As you no doubt know, the next federal census will begin this spring, counting people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, citizens as well as non-citizens. It’s vitally important that White Plains has a complete count of all its residents, as the census helps determine where to build new schools, hospitals, and businesses; how federal funding is distributed; and how congressional seats are apportioned.

What’s different about Census 2020 is that the public will be encouraged to complete the census online. Residents will receive a postcard with the information they will need to go online and complete the census.

Don’t have a computer, or feel like you need some assistance? The Library has the staff and computers to help you complete the census successfully.

Some key dates: In March 2020 the Census Bureau will mail postcards to homes and the public can begin responding to the census online April 1, 2020 - Census Day!

For more about the census, visit White Plains Counts: Census 2020. And continue to read This Week on Martine, we’ll be featuring more information every week between now and April 1.

Finally, write to me with any questions or comments.

Brian Kenney
Library Director
bkenney@whiteplainslibrary.org

Registration is now open for Spanish for Beginners. Basic classes for adults interested in learning Spanish will meet every Monday from February 3rd - May 18th at 7:00 p.m.

Due to its popularity, this class cannot be repeated. Students must attend all classes. There is no waiting list. Space is limited. To register for this class, please visit our online calendar.

On Monday, January 27, at 4:30 p.m. author Amalia Hoffman will make a return visit to discuss her newest book The Brave Cyclist: The True Story of a Holocaust Hero, which recently received a “Gold Selection” from the Junior Library Guild. This event is for children in grades 1-6 and their families. For more information on Hoffman, please visit our website. This program is supported by the White Plains Library Foundation.

We’re excited to announce our latest newsletter created just for families: What’s The Story? All about children and teen activities—and perfect for parents, caregivers, and grandparents—What’s The Story? will keep you up-to-date on all the programs, events, and new content in the Edge and the Trove. And best of all, links will make it easy for you to register for events as you read about them.

Published monthly, our first issue will debut next Thursday. To celebrate, we will be raffling off a $25 Cafe gift card to one person who signs up for the youth services newsletter, as well as ten coupons for a free book from the Friends of the Library book store in the Cafe. The winner will be selected at the end of February.

To subscribe, visit our website here and update your preferences to include What's the Story? And let us know what you think!

Join Digital Media Specialist Austin Olney for a Tech Topics for Adults workshop on Monday, January 27th, at 6:00 p.m. Participants will learn about big data and best practices to keep personal information safe online. Registration is required; to register, please visit our online calendar.

SCORE's next workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 29th at 2:00 p.m. Learn how you can have a full-time career plus the opportunity to build wealth and equity through franchising part-time. This workshop will show you how to diversify your income stream, increase your equity, and prepare for the next shift in the corporate world. To register, visit SCORE's website.

The New York Public Library has calculated its most checked-out books of all time.

Oprah picks American Dirt & Reese Witherspoon is hiring a Librarian-in-Residence.

Author N.K. Jemisin profiled for the New Yorker.

Should we place the onus for responsible travel on international literature—and can such literature even improve us as travelers?

New & noteworthy visual books, from Anne Brontë to Federico Fellini.