Thanks to everyone who took part in the Library Book Sale on April 26th. Even with all of the rain a bunch of you came out for some great deals on books, CD, and DVDs. We appreciate your support of the library. The proceeds will go toward improving your library experience.

Thanks as well to Stephanie Lock for joining us to chat with the community about her children's book, If Goldfish were Bluebirds: A Story About Self-acceptance.

Lastly, a very special thank you goes out to the Friends of the Wallkill Public Library and the other volunteers who, with their help and dedication, the book sale would not have happened. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!  

Keep your eyes out for more Friends of the Wallkill Public Library events!

We've been nominated for TWO Chonogrammies! Vote for us!

We are thrilled to announce that Wallkill Public Library has been nominated TWO Chronogrammies! This year we've been nominated for best library in the Hudson Valley AND for best classes and workshops. Starting April 1 through May 15 you can vote for us in the "Arts & Entertainment > Library" category AND the Education & Learning > Classes/Workshops" category.

Click here to vote: chronogram.com/readerschoice 

From all of us at Wallkill Public Library, we thank you for your support and votes of encouragement!

The Wallkill Public Library Spring 2025 Tiny Art Show theme is "Tiptoe Through the Tulips"!

Be sure to check out the teeny-tiny masterpieces the next time you visit! Artwork will be on display for the entire month of May!

Saturday mornings at 8 AM on:

5/17, 6/7, 7/12, 8/9, 9/3 & 10/11

Spring is on its way, and with it we'll be reviving the Wings Over Wallkill Birdwatching tour at the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge located at 902 Hoagerburgh Rd, Wallkill, NY 12589. This program is open to both experienced birders and beginners. Be sure to bring your binoculars, your hiking boots, and your spirit for discovery.

Register for as many sessions as you like via the links below or the buttons:

May 17 registration link - https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/14266110

June 7 registration link - https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/14266111

July 12 registration link - https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/14266112

August 9 registration link - https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/14266113

September 13 registration link - https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/14266114

October 11 registration link - https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/14266115

Mother's Day Bouquet: Flower Craft

Friday, May 9

Drop in between 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Drop in anytime between 2-4 p.m. to craft a special Mother’s Day bouquet of flowers.

Ages 5+. Registration is required.

Workshop Wednesday: Trash to Treasure upcycled bubble mailers

Wednesday, May 14, 6:00 p.m.

Learn hands on with workshops using a variety of tools and materials, generally geared to older kids and adults.

This week: Step-by-stop instruction on how to turn your trash to treasure! Recycle a used bubble mailer into a unique decor for your home.

Ages 10+.  Registration required.

Grow Your Own Herbal Tea

Friday, May 16, pick up after 12 p.m.

Sign up today for our very first take and make herbal tea growing kit! Register each month for a new herbal tea kit to grow at home. Kits will include basic instructions and information, a starter pot, starter soil and seeds. 

Registrants will receive lavender seeds and chamomile seeds kit to kick off the start of our monthly herbal tea take and make program. 

All ages. Registration is required.

Saturday, May 24 from 10 AM to 12 PM

Town Hall Community Room

In this engaging workshop, you’ll uncover the secrets to successfully growing these incredible trees. We’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of cultivating figs in pots versus planting them in the ground, delve into essential techniques like branch and root pruning, and discuss best practices for watering and caring for both potted and in-ground fig trees.

You’ll also learn how to shape your fig tree—whether you prefer it as a stately tree or a compact, productive bush—and discover effective methods for winterizing to protect your plants during colder months.

Come prepared with your questions for an open and interactive discussion! A friendly word of caution: cultivating fig trees is not just a hobby—it’s a passion that can become highly addictive. You’ve been warned!

