Adult

A downloadable eBook service offered by the Westchester Library System. eBooks borrowed through Freading are compatible with Sony, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Kobo e-reader devices, as well as your Windows or Mac computer. Download the free Freading app to read via your iPad, iPhone, or Android phone or tablet. Visit this link for information on how to use Freading with a Kindle Fire e-reader.

Hoopla has a collection of nearly half a million titles across six categories: Movies, TV, Music Albums, Audiobooks, eBooks, and Comics/Graphic novels. Unlike Overdrive, there are never any holds or waiting lists! Every item you see listed is available for you to check out.

Note: When registering for a Hoopla account, enter “Westchester Library System” as your home library. If you receive a message about an invalid or expired library card when attempting to check a title out, please go into Settings, then Library Settings, re-enter your PIN and save your settings.

1. Register for a hoopla account by visiting hoopladigital.com or using the hoopla app on your iOS or Android mobile device. You will need to provide an email address, create a password, and have your library account information ready. Our free mobile app can be found in the Apple Store and the Google Play store.

2. Get started by selecting Browse on your computer or, in the app, selecting a format (Audiobooks, Comics, eBooks, Movies, Music, Television, or BingePasses) that you would like to explore. You can also search for a specific title by clicking on the Search box or magnifying glass and typing in your title(s)/keyword.

3. To borrow a title, click on the title and then click the Borrow button. Your borrowed titles can be played right after borrowing, and found under the My hoopla tab for viewing/listening. Enjoy your selected titles!

4. Borrowed titles will be automatically returned when your lending period is over. There are no holds, wait lists, or late fees for any hoopla Instant title.

5. If you need additional help, visit the help section on our mobile app, or click on the Help link found at the bottom of hoopladigital.com.

Overdrive is an online library of thousands of e-books and audiobooks. Titles are downloadable to your Kindle or other similar e-readers and e-reading apps. You can also access these collections any time of day; even if the library is closed!

Similar to using the physical library, Overdrive titles can be checked out for 2 or 3 week periods. If a title is unavailable, the user can place a hold for it and be notified when the e-copy is available again.

The best part, however, is that Overdrive titles return themselves automatically. This means there are never overdue/late fees! Either browse Overdrive on your computer, or download the Libby app to browse on-the-go.

Libby is Overdrive’s new app.  You can learn more about the app and its easy-to-use interface here: https://meet.libbyapp.com/?utm_medium=lightning_banner&utm_source=lightning&utm_campaign=libby

The weekly trade magazine for publishers, libraries, and booksellers, AKA “The International News Magazine of Book Publishing and Bookselling”. for more information on availability and services through Publishers Weekly, click here.

Presented and recorded by the Irvington Public Library live on Tuesday, May 04, 2021 at 7:00 PM. Original program description follows:

Learn how New York State Medicaid can help with the cost of long-term care in your home or in a nursing home.

Join Colin Sandler, Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Medicaid Solutions of Cortland Manor for this free webinar.

Presented and recorded by the Irvington Public Library live on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 1:30 PM. Original program description follows:

Women have been speaking in public for centuries, including women right here in the Rivertowns. But you’d never know it from the history books. Overwhelmingly they make it seem as if only men were powerful at the podium.

So who were all these overlooked women speakers? Irvington resident Dana Rubin will tell us in this interactive talk. She did the research and created the world’s largest women’s speech archive, “The Speaking While Female Speech Bank.” She’ll us about the hidden history of women’s speech, with the spotlight on women from our own backyard.

Presented and recorded by the Irvington Public Library live on Monday, April 26, 2021, starting at  2:00 PM. Original program description follows:

Original program description follows:

Join Oscar Israelowitz for a virtual tour of the history, architecture and artwork of the New York City Subways. We start with a palatial City Hall station (opened on October 27, 1904)–a masterpiece with its Guastavino tile arched ceiling, stained-glass skylights and brass chadeliers. The tour continues with terra-cotta bas reliefs of American bald eagles at the 33rd Street station. There is a view of the grand steel arched viaduct above the 125th Street valley in Harlem which rises over sixty feet. There are gorgeous stained-glass windows on elevated lines, sculptures of “little creatures” on the 14th Street (A, C, E and L) lines, including a brass alligator coming out of a manhole. There is a discussion of the Rockaway line, part of which may become the Queens edition of the High Line. We will talk about the original elevated lines which crossed over the Brooklyn Bridge, the Malbone Street train wreck during the Great Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and the old Sheepshead Bay Race Track. Some the original glass mosaic tiles in a Bay Ridge subway station resemble the works of artist Diego Rivera and Ben Shahn.

