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Sean Smith

We’re doing okay, but we could do better

We’re doing okay, but we could do better

Did you know you could look up a place and see how what percentage of its residents have been counted in the Census? The picture above shows that 56.3 percent of the Town of Mamaroneck’s residents (based on the 2010 Census) have responded. While that is better than New York States’s disturbingly low 43.3%, it is nowhere near Trout Valley, Illinois’s 84.7%. Since the results of the Census determine how government funds are distributed and how votes are distributed in our legislatures, it behooves us to do better than Trout Valley, Illinois.Read More Read More

Sean Smith
Zoom!

Zoom!

It occurred to us that people might feel intimidated by Zoom, the technology we are using for most of our online programs. Although it was new to most of us, we’ve been using it for staff meetings since we went online on March 13. Even our resident technophobe, Librarian Frank Connelly, has figured it out, so we decided he would be the best person to write instructions. They are included below. Also, we have Zoom Practice sessions every Wednesday at Read More Read More

Sean Smith
Want to help? Can you sew? Do you need a sewing machine?

Want to help? Can you sew? Do you need a sewing machine?

As you may know, the CDC has recommended wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). A local organization, Masks for NY, is mobilizing community members to cut, sew, and transport cloth face masks to those who need them. If you have the skill to make masks, but don’t have a sewing machine to do so, we can get you one. The Westchester Library System has some portable Brother sewing machines which can be borrowed.  Just fill out this form.Read More Read More

Sean Smith
A Note about eBooks

A Note about eBooks

Even before the Current Situation began, we had been spending more money on eBooks than ever before. Since we closed, however, we’ve almost doubled our spending. Even so, some people are having a hard time getting the eBooks they want. Below are a few pointers.  More detailed explanations will be posted on our FAQ page.

  • Ask for help. Reference staff monitors (914) 734-5362 from their homes every weekday from 10am to 4pm. You can email us any time, larchmontlibrary@wlsmail.org.
  • Many titles are available in formats other than Kindle. Unless you are using a black-and-white Amazon eReader like a Paperwhite, you are not stuck with Kindle books.
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Sean Smith
Don’t forget to complete the Census

Don’t forget to complete the Census

The Census count determines our share of Federal and State funding for healthcare, education, roads and transportation & parks.  Westchester County estimates that each undercounted resident is a loss of $2,500 in funding each year. The Census is used to determine each State’s representation in Congress for the next ten years. It also determines our share of State and Local Sales Tax. You can respond online or by phone (in 14 different languages). Click on Read more… for a fun, census-related literary fact. Read More Read More

Sean Smith
Programs are back!

Programs are back!

Our doors may be closed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t open minds. We’ve just announced, via our email newsletter , a pretty full slate of lectures, book discussions, readings and even a film discussion that will hold you through April and into May.  Adult Programs include such old favorites as the Short and Sweet and Literary Bites Book Groups, as well as unique lectures on topics as diverse as Alzheimer’s and the War of 1812. So how will we do it?Read More Read More

Sean Smith

Things to Watch – Suggestions

Librarians like to make lists and nobody does it better than Librarian Paul Doherty. Besides setting up remote programming (more on that later), he’s made some suggestions of things you might want to watch on our downloadable services, Hoopla, Kanopy and RBdigital Entertainment. Click on each carousel to see the entire list for that category.
Musicals on Hoopla or Kanopy

Series on Acorn TV

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Children’s programs coming back on line – literally

Children’s programs coming back on line – literally

Our Children’s librarians have been working hard to restore your programs from their homes. Maintenance staff took time from cleaning the Library to collect and to mail books to Linnea’s home. Once she got them, she started two weekly story times which are streamed live on the Library’s Facebook page. Tuesdays at 10am is Toddler Story Time. The first Family Bedtime Story is this Thursday at 7pm.  Please note that copyright restrictions require us to remove Linnea’s book reading shortly after they are done. Activity of the Week with Rebecca and Gordon will have no such restrictions, however.Read More Read More

Sean Smith
Answers to basic Library questions

Answers to basic Library questions

Please note that while our physical building is closed, we have set up an ‘online library’ which you can access from home. Click on Read more… and you will find a number of frequently asked questions that have been flooding our inbox since the building’s closure. Our staff has organized this page in an effort to assuage your worries and get you through this!Read More Read More

Sean Smith
Telephone reference to begin Monday, March 23

Telephone reference to begin Monday, March 23

  • Telephone reference starts Monday. It will be available every weekday from 10am to 4pm. Call 914-734-5362 and a librarian will answer. We are handling this from our homes so be patient if a dog starts barking or a child starts crying. Also, we don’t have a system for handling messages left at that number. Do not leave a message. If you want a librarian to call you, email larchmontlibrary@wlsmail.org. Also, since we are all working from our homes, we cannot answer any of the regular library numbers.
  • In other news, we’ve modified our home page slightly.
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Sean Smith
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