Mind, Body & Spirit
 Brian Kenney, White Plains Library Director on White Plains TV PEOPLE TO BE HEARD More and more, libraries are going beyond circulating books or offering information–although we continue to do both as much as ever–and offering other opportunities that address health and well being. This spring we hosted a Saturday yoga class, sponsored by White Plains Recreation & Parks, and also just finished a series of Seated Yoga workshops for older adults and those with disabilities. Add to this workshops on cooking, nutrition, health issues–and our Wednesday Lunchtime Meditation (12:15 pm)–and it’s safe to say that libraries today are about the whole you!
Brian Kenney
Library Director
bkenney@whiteplainslibrary.org
P.S. Don’t miss our popular International Film Festival, Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m., July 11-August 22. |
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What’s New in Book Publishing?
BOOK EXPO!
Last month, I saw Nelson DeMille talking to James Patterson while Al Franken joked nearby and John Grisham signed stacks of his new book, Camino Island. Mike Tyson, Neil Patrick Harris, Gabrielle Union, Alan Alda, and Olivia the Pig were there, too, along with thousands of book lovers. Where? At the Book Expo, a trade show for publishers, booksellers, and librarians at the Javits Center.There may have been fewer publishers at the Expo this year than there were in the past, but the show was still massive. There were tons of exhibitors, author talks, and educational panels. At the American Association of Publisher’s Adult Book Buzz, we learned which titles publishers are excited about for the forthcoming season.Here are some titles to look for in the coming months:
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo: a searing examination of marriage and family set in Nigeria.
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent: Stephen King has called this debut novel about a 14 yr. old girl who roams the California coast “a masterpiece.”
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman: A prequel to Hoffman’s Practical Magic.
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt: A retelling of the Lizzie Borden story. The publisher handed out small ax-shaped pins…
Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss: A high-powered Manhattan lawyer gives away most of his possessions and moves to Israel, where he meets a fellow traveler on a quest for meaning.
Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent: What happens when a seemingly mild-mannered man commits a shocking act of violence? A bestseller in the author’s native Ireland.
Need to Know by Karen Cleveland: A CIA analyst is hot on the trail of a Russian sleeper cell in the U.S.
Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn: An agoraphobe spends her days spying on her New York city neighbors in this riveting Hitchcockian thriller that’s already in development as a film.
Karyn DeLuca is responsible for acquiring books and media for adults.
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Look Up: Historic Murals
As the renovations continue and you rediscover the main floor of our library, we hope you look up and see three unique murals. These paintings were recently re-hung—with support from the White Plains Library Foundation—high over the east wing. Sit back in one of our new lounge chairs and enjoy them! White Plains History Mural by Stanley P. Klimley. The mural depicts five historical events in White Plains history. The upper left panel depicts the reading of the Declaration of Independence at the courthouse in White Plains on July 11, 1776 and the central panel depicts Washington addressing troops prior to the Battle of White Plains in October 1776. The inscription by Mayor Hendey reads: “White Plains, where American history, tradition and enlightened civic pride combine to make a worthy city in which to live and work for people of every race, color and religion.” Hudson Valley Legends by Edmund F. Ward. Hudson Valley Legends won the Bicentennial Award at the National Art Show of the Hudson Valley Art Association. Ward filled the painting with references to Washington Irving’s most famous works, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Battle of White Plains by Edmund F. Ward. There are two versions of this–one large, one small. The smaller version was created first as a commemorative stamp. Ward completed the larger oil painting a few years later and the City of White Plains purchased and hung it in the Post Office on Grand Street. In 1979, the painting was rescued from the decommissioned post office building and in 1984 brought to the library through the efforts of “Re-Ward: The Committee to Save the Edmund F. Ward Mural.”
Ben Himmelfarb is the librarian responsible for local history. For more about the murals and the artists, click here.
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The Edge Makerspace: a Place to Chill
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend an hour doing Makerspace stuff, and—as the kids say—it was totally chill. The term Makerspace is all the rage in the public library world, but don’t let it intimidate you. At the Edge Media Lab, it’s just about making things, being creative, exploring new ideas, expressing yourself and a whole lot of conversation.
It may be news that you don’t have to use technology to be in a Makerspace state-of-mind. On this past Witchcraft Wednesday in the Edge, I met a friendly 17-year-old who just moved here from Guatemala. She taught me a new stitch for crocheting beautiful baby hats that the Edge teens are donating. She practiced her English as her fingers flew. This spring we’ve made seed bead bracelets and a dozen high school boys could be found rolling tiny paper beads while chatting. Quite a sight!
Don’t get me wrong, technology is a huge part of the Makerspace movement. Minecraft, for instance, is key to any self-respecting teen STEM Makerspace, and our Media Specialist, Austin Olney, regularly offers “Minecraft for Parents” to demystify the Minecraft craze. (Note to parents: Minecraft isn’t just mindless video gaming. It involves having a vision, planning, making several drafts, coding and math.)
At WPPL we’ve got several librarians who are Makers and they look forward to introducing you, (or reintroducing you) to the Edge. And this summer, with the support of Maker Corp and Argus, you can explore everything from video game design, to coding and 3D printing to hands-on sewing. We’ll also be offering Sculpey bead making and Pop Art painting. The Edge is a great place to escape the heat and exploring making things. High tech and low tech, its all about creativity and collaboration.
Tanya Nadas is a WPPL Trove Librarian who can be found moonlighting in the Edge on Witchcraft Wednesdays. |
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Fall Gala to Honor Sloane Crosley
Celebrated author and graduate of White Plains High School, Sloane Crosley, will be honored at the White Plains Library Foundation’s fall gala on the evening of October 21st. Crosley’s most recent publication is the bestselling novel The Clasp (“a highly comic, highly affecting novel”–NY Times Book Review, “A sad, hopeful, endlessly entertaining book,”–Time). Her previous books include I Was Told There’d Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number. Sloane is featured in The 50 Funniest American Writers: An Anthology of Humor from Mark Twain to The Onion and The Best American Nonrequired Reading (2011). Her work has appeared in Esquire, GQ, Playboy, Elle, New York Magazine, NPR and more. Her next book, Look Alive Out There, will be published in 2018.
Mark your fall calendars and get ready to celebrate! The gala will take place in the Hub — the newly renovated first floor. Part incubator, part maker’s space, part traditional reference library, the Hub will be an exciting, new destination for residents and business people working in downtown White Plains.
Check the library’s website later this summer for details about gala tickets and sponsorships. To learn more about the Campaign for the Hub, click here.
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