workings of democracy, the pomp and circumstance, the (mostly) excellent fashion, but primarily by the words of the young poet, Amanda Gorman. Or, perhaps, you saw her during the opening of Super Bowl LV on February 7, a strikingly different, yet powerful, opening to the sporting event. However you've come across her, perhaps you want to know more about who she is – her amazing story and her brilliant artistry. A self-proclaimed “Wordsmith. Change-maker,”
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Archives for Teens
College Workshops
The Library will be hosting two college admissions workshops on Zoom this January. The third and final workshop with College Wise will be on Wednesday, January 6, at 6:00 p.m. This presentation provides an overview of the different components of the college application and highlights ways student can make their application shine. Registration is required, you can register here. On Tuesday, January 19, at 7:00 p.m., Ron Feuchs from Stand Out For College will discuss strategies for applying to college in the age of COVID-19.
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College Readiness, teen events, and teens.
Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Paper Chain Wall Hanging
Which Craft? Wednesday has been phased into Grab ‘n Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding materials around the house, teens in grades 7-12 can pick supplies up at the table outside the Library's main entrance, 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. This month we're using making a brightly colored paper chain wall hanging. The kit includes a wooden dowel, string, and strips of paper in ombre sunset colors. You’ll need to provide tape (or a stapler, or
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arts and crafts, Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, and teen kits.
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
This year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on Monday, January 18th, 2021. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929 and his legacy is profound – perhaps now more than ever. “As a child, I remember studying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. only from one perspective—the man who had a dream. Without a deep understanding of Dr. King, I lacked the ability to apply some of his profound principles to my life. Years later as an adult, I read his autobiography and was amazed at the depth of his personhood. Out of this
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Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Popsicle Stick Grabber
January’s Grab & Go STEAM kit for Teens is a Grabber Arm using popsicle sticks. You can pick up the kits at the Library, there are a limited number available so get there soon! The grabber arm is cool and educational. Teens will learn about a scissor lift, a piece of engineering that is used for lifting heavy objects like cars off the ground. Couldn’t get a kit? No problem. You can make these with some materials from home, just be creative! Just follow along with the video instructions.
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Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, STEAM, STEAM kits, STEAM learning, and teen kits.
Browsing Suspended, Grab & Go Continues
In response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Westchester County, the Library is suspending browsing in the building. This means there will be no access to our first floor collections or the Trove beginning Friday, November 27. We will continue to offer reference services via phone, text, and email. Our Grab & Go services have changed. To utilize Grab & Go pickup services, place items on hold through our catalog and you will be notified when they are available. Give us a call at 422-1490 when you are heading to the Library and we will place your items
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Coding Workshops With The Techno Chix
Starting January 8, 2021, the Techno Chix, a group of young women in the Girl Scouts, will be teaching an 8 session workshop series on computer coding for Middle Grade students in grades 5-8. They will teach 8 one-hour workshops on Fridays, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., in January and February, covering the Python coding language. This is an in-depth course focusing on Python, and by the end of the workshops students will be familiar with Strings, User Input, Arithmetic Equations, Booleans, Loops, If/Else Statements, and Functions. Registration and attendance to all workshops is required. These workshops will be held on Zoom.
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children's events, coding, STEAM, STEAM learning, STEM, technology, and teen events.
2020 Best Book Lists
In case you're as curious as we are about what different publications deem the “Best Books of 2020,” we've compiled a list below. What were your favorite reads this year? Leave us a comment letting us know. Some of the titles named the Best of 2020 are listed below; you'll find a much wider selection at Overdrive, here. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Library Collection: Print, Large Print, and CD audiobook OverDrive and Libby: eBook and audiobook The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson Library Collection: Print, Large Print, and CD audiobook OverDrive and Libby: eBook and
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2020 Staff Favorites
The White Plains Library Staff have assembled their picks for the year, featuring cookbooks, DVDs, music, audiobooks, and plenty of plain old books. It's a wonderfully wide-ranging list, full of lots of surprises, and should help with your holiday shopping or just some entertainment for yourself. Enjoy! Below you'll find a list with links to the catalog or resource where they're available as well as a blurb on why staff enjoyed it. Books: Peace Talks by Jim Butcher Library Catalog OverDrive and Libby: eBook and audiobook Harry Dresden is a wizard living in modern day Chicago. Think of this book
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“How Did I Get Here?” Career Panels
This January we will be holding two career panels for teens. Monday, January 11 at 4:00 p.m., faculty from Touro College will talk about 3D printing and dentistry. This is a real world application of 3D printing. Thursday, January 28, at 6:00 p.m., join Dave Mott, a manager at KPMG, one of the largest accounting firms in the country. He has a unique background in accounting, and will explain that it isn’t just doing taxes. All of our participants will talk about their interests as teenagers, what they studied in college, and the path that led them to their current
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New Books for Children and Teens
Ordering books for the children’s and teen collections is a rare part of our jobs that hasn’t changed too much over the past six months. While many other aspects of the workday look different now, it’s still a joy being able to select fantastic books and materials for patrons to enjoy. We’d like to take the opportunity to share some fresh new titles from our carts this month. The Trove My Rainbow by DeShanna Neal, Trinity Neal & Art Twink Preschool-Grade 2 Street Date: 10/20/20 OverDrive Library Catalog “In their #OwnVoices picture book debut, mother-daughter duo and transgender rights advocates
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Grab & Go Kit: LED Creature
White Plains Public Library’s Grab & Go STEAM kits are a great way to unplug and be creative while learning about a STEAM concept. Edge Librarian Erik Carlson has put together a great STEAM activity for Grades 4-8 that allows you to create your own LED creature. The LED Creature Grab & Go kit will help young scholars learn some basic elements of electricity. If you have ever wanted to work on a conductivity experiment, or create a circuit bug or creature, here’s your chance! This kit will be available for pickup outside the Library's main doors on Monday, December
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Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM learning, and tutorials.