Original program description follows:
March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility, and this year, transgender people—those whose apparent sex at birth does not match up with their mental gender—are more visible than ever before. With appearances and discussions about transgender people in media, politics, news, and culture, there are a lot of questions being asked and opinions being developed. Join Irvington Librarian Keshet Roman for this webinar on the facts, myths, and personal experiences of transgender people.

Original program description follows:

Members of the Lenape Center, based in Manhattan, will discuss their work and Lenape history.
Lenapehoking, the Lenape homeland, spans from Western Connecticut to Eastern Pennsylvania, and the Hudson Valley to Delaware, with Manhattan at its center.
The Lenape Center has the mission of continuing Lenapehoking through community, culture and the arts. They push back against erasure and seed the ground with Lenape consciousness for the next generations.

Original program description follows:
The Super Bowl is much more than a football game, and as you might know, it is the only sports event that impacts every community in the United States. But, did you know that the Super Bowl rose out of the civil rights movement, specifically the African American boycott of the AFL All Star Game in New Orleans? Evan Weiner, a veteran sports broadcaster will take us on a journey from the birth of the Super Bowl to talk about the halftime shows and everything in between, including how the famed football game got its name.

Presented and recorded by the Irvington Public Library live on 1/16/2021, starting at 2:00 PM. Original program description follows: Join the Westchester County Human Rights Commission for a discussion about the County’s Fair Housing Law! The discussion, hosted by the Irvington Public Library via Zoom, is open to the general public. Registration is required. We will cover topics of discrimination in housing such as: · Accommodation requests for people with disabilities (such as emotional support animals and parking spaces); · Refusals to sell or rent based on race, citizenship status, gender, sexual orientation, source of income (including Housing Choice Vouchers) and other protected categories; · Sexual harassment; and more. There will be a Q&A period. Learn about your rights and obligations and what happens once a complaint is filed.

Recommended reading and viewing links for Westchester Library System patrons:
“An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States” is available as an eBook: https://westchester.overdrive.com/westchester-irvington/content/media/1646691
“Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee” is available as an eBook and print book: https://westchester.overdrive.com/westchester-irvington/content/media/1086342
https://catalog.westchesterlibraries.org/eg/opac/record/5163321
“Native American History” is available as a print book: https://catalog.westchesterlibraries.org/eg/opac/record/3494144
“100 Years” is available as streaming video via Kanopy: https://wls.kanopy.com/video/100-years-one-womans-fight-justice

Original program description follows:

Native History predates 1492. Native peoples have been on the North American continent for centuries before colonization began. Learn about U.S. History but from perspective of Native Americans. From the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy to landing on Plymouth Rock. From the Lost Colony of Roanoke to the tribes that participated in the American Revolution and the move westward. Discover the creation of the treaties between the United States and Native Nations. Finally learn about the beginning of the end for Native Nations with Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears. This lecture begins in the 1100’s and ends just before the Civil War in 1860.

Heather Bruegl, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and first line descendant Stockbridge Munsee, is a graduate of Madonna University in Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in U.S. History. Inspired by a trip to Wounded Knee, South Dakota, a passion for Native American History was born. She has spoken for numerous groups including the University of Michigan, College of the Menominee Nation, Shawano County Historical Society, the Kenosha Civil War Museum, Stockbridge-Munsee Band of the Mohicans, and the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. She has spoken at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for Indigenous Peoples Day 2017. Heather also opened up and spoke at the Women’s March Anniversary in Lansing, Michigan in January 2018. She also spoke at the first ever Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, DC in January of 2019. Summer 2019, she spoke at the Crazy Horse Memorial and Museum in Custer, South Dakota for their Talking Circle Series. She has also become the ‘’accidental activist’’ and speaks to different groups about intergenerational racism and trauma and helps to bring awareness to our environment, the fight for clean water and other issues in the Native community. A curiosity of her own heritage lead her to Wisconsin, where she has researched the history of the Native American tribes in the area. While Heather calls Michigan home, she has recently moved to Wisconsin and is now the Director of Cultural Affairs for the Stockbridge Munsee Community. In addition to that she also currently travels and speaks on Native American history, including policy and activism.

Kanopy offers a robust collection of classic and contemporary films from around the world. You’ll find a mix of indie flicks, recent contemporary films, classics from the beloved Criterion Collection, and even The Great Courses series.  Think of it like a more thoughtfully-curated version of Netflix. Like other streaming services, Kanopy’s collection is updated frequently, so check back often to see what’s new. In addition, films on Kanopy can be streamed from a computer, an android or Apple mobile device, or cast onto your TV with Chromecast, Apple TV, or the Kanopy app for Roku. For help setting up Kanopy on any of these devices, check Kanopy’s FAQ page here.

