Membership Has Its Privileges
Occasionally people will ask me what’s special about having a White Plains library card. It’s a good question, especially since many resources are shared among the libraries in the Westchester Library System.
But there are some notable services available only to White Plains card holders. At the top of the list is our museum pass program, which I’ve written about here before, and which has really taken off in popularity. We regularly add to the program, and if you don’t see your favorite museum listed let us know, although not all museums participate in the program (I’m talking about you, Museum of Natural History.)
There is also the mobile hotspot lending program. The Library hotspot lending program provides unlimited, high-speed Internet service anywhere Sprint provides data coverage. Connect up to ten devices at a time, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. Perfect for those who have no Internet access at home, are going on vacation, or taking their business on the road. So perfect, in fact, that the dozen we own are almost always all out. But don’t despair, we plan to acquire another dozen in the next fiscal year.
Then there are ebooks and downloadable audio books. I don’t mean to brag, but our Overdrive collection is excellent—we were one of the first libraries in New York to begin acquiring ebooks—and it is available only with a White Plains card. Also, check out the Cloud Library for new ebook content, the app is a snap to use.
Finally, there are good old print books, DVDs, and CDs. We closely watch what material is circulating, and what is being heavily reserved, and order additional copies in response to the demand. This benefits White Plains cardholders because these additional copies will be used to fulfill their requests before they are lent to other libraries in the county.
So in short, hold on to your White Plains Public Library card!
 P.S. And take a look at the wonderful Tech Bootcamps offered by the White Plains Education and Training Center. Maybe you know someone ready for a career change?
Brian Kenney |
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Short Story Series Returns
 Librarian Barbara Wenglin’s short-story discussion series has been a popular fixture for years, as the selections and their interpretations have produced a riveting give-and-take among the attendees. After a winter break, selections from Shaken and Stirred: Intoxicating Stories resumes today, March 8, at 2 p.m. in our second floor auditorium.
Opening are “Wine,” by Doris Lessing and “Indiscretion,” by Guy de Maupassant. “The thematic link of Shaken and Stirred is that each story must have something to do with alcohol and drink (a play on the James Bond preferred martini), but my selections have even deeper connections,” says Wenglin. “When I choose a collection, I read every work in order to pair stories that relate to each other through plot, character and style. That leads to intriguing discussions.
“For example, in our last discussion of the fall, the paired stories by Roald Dahl and Edgar Allan Poe—though written by vastly different authors in different times and settings—dealt with elitist wine snobs who get their comeuppance! Two amusing pairings this spring include stories by Damon Runyon and O. Henry on ‘old New York’ in the early 20th century. Stay tuned!”
This series is made possible with the support of our Friends group. You may register once for the series by calling (914) 422-1480 or through the adult calendar on our website. For more info and to read the full interview with Barbara, visit our website.
Steve Cohn
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This Week in White Plains
The Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS), one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious collections of works by African-American artists, both established and emerging, will return to White Plains for its 7th year this month. The HFAS has been rescheduled (due to snow this week) for Tuesday, March 27th, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Reckson Metro Center at 360 Hamilton Avenue. The donation admission is $25.
“We are happy to bring our Harlem Fine Arts Show, once again, to White Plains,” said Dion Clarke, Founder and President of the HFAS. “This is our 7th exhibition here, and we will be showcasing African American Artists and Authors from the New York metropolitan area. This year’s show will have a special presentation. It will include amazing Woodrow Nash sculptures, and artwork of legendary South African artist, Ndabuko Ntuli, on exhibition and for sale." |
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Nevertheless, She Persisted!
March is Women's History Month, a time to celebrate women who made a difference and to commemorate the struggle for equality. Stop by our in-library book display, and check out the following:
 Dear Ijeawele: Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
When a friend asked how to raise her daughter to be a feminist, award-winning author Adichie responded with these short, inspirational essays which contain suggestions such as "Teach her to reject likeability. Her job is not to make herself likeable, her job is to be her full self, a self that is honest and aware of the humanity of other people."
 Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World by Women’s March Organizers & Condé Nast
Women's March organizers join those who marched tell the story of the epic January 2017 demonstration in a well-illustrated book published on the one-year anniversary of the March. Includes a list of organizations to join for those interested in furthering the cause.
That's What She Said: What Men Need to Know (And Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together by Joanne Lipman
A timely examination of the gender pay gap and sexual harassment in the workplace by the Editor-in-Chief of USA Today. Includes recommendations for both men and women on how to transform and improve the workplace for all.
She Caused a Riot: 100 Unknown Women Who Built Cities, Sparked Revolutions, and Massively Crushed It by Hannah Jewell
Few of the dozens of diverse women profiled in this collection of enjoyable mini-biographies are well-known, but all made a difference, according to author and Buzzfeed writer Jewell.
The Feminist Revolution: The Struggle for Women’s Liberation by Bonnie J. Morris & D–M Withers, foreword by Roxane Gay
An engaging, comprehensive, and lavishly illustrated overview of the history of Feminism and the struggle for women's rights in the 20th century
Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard
Based on lectures delivered for the London Review of Books series, this slim but meaningful book by notable classicist (SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome) Beard covers 3,000 years of Western history and literature to examine sexism and female exclusion from power across centuries.
In Praise of Difficult Women: Life Lessons from 29 Heroines Who Dared To Break the Rules by Karen Karbo
An engaging collection of profiles of twenty-nine exceptional women, including J.K. Rowling, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Amelia Earhart, Laverne Cox, and Josephine Baker.
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Happy Pi Day
Come celebrate the beautiful mathematical constant that is Pi on Pi Day next Wednesday, March 14!
We'll have a concentration game with numbers, shapes, and math symbols as well as a story, riddles and jokes. After that, just the usual cookie snack. Come join in on the fun and games for children ages K-4 and their families!
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WPETC Tech Bootcamps
Are you or someone you know looking to start a career in Tech? If so, think about attending one of White Plains Education & Training Center's Tech Training Bootcamps. You can receive certificates for positions such as an IT Specialist or a Network Security Technician. Applications are due by April 30. For more information visit WPETC's website.
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Photo of The Week
 Above: Full Moon over the "Hologram" buildings. Photo by Ben Bongiovi.
We want your photos! In each issue of This Week on Martine we will feature one patron submitted photo that was taken in White Plains. To submit your photography for a chance to be featured, visit our photo submission page, upload one of your photos and fill out our form with a short description of the photo and your name.
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