Adult

New York Times Bestseller List: Click Titles to View In Catalog and Place a Hold

Welcome to our Adult Resources page! Here, you’ll find organized pages of content designed to connect you to free library resources and online sites of interest for both education and entertainment.

Entertainment

Godot Engine
The completely free, open-source video game creation software Godot allows you to develop your own modern-looking games at home. Click here to visit the developer site and download the program, and visit this Youtube channel for a free tutorial series to learn how to use the engine.

Food & Drink

Recipes:

7 Historic Dishes Born From Tough Times That You Can Make at Home, from Atlas Obscura

A Riff on Sesame Noodles for When You Tire of Peanut Butter Sandwiches, from the NY Times

Language Learning:

Duolingo: Free online language-learning resource with courses including Spanish, German, Mandarin Chinese, Korean,  Esperanto, Navajo, Esperanto, and more! Ever wanted to try learning Klingon? Qapla’!

Theater & Opera

Some of the most famous performance space in the world are making their content available online as they are closed to the general public for health and safety.

Free Metropolitan Opera Stream Schedule

Each day, a different encore presentation from the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD series is being made available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for a period of 23 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 6:30 p.m. the following day. The schedule will include outstanding complete performances from the past 14 years of cinema transmissions, starring all of opera’s greatest singers.

Click the link to view and more information. The full schedule is below.

https://www.metopera.org/user-information/nightly-met-opera-streams/

Thursday, March 19 – Verdi’s La Traviata

Conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, starring Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Flórez, and Quinn Kelsey. Transmitted live on December 15, 2018.

Friday, March 20 – Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment

Conducted by Marco Armiliato, starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flórez. Transmitted live on April 26, 2008.

Saturday, March 21 – Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor

Conducted by Marco Armiliato, starring Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczała, and Mariusz Kwiecien. Transmitted live on February 7, 2009.

Sunday, March 22 – Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin

Conducted by Valery Gergiev, starring Renée Fleming, Ramón Vargas, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Transmitted live on February 24, 2007.

      Here is the schedule for the second week of streams, an all-Wagner week:

Monday, March 23 – Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde

Conducted by Simon Rattle, starring Nina Stemme, Ekaterina Gubanova, Stuart Skelton, Evgeny Nikitin, and René Pape. Transmitted live on October 8, 2016.

Tuesday, March 24 – Wagner’s Das Rheingold

Conducted by James Levine, starring Wendy Bryn Harmer, Stephanie Blythe, Richard Croft, Gerhard Siegel, Dwayne Croft, Bryn Terfel, Eric Owens, and Hans-Peter König. Transmitted live on October 9, 2010.

Wednesday, March 25 – Wagner’s Die Walküre

Conducted by James Levine, starring Deborah Voigt, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Stephanie Blythe, Jonas Kaufmann, Bryn Terfel, and Hans-Peter König. Transmitted live on May 14, 2011.

Thursday, March 26 – Wagner’s Siegfried

Conducted by Fabio Luisi, starring Deborah Voigt, Hunter Morris, Gerhard Siegel, Bryn Terfel, and Eric Owens. Transmitted live on November 5, 2011.

Friday, March 27 – Wagner’s Götterdämmerung

Conducted by Fabio Luisi, starring Deborah Voigt, Wendy Bryn Harmer, Waltraud Meier, Jay Hunter Morris, Iain Paterson, Eric Owens, and Hans-Peter König. Transmitted live on February 11, 2012.

Saturday, March 28 – Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Conducted by James Levine, starring Annette Dasch, Johan Botha, Paul Appleby, and Michael Volle. Transmitted live on December 13, 2014.

Sunday, March 29 – Wagner’s Tannhäuser

Conducted by James Levine, starring Eva-Marie Westbroek, Michelle DeYoung, Johan Botha, Peter Mattei, and Gunther Groissböck. Transmitted live on October 31, 2015.