WLS generously offers its patrons 20 Kanopy play credits per month right now. (1 play credit= 1 film.) Play credits reset on the first of each month. Note that once you begin a film, you’ll have three days to watch it as many times as you wish without using additional play credits. A list of films which are available without using credits can be found by clicking here.

Go to https://wls.kanopystreaming.com

At the top right corner, click “sign up.”

Enter your e-mail address and create a password for your new Kanopy account. Note that once you create an account, you will not need to sign-up again.

An e-mail verification code will be sent to your e-mail address. Open your e-mail inbox and click the “Verify Your E-mail” button.

You will now be led to a page asking you to enter your library card number. Press “add library card” and enter your library card number and PIN. Your PIN is usually the last four digits of your phone number.

Once logged in, you will see how many play credits you have remaining for the month in the top right corner of any page on Kanopy’s website.

While Kanopy’s homepage features many films of interest, you can also search for specific films in the search bar, or browse by genre and country. To browse by genre or country, find the word “subjects” on the top left corner of Kanopy’s homepage. Hold your mouse over “subjects,” and a drop down menu will appear.

Once you find a film you like and press “play” on it, you will use a play credit. You’ll have three days to watch that film as many times as you wish without using additional play credits.

2019: Echo in the Canyon. Jakob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, others.

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/echo-canyon

This documentary celebrates the explosion of popular music that came out of LA’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s as folk went electric and The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas and the Papas gave birth to the California Sound.

2017: Faces Places, Dir. Agnès Varda.

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/faces-places

A heartwarming road movie/documentary, in which 89-year-old leading French filmmaker Agnès Varda travels through France with acclaimed 33-year-old photographer JR. Together they travel around France’s small towns in JR’s photo truck meeting locals, learning their stories, and producing epic-size portraits of them.

2017: Logan Lucky, Dir. Steven Soderbergh. Starring Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, Channing Tatum

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/logan-lucky

Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver) set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

1967: Playtime, Dir. Jacques Tati. Starring Jacques Tati.

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/playtime

Tati again thrusts the lovably old-fashioned Monsieur Hulot, along with a host of other lost souls, into a baffling modern world, this time Paris. With every inch of its superwide frame crammed with hilarity and inventiveness, PLAYTIME is a lasting record of a modern era tiptoeing on the edge of oblivion.

1963: Charade, Dir. Stanley Donen. Starring Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/charade

In this equally thrilling and romantic classic, Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) falls for the dashing Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) while on holiday in the French Alps. Her newfound romance is interrupted, however, upon her return home, when it is revealed that her husband has been murdered. The most Hitchcockian-film Hitchcock did not direct!

1955: Summertime, Dir. David Lean. Starring Katherine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/summertime

An American spinster’s dream of romance finally becomes a bittersweet reality when she meets a handsome–but married–Italian man while vacationing in Venice. Katharine Hepburn’s sensitive portrayal of the lonely heroine and Jack Hildyard’s glorious Technicolor photography make SUMMERTIME an endearing and visually enchanting film.

1940: His Girl Friday, Dir. Howard Hawks. Starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy

https://wls.kanopy.com/video/his-girl-friday

A screwball romantic-comedy, with fast-talking wit and undeniably strong-willed characters.

Other Great Categories to Explore:

The Great Courses on Kanopy

Classic Films on Kanopy

Documentaries on Kanopy

Comedies on Kanopy

All Movie Categories on Kanopy

Credit-Free Movies from Kanopy and Partners. (Keep checking this link– list will grow as Kanopy makes more agreements with film distributors.)

Freegal is a downloadable music service that the Westchester Library System subscribes to. All you need to access the service is your Westchester Library card. You do not need any special software to use the service and all songs are in MP3 format with no Digital Rights Management (DRM). And yes, unlike other services, you actually get to keep what you download forever! You can transfer the songs to an unlimited amount of devices or even burn the music to a CD.

Freegal is also a streaming service. Your card allows you to stream up to 3 hours of music per day for free. When you stream a song, it is not downloaded; instead, you listen to it over the internet.

Freegal provides access to the Sony Music Entertainment catalogue. There are hundreds of thousands of songs, in over 100 genres of music, and more than 50 record labels. The content is based upon an agreement with Sony Music Entertainment, owner of many different music labels. Sony owns most of your favorite current artists (the ones you hear on the radio,) as well as older favorites like Johnny Cash, Earth, Wind & Fire & Journey.

