Archives for Observances and Celebrations

Freedom to Read Storytime

Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00 p.m. Age group: Children 3+ with their families Location: Auditorium Come celebrate Native American Heritage Month with us with the award-winning title Fry Bread; a Native American Family Story, by Kevin Noble Maillard and The People Shall Continue, by the multi-award winner author Simon J. Ortiz. Have fun with a family game and make a craft to take with you. Freedom to Read Storytime is part of the Library’s #WPFreedomToRead initiative. While the books read may not all be challenged, they represent the topics, themes, and people being censored – themes and creators representing diverse
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

October Book Bunch

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30 p.m. Grades 4-8 Story Trove in the Trove Registration required. Click here to register. Join Caroline and Donna for a book discussion and trivia game for 4th through 8th graders! We will be reading Fake Blood, by Whitney Gardner. This is a perfect read for a Halloween treat! Fake Blood, by Whitney Gardner, is a coming-of-age story of a young man who wants to win the approval of his crush Nia. When AJ and Nia become partners for a project on Transylvania, AJ finally has a shot at proving he isn’t an ordinary kid. The Trove
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Categories: Library News.

Jump Into Halloween! with Jumpin’ Jamie

Saturday, 10/29: 2:00 p.m. Children, Families. Library Auditorium. Kindie rock musician Jumpin' Jamie returns with his puppet friends to celebrate “Spooky Season” with a high-energy show filled with music and magic including the hit song “Ghost In My House” which has been ranked by Yahoo, Time Out NY, and Good Housekeeping as a “Top Halloween Song”. Jumpin' Jamie has performed thousands of shows for audiences as varied as birthday parties for 12 people to stadiums for 12,000. Jumpin' Jamie's debut album “Kookie” was released in 2018 and features appearances from members of They Might Be Giants, the late Peter Tork,
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Have a Spooktacular October

I love October: the weather, the foliage, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and, of course, Halloween and all it entails. From the spooky to the macabre; the decorations and the costumes; the tricks and treats – it’s my favorite time of the year. Here’s some great programs, reading lists and resources to help you have a spooktacular October filled with skele-tons of fun. On October 15th, at 11:00 a.m., Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk brings Spooky (But Not Too) Scary Stories to children and their families! Afterward, children 10+, teens, and adults can join Kruk for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Native American Skills Demonstration

Wednesday, October 5th, 7:00 p.m. Grades 1+, Teens, Families, Adults Library Auditorium Please join us in celebrating Indigenous People’s Day (10/10) with Barry Keegan. Mr. Keegan will be demonstrating real Native American skills such as how to use and make stone tools, how to catch wood shavings, and how to create cord from local plants. This program is open to all and will be held in the auditorium. Families are encouraged to participate and no registration is required. About Barry Keegan Barry Keegan, who will be demonstrating Lenape technologies, has been creating historical replicas and teaching the skills of material
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Categories: Library News.

Talk Like a Pirate Day

AVAST ME HEARTIES! September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, celebrated annually since 1995. Stop by the Trove and grab a piratical read or check out our list of Swashbuckling Reads! Need some help with that scurvy pirate lingo or want some ideas for things to do to get into the scallywag spirit? Check out our blog post on Seafaring Activities!
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Women’s Equality Day

On August 26th, 1920, U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the 19th Amendment and that date became known as “Women’s Equality Day.” The National Constitution Center’s article, Why is August 26 Known As Women's Equality Day? writes, “In 1971, Representative Bella Abzug championed a bill in the U.S. Congress to designate August 26 as ‘Women’s Equality Day.’ The bill says that ‘the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation annually in commemoration of that day in 1920, on which the women of America were first given the right to vote.’” Unfortunately, women’s equality and voting rights are
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

June is Audiobook Month

Have you heard? June is audiobook month, and we're highlighting a few noteworthy titles here, but you'll find thousands more to choose from on our free app, Libby. Can cookbooks make good audiobooks? Yes! Learn why brilliant chef and food writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt reaches for his Wok more than any other pan in his kitchen. Listeners can access the book's recipes and photos by typing the codeword “Sauce” on the publisher's website. Want Lily Zabar's Chicken Soup recipe? Borrow Zabar's and hear how Louis Zabar fled antisemitic persecution in Russia and went on to found a foodie's paradise and
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Categories: Authors & Books and Library News.

Celebrate Pride in June

Now more than ever it is important to celebrate Pride and show support for LGBTQ+ families! The attack on LGBTQ+ rights this year and the psychological toll it has had on LGBTQ+ kids, teens and their families has been enormous. This wave of hate is being perpetrated by only a small (though powerful) minority of Americans. This hateful legislative push runs completely counter to the beliefs and values of most Americans. Matt Lavietes and Elliott Ramos write in their NBC article, “As the number of anti-LGBTQ bills hits record highs, research shows that so, too, has support for LGBTQ rights
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Great Outdoors Month