Free Royal Shakespeare Company Performances

Added each Saturday! Simply click the video you wish to watch, and it will play– no registration or trial sign-up needed.

https://www.marquee.tv/

Some examples:

As You Like It (2009)

King Lear (2016)

#starsinthehouse on YouTube

Broadway (and television) stars share moments from their home lives: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23starsinthehouse&sp=CAI%253D

Check back at the link often to find new videos posted with the #starsinthehouse hashtag!

Virtual Museum Visits

Museums around the globe allow you to visit their exhibits and grounds from the comfort of your own home—it’s all just a click away!

Glenview Historic House

The Hudson River Museum in Yonkers offers a virtual tour of Glenview, an 1877 Gilded Age home on the National Register of Historic Places: https://www.hrm.org/glenview/highlights/

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Poets Respond to Art

The third installment of “Poets Respond to Art” at Arts Mid-Hudson in Poughkeepsie is now available as a virtual exhibit, featuring 14 poets responding to 14 artists from the Hudson Valley at https://artsmidhudson.org/amh-gallery/

Zoos and Aquaria

Atlanta Zoo: live Panda-Cam stream

Cincinnati Zoo: Daily live “Home Safari” tours of the zoo.

Detroit Zoo: Live footage of the Penguin, Otter, Falcon, and Snow Monkey enclosures, as well as recorded footage about other zoo exhibits and animals.

Georgia Aquarium: Webcams including Beluga Whale, Piranha, Sea Lions, and the diverse environment of a coral reef.

Houston Zoo: Chimpanzees, Giraffes, Gorillas, Elephants, Leafcutter Ants, Rhinos, and Flamingos can be viewed via live cameras in their enclosures

Monterey Bay Aquarium: Live video feeds of numerous aquarium spaces, including the Aviary, Penguins, the Kelp Forest enclosure, and the Monterey Bay itself.

National Aquarium, Baltimore: Take a tour with the floor-by-floor 360 degree view of the aquarium’s interior.

Oregon Aquarium: Choose from the Shark Cam, Otter Cam, or Seabird Cam.

San Diego Zoo: Eleven different streaming live video options, including Koalas, Polar Bears, Tigers, and Condors.

Seattle Aquarium: Live feeds of the Harbor Seal and Sea Otter enclosures.

Shedd Aquarium, Chicago: Check the Facebook page of this Lake Michigan aquarium for plenty of great footage of animals and exhibits.

Vancouver Aquarium: Live footage of the Otter enclosure from above and underwater, as well as the jellies and penguins.

Westchester Library System cardholders can access downloadable and streaming audiobooks via the following sites, as well as through Hoopla and Overdrive (please see the E-Books tab for more information). The most up-to-date information on all of these resources can be found by visiting the Westchester Library System website at this link..

RB Digital Audiobooks

What is RB Digital?

Recorded Books is the largest independent publisher of unabridged audiobooks and a key provider of digital content to the library and school market. Books and Audiobooks titles from major publishing houses are distributed along with exclusive audiobooks titles produced by Recorded Books and narrated by professional, award-winning actors. Patrons may also connect their phone or tablet to their account via the RB Digital app.

What is AudioBookCloud?

A collection of audiobooks for all ages, AudioBookCloud is provided for free through August 31 2020 without the need to log in with your library card, via TumbleBooks.

What is LibriVox?

Free audiobooks of public domain fiction and nonfiction, read by volunteers. A Westchester Library System card is not needed to listen to audiobooks via LibriVox.

The Westchester Library System subscribes to a variety of third-party online resources offering eBooks (as well as streaming audio and video). Westchester County residents who are active cardholders are entitled to access to free access to these services using their library card number and PIN.

Please be aware that different services may offer access to different content: a book that is not accessible on Hoopla may be available through Overdrive or Freading.  The most up-to-date information on all of these resources can be found by visiting the Westchester Library System website at this link..

Freading: a New Look at eBook Lending

What is Freading?

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.

Free Journals and Databases

Numerous online journals, article databases, and academic resources are now available for free to the general public in response to the pandemic. Expand the section below to see a complete list.