Once you log into the Freegal Music website, you can browse or search for your favorite artists or songs. The navigation across the top of the page allows you to browse by genre or news articles. You can also use the quick search tool on the Home page to search by keyword in the artist or composer name, song or album title.  Expanded search options are available under the advanced search.

Each library patron is entitled to 5 downloads per week & 3 hours of music streaming per day. The download quota refreshes every Monday.

https://www.pbs.org/show/austin-city-limits/

https://www.broadwayworld.com/topic/LIVING-ROOM-CONCERTS

NPR has been collecting a long list of free online concerts being offered by musicians themselves. The concerts vary widely across genres, so there truly is a concert for everyone!

Check it out here:

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/17/816504058/a-list-of-live-virtual-concerts-to-watch-during-the-coronavirus-shutdown

The Seattle Symphony is generously volunteering free, live broadcasts of several Symphony shows. You can check the programming schedule on their website:

https://seattlesymphony.org/live

Computerphile: Videos all about computers and computer stuff. Sister channel of Numberphile.

Numberphile: Videos about numbers.

NASA Television: The official Youtube channel of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

South Main Auto Repair: A mechanic with over seventeen years experience in auto repair shares his knowledge of how to repair and maintain a wide variety of makes and models from your home.

Technology Connection: Facts and fun about all kinds of modern and retro technology.

The History Guy: “History that deserves to be remembered. If you love history, this is the channel for you! Stories of forgotten history, all between five and fifteen minutes long.”

Modern History TV: “Jason Kingsley OBE, the Modern Knight, investigates the medieval world. We aim to test out what it was actually like. Books are great but getting out and trying things is even better. Jason owns and trains his own horses, fights in medieval armour and tests people’s theories to destruction.”

Cynthia Erivo performs “Somewhere”: from West Side Story with the National Symphony Orchestra

The Modern Major Parody, Or Artistic Distances: performed by New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. Based on an original parody by Eliza Rubenstein of “The Major General’s Song” from The Pirates of Penzance, performed with permission of the author.

Sheri Miller: Sheri’s upbeat, soulful music includes both uplifting classics and original songs have entertained audiences at the Irvington Public Library, and are now accessible from the comfort of your home.

Fox runs away with my phone: this short video from the SaveAFox fox rescue center in Florida shows what happens when one of the foxes is allowed near a caretaker’s smartphone during enrichment.

Monterey Bay Aquarium: “Located at the ocean’s edge, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is your window to marine life — for dive masters and non-swimmers alike. It’s home to sea otters, penguins, sharks, jellies, and thousands of other marine animals and plants. Plus, there are people who are wild about these critters — like you are.”

National Geographic: “Inspiring people to care about the planet! National Geographic is the world’s premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what’s possible.”

Cooking/baking

https://www.allrecipes.com/ — a handy online resource that allows you to search for recipes for the ingredients you have onhand.  Wondering what to do with that tin of sardines you found in the back of the cupboard? This is a good place to start.  App also available.

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/guides/sourdough

The King Arthur Flour company has instructions about how to make sourdough bread, including how to make sourdough starter (the fact that it will take a few days shouldn’t be a problem just now).  Within the instructions are links to bread recipes if you have starter or use a technique you read elsewhere. Includes recipes for the starter that you need to throw away as part of the process.

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2020/03/30/what-to-bake-if-you-run-out-of-ingredients

The King Arthur website also has recommendations for recipes if you don’t have certain ingredients.  Like eggs. Or butter. Or even flour!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/09/at-home/virus-make-ice-cream-in-a-mason-jar.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage&contentCollection

The NYTimes shows you how to make ice cream in a mason jar, a perfect project for when the summer gets too hot to bake.

https://www.ohsheglows.com — A vegan recipe blog celebrating a love for plant-based food. In addition to being meat and dairy-free, most of the recipes are free of gluten, soy, and processed foods. 

https://minimalistbaker.com/—-Minimalist Baker is a place for recipes requiring 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.  All eaters are welcome.

Knitting and Crocheting:

ravelry.com  Ravelry is a place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, weavers and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration.  Registration required. Be sure to click on the “free” pattern option when searching so that you don’t fall in love with an expensive pattern. **EXCELLENT place for beginner as well as advanced crafters.  It is easy to limit patterns to your skill level and there are supportive

https://www.laughinghens.us/  Probably not the best place for beginners, as you will need to do some converting and British patterns use slightly different terminology.

