This month, we’d like you to join us in welcoming Ashley Bressingham to the Library and the White Plains community. Bressingham has joined our ranks as a Children’s Librarian in the Trove. You’ve probably already seen her at the Trove’s Compass Desk, but she’ll also be leading children’s programming events. I interviewed her this week to learn a little bit more about her and her love of libraries.

Bressingham, who grew up in Garden City, Long Island, calls herself a “life-long library patron” as she began frequenting her local library at a young age. Further proof of an early interest in libraries, Bressingham’s first job while still in high school was working as a page in her hometown library. After graduating high school, she went to Pace University, where she majored in English and Communications. Bressingham then went on to work in publishing before going to graduate school at Queens College and deciding to pursue a career in libraries.

In her spare time, Bressingham says she enjoys visiting museums and watching superhero shows and is “a big Marvel and DC fan,” with her favorite being the Netflix original series Jessica Jones. Bressingham is also an avid reader of YA literature, and she recommends the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi, as she “just finished the fourth book in the series and loved it!” Bressingham also enjoys listening to audiobooks, and recommends the audiobook format of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Echo to any younger readers “who want a good mix of historical fiction and fantasy.” While it’s a longer read, she says that it’s “definitely worth the time it takes to make it through to the end.”

In her new position, Bressingham is most interested in early literacy and “fostering lifelong learning” through storytimes and programs like Trove Time, which will return this fall.

Make sure you don't miss National Night Out on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018, from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in the fight to build a safer city. The City of White Plains invites neighborhoods to join us in "Giving Crime & Drugs a Going Away Party."

Along with the traditional outside lights and front porch vigils, the City of White Plains will celebrate "National Night Out" with an open house of the White Plains Public Safety Department along with a safety fair that will include a live band and tables staffed by Community Service organizations.  There will be free giveaways, along with visits from elected officials representing our local government and representatives from Westchester County Police, as well as members of the White Plains Department of Public Safety (Police and Fire Bureau).

Look for the Library's booth where we will be signing citizens up for Library cards, sharing info on upcoming events, doing some awesome giveaways for teens sponsored by the Allstate Foundation, as well as having teens sign a banner to highlight one good deed they did this summer.

Attend Animals Rock! on Thursday, August 9 at 11:00 a.m. in our auditorium.

Discover why frogs sound like a drum, how some bugs sing, and how animals make music. Pet and touch live frogs, bugs, a bunny, guinea pigs, reptiles, birds and more! Dance the Chicken Dance with Feathers the Chicken! For children and families.