Journals and Databases

Annual Reviews (Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, & Economics)

Cochrane Library (Health & Medicine)

John Libbey Eurotext (Medicine)

Ohio State University Press (General Academia)

Project MUSE (General Academia)

SAGE Publishing (COVID-19 Articles & Research)

University of California Press

University of Michigan Press

Gallica, a digital library from the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF). For more information, click here.

Hoopla Digital

What is Hoopla?

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.

How Do I Get Started on Hoopla?

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.

What is OverDrive?

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.

What is Libby?

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

What is Publisher's Weekly?

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.

Health & Fitness

Our regular yoga program host, Nicole Athena, has recorded a Mini Yoga Class for Centering & Energizing that you can view by clicking this link.

The following classes and other services are available to the general public:

DownDog Yoga App: Free for Students and Teachers Through July 1st, 2020

Free Online Crossfit Classes from Immortal Fitness in Pleasantville

Every day, Immortal Fitness Pleasantville is posting a new 25-minute, nonstop workout to their Youtube page. Free!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKMQNmGrtovyyLQhYE4vmg/videos

Free Full Yoga Classes from CorePower Yoga-- no registration required!

Mental Health Resources

The New York State Office of Mental Health has made a number of resources available in response to the ongoing public health crisis, available at https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/covid-19-resources.html

Sports

Free from PBS: Ken Burns 1994 Documentary Series "Baseball"

https://www.pbs.org/show/baseball/

Library Recordings

The Irvington Public Library has recorded several of our recent online programs for viewing by patrons who were unable to attend the original presentation, or had technical difficulties affecting audio or video. Please enjoy the following videos, with our thanks to the presenters.

“Navigating the Maze of Long Term Care”
Presented by Colin Sandler, 5/04/2021 .

Video—Navigating the Maze of Long Term Care

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.

“Women in the Rivertowns Speak Out”
Presented by Dana Rubin, 4/29/2021 .

Video—Women in the Rivertowns Speak Out


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.

“Rudderless: Navigating the World as an Autistic Person”
Presented by Quell Nessuno, 4/26/2021 .

Video—Rudderless: Navigating the World as an Autistic Person

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

“Secrets of the New York City Subways”
Presented by Oscar Israelowitz, 4/13/2021 . Content edited to remove statements later determined to be in error.

Video—"Secrets of the New York City Subways"


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.

“Trans Day of Visibility: Transgender 101”
Presented 03/31/2021 at the Irvington Public Library, by librarian Keshet Roman

Video—Trans Day of Visibility: Transgender 101

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.

“The Lenape Center”
Presented in concert with the Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library, and the Westchester County Historical Society, Feb. 24, 2021

Video—The Lenape Center


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.

“History of The Super Bowl”
Presented by Evan Weiner, February 6, 2021

Video—History of the Super Bowl

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.

“Fair Housing: Know Your Rights”
Presented by Joshua Levin, January 16, 2021

Video—"Fair Housing: Know Your Rights"

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.

“Discovery of a New Nation: Native Americans & the Beginning of the United States”
Presented by Heather Bruegl, November 28, 2020

Video—"Discovery of a New Nation: Native Americans & the Beginning of the United States"


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.

A Tale of Love and Survival: My Mother’s Experiences as a Holocaust Survivor
Presented by Shelley Greenspan, November 10, 2020

Video—A Tale of Love and Survival: My Mother's Experiences as a Holocaust Survivor

When Brooklyn Was Queer – A New Book By Irvingtonian Hugh Ryan
Presented by Hugh Ryan, October 10, 2020

Video—When Brooklyn Was Queer - A New Book By Irvingtonian Hugh Ryan

Learning From Memorials to Slavery and the Holocaust–Part 2
Presented by Linda Rousseau, Adine Usher, Tosia Neiger-McCormick, & Robert Dottin, August 22, 2020.

Video—Learning From Memorials to Slavery and The Holocaust-- Part 2

Our Town & Slavery: Irvington, NY
Presented by Cathy Sears & Sarah Cox, June 30, 2020.