On June 5th, 2019, the US Senate designated June as Great Outdoors Month. Great Outdoors Month is a wonderful opportunity to spend time exploring nature. Spending time outdoors is refreshing, fun, and has great health benefits. According to The American Hiking Society, being in nature is great for both mental and physical health. You can spend time outdoors in a park, garden, at the beach, or hiking. There are many fun activities that you can do with your family and friends. Try using one of the suggested activities such as creating a nature bracelet, identifying different trees, camping, and stargazing.
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

Underground Railroad Storytime

Thursday, June 9th at 4:00 p.m. (Grades K–3) Come to the Library Plaza to hear the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winning book, Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom, by Shane W. Evans, along with other stories and poetry related to the Underground Railroad. Then work on a Harriet Tubman craft project! The Underground Railroad: In 1619, the first enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia, one of the newly formed 13 American Colonies. They had been kidnapped from their homes and were forced to work on tobacco, rice, and indigo plantations from Maryland and Virginia all the way to Georgia. According
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Categories: Library News.

June Harriet Tubman StoryWalk

Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free By Alice Faye Duncan & Keturah A. Bobo Wednesday, June 1st to Thursday, June 30th, 2022 Sculptor Wesley Woffard’s 9-foot monument honoring Harriet Tubman (entitled “The Journey to Freedom”) is in White Plains. The sculpture is on display at the Renaissance Plaza until June 30th, and the City and the White Plains Public Library will be honoring Harriet Tubman with a wide variety of programs throughout its stay. A full listing of the Library’s events can be found here. To celebrate, from June 1st-30th the Library will have on display the
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

TONIGHT: Anti-Asian Hate

Thursday, May 19th, 7:00–8:00 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link. A discussion of past Anti-Asian sentiment in this county up to the present, the causes, and how we can promote understanding. Presenters: William Kaung, Vice President of Advocacy at OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter and Tejash V. Sanchala (he/him/his), Executive Director, Westchester County Human Rights Commission
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Categories: Uncategorized.

Navigating by the Stars

From April 1st through June 30th, the Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom sculpture by Wesley Wofford will be on display in Renaissance Plaza in downtown White Plains. In conjunction with this historic visit by the sculpture, the Library and many other community partners organized events related to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and more. Find the full listing of the community-wide programs and events here. Navigating by the Stars Tuesday, May 17th, 6:00 p.m. (virtual) Grades 4+, Teens, Adults Have you ever wondered how ancient people told time? Or traveled from point A to point B without a smartphone
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Categories: Events and Library News.

Roots of Black Music in America

Wednesday, June 1st, 7:00 p.m. (virtual) Children, Teens, Families, Adults Note: All of our youth-focused virtual programs require a registered Zoom account to attend. Sign up for a free Zoom account here: http://zoom.us/signup. Music is a language that students of any age can understand and appreciate. It connects us, elevates our awareness, and deepens our learning beyond reading the words of a textbook. Audiences will sing, dance, use percussion, and practice call and response as they journey back in time to learn about and experience the music of the most influential Black musicians in American history. Join musician, producer, arts
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Categories: Library News.

Harriet Tubman: Union Scout, Spy and Freedom Fighter

Tuesday, May 10th, 7:00 p.m. (virtual) Click here to register. Well known for her Underground Railroad activities leading enslaved people to Freedom, Tubman also served as a valuable scout, spy and fighter for the Union Army. Cultural historian John Vorperian will discuss the rarely shared stories of Tubman's successful military exploits in disrupting Confederate outposts and supply lines during the Civil War. This program is supported by the White Plains Library Foundation.
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Categories: Library News.

Harriet Tubman Grab & Go Kit

To celebrate Harriet Tubman’s statue coming to White Plains we have a special Grab & Go kit for teens! We have a coloring page showing Harriet Tubman’s fierce determination in leading enslaved people to freedom using the north star, Polaris. This kit comes with materials to light up her lantern and Polaris with LED lights. Students will use copper tape, batteries and LEDs to create an electrical circuit that will light up this coloring page. These kits will be available starting Monday, May 16th as Grab & Go kits you can pick up in the lobby of the Library and
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Categories: Library News.

Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom Programs and Events

From April 1st through June 30th, the Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom sculpture by Wesley Wofford will be on display in Renaissance Plaza in downtown White Plains. In conjunction with this historic visit by the sculpture, the Library and many other community partners are organizing events related to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and more, throughout April, May, and June. Below, you will find a listing of the Library’s events in conjunction with the statue’s visit to White Plains. Get the Zoom link for each virtual program by clicking on that program’s date and time. Find the full listing
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Categories: Library News.

Earth Day 2022 Reads

Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd. Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 and it is now celebrated annually in over 193 countries as a way to show support for environmental protection. Below find an assortment of recently published books with stories, activities and information to celebrate and support our planet. You can find even more activities, books and resources for celebrating Earth Day from the Library here and pick up an Earth Day coloring sheet in the Trove at the Library starting April 22nd! Also, check out Lauren’s recent post on parenting titles for outdoor learning and
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.

El Día/Children’s Day

El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día, is a celebration every day of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30th. Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures. The Trove will have available Grab & Go Kits celebrating this day, available beginning April 25th, while supplies last. Daniel’s pet = Daniel y su mascota, by Alma Flor Ada. (Library Catalog) The
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.