Archives for teens

Teen Volunteer Opportunities – Fall 2023

We know teens need community service hours, and we’re happy to provide a few different options. Below you’ll find a list of all the current ways to contribute to the library community and earn volunteer credit through the White Plains Public Library. If you have any questions, please contact YA librarian Kathlyn Carroll at kcarroll@whiteplainslibrary.org. Ongoing Opportunities: Do Gooders: Card Making Saturdays, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Edge Media Lab Drop in and make greeting cards to donate to Meals on Wheels. On Call Crew As Needed Sometimes we need short-notice help with a task at the library, like sorting Legos or preparing
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Igloo VR Programs (April-May)

Attention all patrons! Get ready for a journey like no other as the Library invites you to explore new and exciting virtual experiences with our newly installed panoramic video room, the “Optimum Technology Room,” which uses technology installed by Igloo Vision. Thanks to the support of Optimum and the White Plains Library Foundation, we are now able to bring you 360 virtual reality content without the need for a headset. You'll be able to experience 360 videos, interactive immersive apps, 360 slideshows and more, all projected onto three walls in the room. Igloo Virtual Tour – Venice: Thursday, April 6,
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Categories: Library News.

Summer Reading 2022

Summer Reading at the White Plains Public Library starts Monday, June 27 and will run through Friday, August 19.  Logging reading over the summer will again be online this year via the READsquared platform through either the READsquared website or the READsquared app (available here: iOS and Android).           Lectura de Verano 2022 Find information on the great lineup of programs and events for kids, teens and families in July and August here. Get Started! Register and login to READsquared. Individual youth participants can register as themselves, or parents and caregivers can register all of their
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

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 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.

Teen Volunteering: Summer 2022

This summer we’re offering a few new opportunities for teens to earn community service credit. We’ll continue to take submissions of original book reviews for books in our YA collection. We’re also partnering with Meals on Wheels to collect a variety of cheerful handmade items to be distributed along with meals. This summer we’re looking for teen volunteers to make greeting cards, placemats, paper flowers, or bookmarks for Meals on Wheels. We’ll provide kits with paper and craft materials on a first-come, first-served basis; you’ll provide scissors, glue, creativity, and any other art supplies you want to use. You are
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Science for Students

Join Science for Teens, a club created by local high school student Sophia DiFalco. Teens interested in science will connect with other teens virtually. A scientist with real life experience will be there to talk about their work and answer questions. Our first meeting will be with Keila Alves who is a lab manager at Micropath Pathology Laboratory, a gastroenterology lab. Keila will be joining us live from the lab! She will speak for 20-30 minutes, followed by 10-15 minutes of questions and answers. We hope you can join us for this exciting opportunity! The first meeting will be on
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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Grab & Go: Bubble Wands

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, then follow along with the video below to make the project. Or, you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, September 19th in the Library lobby. Let's take advantage of the continued nice weather to make some bubbles–and bubble wands. This month we'll make some basic of bubble wands. Your kit includes string, straws, wire, and pipe cleaners. You'll need some bubble solution, and your
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Categories: Library News and Teens.

Dive into Diversity: YA Mysteries

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity as much as possible. This month I've collected a list of YA mysteries. This month, I'm happy for another opportunity to talk about Slay by Brittney Morris. We discussed this exciting mystery at our last Project LIT book club for teens in the spring, and it was unanimously declared a favorite. The main character, Kiera Johnson,
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Summer Reading 2021

Summer Reading at the White Plains Public Library starts Monday, June 28 and will run through Friday, August 20! Due to the impact of COVID-19 on services, Summer Reading will be completely online this year via the READsquared platform, the READsquared website, or the READsquared app, available for iOS and Android. Find information on the great lineup of programs and events for kids, teens and families in July and August here. Get Started! Register and login to READsquared. Individual youth participants can register as themselves, or parents and caregivers can register all of their children at one time. This allows
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Grab & Go Kit: Bookbinding

Teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, 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. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, August 16th in the Library lobby. For this month’s project, we’re doing something a little different. I wanted to highlight a video from creativebug, a new library resource that offers thousands of arts and crafts video tutorials. They have everything from simple drawing lessons
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

What You Need to Know About… Monster

Gone are the days when every middle school and high school summer reading list was full of titles by Walter Dean Myers. While at one time, Myers was the go-to author for diverse characters, because he was one of the only authors of diverse characters, we are now fortunate that the publishing industry has begun embracing diverse authors.  WIth this shift in the publishing industry, and public desire for diverse works, there is an increasing body of wonderful and important works by newer writers such as Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas. But this doesn’t mean that Myers' books are no longer poignant
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Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

Grab & Go Craft Kits for Teens: Paper Beads

Which Craft? Wednesday has been phased into Grab & Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding materials around the house, teens in grades 7-12 can pick up a kit with project supplies at the Library, 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. Kits are first come, first served, and will become available on Monday, April 19th. When you arrive at the Library to pick up a kit, just call 914-422-1490 and ask for the Grab & Go Craft Kit
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Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

March-April Break Week

The Library has some awesome events planned during Spring Break Week, March 29th – April 1st! Note: for events taking place within Zoom, a free registered Zoom account is required to access the Library’s youth programs. Get a Zoom account here. I Will Dance – Storytime & Author Visit with author Nancy Bo Flood Monday, March 29, 11:00 a.m. Ages 2-6 Access the program here. Award-winning author Nancy Bo Flood virtually visits the library to read from her book, I Will Dance. More information here. 3D Design & Printing Monday, March 29 – Thursday, April 1, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00
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Categories: Authors & Books, Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.

Activist Academy: Disability Rights, Advocacy, and Education

Teens, looking for a community service opportunity? Join us for a lively presentation and Q&A with internationally acclaimed YouTuber Jessica Kellgren-Fozard on the topic of Disability rights, advocacy, and education! Jessica Kellgren-Fozard is a vintage icon and leading advocate for LGBTQ+ and disability rights. Her unique sense of personal style, coupled with her blend of creativity and intellect, has amassed her a legion of fans. Jessica’s unique and humorous take on life and forging on ‘when the going gets tough’ has seen her lauded by DIVA Magazine as a ‘Rising Star’ of the LGBTQ+ community, has won her awards including
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Categories: Library News.

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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Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.

January Project LIT Book Club for Teens

Calling all middle and high school students for a monthly virtual book club for teens. Each month, join librarians Kat and Lauren to discuss a Project LIT book and compete against friends in a mini trivia game. On Friday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m., we’ll discuss Dear Martin by Nic Stone. Over the summer, Dear Martin appeared on the 8th grade, 9th grade, and My Brother’s Keeper summer reading lists. We’re excited to have the chance to focus on this thought-provoking story in our book club. When we first meet main character Justyce, he’s trying to keep his ex-girlfriend from
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Categories: Library News.

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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Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.