Paper crafts:

Make your own beads out of newspaper.

http://www.ilovepaperbeads.com/blog/how-to-make-a-basic-rolled-paper-bead/

Learn to Quill paper and create a Mother’s Day Card that she will love!

https://www.paperchase.com/the-journal/?p=4076

Altered Books: Resurrect old, unwanted, unloved books by turning them into art: 

https://mixedmedia.club/a-crash-course-on-altered-books/

https://gomakesomething.com/category/ht/ab/

https://makezine.com/projects/altered-books/

Charm your children with these DIY Jumping Jack Bunnies – Just in time for Easter too!

https://blog.potterybarn.com/jumping-jack-easter-bunnies/

And for a slightly easier bunny craft try this: 

https://www.makeandtakes.com/hopping-peter-rabbit-puppet-craft

With all that toilet paper, the empty tubes must be piling up.  Don’t throw them out! Make a castle instead. Here is how:

https://www.stemlittleexplorers.com/en/toilet-roll-craft-cardboard-castle/

And for an even more elaborate castle try this:

https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/diy-make-a-castle-from-recyclable-materials/

Although this may not be the best time to start a project that might involve an emergency call to the plumber, there may be some projects that you CAN do now, or perhaps it’s a good time to plan.   Here are some resources that some of your friends at the library like:

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/  Watch full episodes of this PBS show, or look up specific projects that interest you.  

https://www.newyankee.com/ (some free, some paid content).  Watch episodes for free (or purchase a subscription for add-free viewing.  Patterns available for purchase.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/  Free plans and videos.

HGTV.com — website for popular television network.  A rabbit hole you can easily lose a whole day in.

People are still trying to figure out how to sing together online, but unfortunately there are delays when using google meet or zoom that may not be problematic for a business  meeting, but make keeping together musically impossible. You can look to YouTube for “ free sing along” or “free play along [name of instrument].” Remember that free things often have advertisements.  

Miss singing hymns on Sundays, or just in the mood for hymns?  Here is a link to a one hour “concert” of hymns. Words are printed on the screen, so you don’t need a hymnal.  The music sounds synth-ish and the singing style is a little “ploddy,” but if you sing loud enough, you won’t notice:  https://youtu.be/kG9dFHlGW-I

One VERY fun resource, if you’re a fan of Andrew LLoyd Webber musicals is his Facebook page.  He regularly posts himself playing and asks people to submit videos of their sing-alongs. The “best” are edited into a compilation each week.

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Sew./  A good place to start if you are a beginner.  Many advanced techniques, too.

Sewing with Nancy, is a PBS show that has been around for years.  Watch full episodes on her website: https://pbswisconsin.org/watch/sewing-nancy/

 Mostly a good resource for people who are already comfortable with the basics, and an especially good resource if you know how to sew and have always wanted to take up quilting.

Related pages are free patterns from Nancy’s commercial website as well as her “patterns for charity” 

University of Fashion:  http://db.westchesterlibraries.org:2048/login/uoff  A resource from the Westchester Library System. Your library card gives you access to expert-led video tutorials that guide you in applying creative and critical thinking skills to fashion design, pattern making, and practical sewing projects.

Hastings Sewing Studio is looking for volunteers to help sew face masks. Although these won’t be up to the N-95 standard, there is a growing believe that “something is better than nothing” and it’s reported that some health care workers are wearing cloth masks like these over their medical masks to help them last longer.  https://hastingssewing.com/

Not into groups?  Then the NYTimes has information and a pattern for sewing your own face mask:  https://www.nytimes.com/article/how-to-make-face-mask-coronavirus.html

Got fabric and buttons? You can sew a fidget quilt! https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Fidget-Quilt and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcF90LdG5pE

Tie Dye:

Using tissue paper and a silk scarf you can tie dye a one of a kind scarf for yourself or for someone special: 

https://urbancomfort.typepad.com/urban_nest/2014/02/quick-easy-tissue-dyed-silk-scarf.html

With just colorful sharpie pens, and rubbing alcohol, you can create easy tie dye tee shirts.

https://gluesticksblog.com/sharpie-tie-dyed-shirts/

Get the whole family involved to make the longest exploding “stick bomb” ever!  All you need are popsicle sticks and determination.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Cobra-Weave-Exploding-Stick-Bomb/

 If you can’t actually get on a plane and fly to Europe, you can at least travel virtually.  Why not stream an episode of Rick Steve’s Europe while enjoying a break from working at home?  Lunch in Paris? Tea in London? The episodes are under 30 minutes in length and offer Rick’s trademark “back door” (i.e., meet the locals) approach to travel. https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show

(also available via on YouTube, but browsing is easier on the website)