Video—Our Town & Slavery: Irvington, NY

Movies

Your Westchester Library System card also gives you access to streaming movies and video, from genre films to documentaries and family features. In addition to the services listed below, Hoopla also offers a wide range of movies to cardholders. Check the E-Books tab above for more information.


Kanopy Streaming Video

Great news: Kanopy has increased their settings to allow 20 credits per library card, and Hoopla has increased to 10 per card!

What is Kanopy?

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.

How Do You Use Kanopy and Sign-Up for An Account?

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.

Christina's Kanopy Film Recommendations

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.)

 

Music

What is Freegal?

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.

What Kind of Music is Available on Freegal?

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.

Is There a Limit?

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

Other Free Music

BroadwayWorld's "Living Room Concerts"

MANY Free Concerts by Music Artists

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

Seattle Symphony Free Live Broadcasts

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

Recommended Youtube Links

The staff of the Irvington Public Library recommend these free Youtube video channels and videos to our patrons looking for entertainment and education.

Computers and Technology

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.

History

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.”

Music

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.

Nature

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.”

We understand that there are many new and unfamiliar problems facing our community members at this time. Our staff have kept a close eye on news from a wide variety of sources to bring you some of the most relevant articles and updates from around the globe.

Sources

COVID-19 Fact-Checking, from the hoax-busting website Snopes

National Institute of Health, the biomedical and public health branch of the United States Department of Health and Human Services

Some Good News, on YouTube: Actor, writer, and director John Krasinski crowdsources positive and heartwarming news from across the internet

Articles

A Road Map to Finding Calm Amid Coronavirus Anxiety, from New York Presbyterian HealthMatters

Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty, 5 Tips, from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Do you need to wash your groceries? And other advice for shopping safely, from the Guardian

Fake news in the time of coronavirus: how big is the threat?, from the Guardian.

How do I know if I have coronavirus?, from BBC News

How to Ensure Your Relationships Survive Self-Isolation, from the Independent

I turned off phone notifications and instantly felt calmer and happier, from the Guardian

Never read Middlemarch or listened to Wagner’s Ring cycle? Now’s your chance, from the Guardian

The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America, from whitehouse.gov

UK lockdown: why does staying at home stop coronavirus?, from BBC News

 


Booklist

What is Booklist?

Booklist is a book-review magazine that has been published by the American Library Association for more than 100 years, and is widely viewed as offering the most reliable reviews to help libraries decide what to buy and to help library patrons and students decide what to read, view, or listen to. It comprises two print magazines, an extensive website and database, e-newsletters, webinars, and other resources that support librarians in collection development and readers’ advisory.

As of March 19, Booklist services are available for free to the general public until further notice.

What is PressReader?

PressReader delivers library cardholders an endless stream of top news stories to read, discuss and share. Get full issues of thousands of top newspapers and magazines just as they appear in print.

An introduction to the crafting sections:

If you’ve finished a project, or are looking for something new, here are some craft resources to help.

For many crafts, one can browse websites like etsy.com or Instagram.com for inspiration or Youtube.com for instruction, but here are some craft-specific websites that may offer patterns or other instructions, as well as emotional support or group projects you can enjoy.  All sites listed here are free to use (most require registration, which can be helpful in letting you create lists of projects that interest you) and, although it may require a little work to find them, all offer free patterns.

If you already have the tools/materials in your stash to complete your project, then you’ll be all set.  This is a great time to work through all the items you’ve been saving for a project, or tackling that “big” project you’ve purchased items for and haven’t had the time to work on.  If you need materials or tools, these websites have either recommended vendors or discussion groups that can help you.

Cooking/Baking Ideas

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.

Fiber Crafting Ideas

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 Crafting Ideas

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/

 

Home Improvement Ideas

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.

Music Ideas

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.

Sewing & Fabric Ideas

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/

Miscellaneous/Silly Fun

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/

"Travel" Ideas

 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)