College Admissions Workshops
This fall and winter, the Library will be hosting virtual college admissions counseling workshops for students, because it’s never too early to get started! Monday October 26, 6:00 p.m. – Pat Kronik will cover a variety of topics to get you started with the college admissions process. Register in advance here. Wednesday October 28, 6:00 p.m. – Learn about free tuition for college from Michael Turner, with the NYS Higher Education Services Corp. This program is being hosted by Yonkers Public Library. Check their calendar for more details. Wednesdays, November 4, December 2, & January 6, 6:00 p.m. – Join
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STEAM Grab&Go Kit For Teens: Rubber Band Powered Car
Come to the Library and pick up a Grab&Go Kit with materials to make a cardboard car powered by rubber bands, available on December 7. The kit will have most materials except tape, glue, and a pencil. There are printed instructions to accompany the video instructions. Have fun learning how to make a car run using tension created by rubber bands. If you can’t pick up a bag, you can try to find the materials around your home and follow the video instructions.
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Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM learning, and videos.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities: YA Books
The United Nations recognizes December 3rd as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I put together a list of YA books featuring a variety of characters living with some type of disability. I read A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman, about a dancer in India who has part of one leg amputated after an accident. Since childhood, Veda has been focused entirely on dancing. The book opens just as she wins a particularly sweet victory at a dance competition. On the way home, however, her dance troupe’s van is in a serious accident, and Veda is so severely
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Teen Volunteering Opportunities
Almost everything about the 2020-21 school year is different, and that includes earning community service hours. With library services restricted by safety concerns, we’re offering community service credit to teens who review YA books for our website. This month, I’d also like to highlight a few volunteer opportunities from Volunteer New York! that would be great for teens. I’m focusing on opportunities that can be done virtually, contact-free, or outdoors, and ideally with minimal supplies. Follow the link to the Volunteer New York! post for each opportunity to make sure you get all the relevant information. Thank You Cards for
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staff picks, teen volunteers, teens, and Volunteer! New York.
It’s Cookie Time! Staff Recipes & Cookbooks
With holidays coming up, it’s the perfect time to think about cookies. While you might not be able to hold your usual cookie swaps this year, we thought we would take the time to share some well-loved family recipes from our staff in the hopes that it would inspire you to try out new recipes. Whether you're baking for yourself, your family, or sending goodies to loved ones, let us know what recipes you're making this year. Comment below, or tag us on Instagram at @whiteplainslibrary, or use the hashtag #WPPLcooks on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Below you'll find a
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Grab&Go Grades 7-12: Yarn Pumpkins
Which Craft? Wednesday has been phased into Grab ‘n Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding materials around the house, teens in grades 7-12 can pick supplies up from the Library lobby, 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. This month we're making another gourd-themed fall decor item: yarn pumpkins. The kit includes orange yarn, two pipe cleaners (yellow and green), a balloon, Elmer's glue, and a plastic fork. We'll be following the instructions from this post from the
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arts & crafts, crafts, crafts at home, fall crafts, Grab&Go Kits, The Edge, and tutorials.
Grab&Go: Tripod Catapult
STEAM Monday has been phased into Grab ‘n Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding material around your home, you can pick those materials up from the Library, then follow along with an instructional video for making a project. Our first project is a Tripod Catapult. You can pick up the materials with instructions from the Library and use the video to follow along. Or you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. How Is This Working? The most important part of a catapult is it’s base. For this catapult we made a
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Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM learning, and tutorials.
Grab&Go Kits
The Library will now feature a variety of Grab&Go Kits that families can take home to enjoy. Librarians in the Trove and Edge are compiling several types of kits that will provide families with wonderful opportunities to unplug and engage in activities that stir the imagination and provide at-home learning and fun. Kits will be available outside our main entrance while supplies last. In October and November we will begin regularly offering the following kits for pick up on a varied schedule. The first day a kit will be available to pick up will be marked in our online calendar.
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