About the Presenter: Evan Panagiotopoulos, affectionately known as The Fig Tree Guy, is a devoted fig aficionado with a deep love for cultivating a diverse array of fig trees in his garden. His passion for figs extends far beyond simple gardening; he is enthusiastic about every aspect of fig care, including growing trees both in pots and in-ground, mastering the art of rooting cuttings, and implementing effective winterization techniques. Evan’s dedication to figs is evident in his hands-on approach and his eagerness to share his knowledge with fellow enthusiasts, making him a trusted voice in the fig-growing community.

Registration Fee: $5 (everyone will leave with a rooted fig cutting of their own!)

Join the Wallkill Public Library in our Clynk bottle and can collection! Stop by the circulation desk to grab a Clynk bag and tag, then simply:

1. Fill the bag with aluminum cans and plastic bottles eligible for the NY bottle deposit.
2. Donate your filled Clynk bag by dropping it off at the Clynk collection area located at the entrance of your local Hannaford grocery store. Follow the instructions on or next to the Clynk door.

Together, we can all make a positive impact on the environment and help the library at the same time!

Pick up your BINGO card today!

Our next Book BINGO contest runs through May 31. Read books and earn chances to win. Pick up a gardening book to help you plan how to spend the prize which is a $25 gift certificate compliments of Wallkill Greenhouse. The more you read, the more chances you have to win. Turn your completed BINGO cards in by Saturday, May 31. The random drawing will be held Tuesday, June 3. Good luck!

Start at anytime!

Join the 2025 Reading Challenge at the Wallkill Public Library! Ask for your challenge card at the Circulation Desk. Read a book for each month as outlined on our challenge card and earn one raffle ticket for every completed month. Complete three challenges, and you’ll receive a special incentive prize plus an extra ticket for the final prize drawing.

The grand prize will be announced later, and the drawing will be held on Friday, January 2, 2026. Don’t miss out on the fun and the chance to win fantastic prizes while expanding your reading horizons!

The Saturday Morning Book Club will hold their next meeting on Saturday, May 31 at 10:30 a.m. They'll be discussing I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl.

Roman Grady is the sole reporter for the local newspaper in a tiny Hudson Valley town - a town so small that every store opening and DUI is considered newsworthy. But when Roman's longtime girlfriend, Ashley, the mother of his four-year-old son, is found dead, he realizes he had no idea what was really going on in her life.

And when he starts asking questions, he’s not prepared for the answers.

What was Ashley doing at the cliffside home of her troubled ex-girlfriend? How did no one in a house full of people see what happened to her? And why does it seem like everyone in town suddenly has something to hide? As Roman and his mother dig into Ashley’s last few months, the truths they uncover threaten to expose painful secrets. The kind of secrets that can get you killed.

A gripping thriller and a moving portrait of a family struggling through tragedy, I Dreamed of Falling showcases Julia Dahl's talent for using crime fiction to tell an immersive and unforgettable story. Dahl’s unflinching novel asks hard questions about love, regret, inequality, and the possibilities and the perils of forgiveness.

-- from Goodreads

Board Game Afternoons

Mondays, 3:00-5:00 PM

in the Reading Room

We meet in the Reading Room on Mondays from 3-5:00 PM to play classic games and learn contemporary board games like Dungeons & Dragons, Settlers of Catan, Risk, Mysterium, Sherriff of Nottingham, and others. For teens and adults.

Textile Tuesdays

The Wallkill Quilter's Circle is sponsored by the Wallkill Public Library. The Circle meets for Textile Tuesdays in the Community Room at the Shawangunk Town Hall on Tuesdays from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Bring your present project and your lunch and join us! No registration necessary.

Mahjong meet-ups

Every Wednesday at 1 PM and Thursday at 6 PM the library hosts our Mahjong Clubs in the Reading Room. If you’re a player or just interested in learning, join us! We supply the games and (a limited number of) mahjong cards. Just drop in, no registration required

Forgot your card? Check one out at the circulation desk to use during the game!

Thursdays from 2 - 4 PM

Having trouble figuring out your new phone? Need some pointers on how to send that photo to your relatives? Until further notice, the Wallkill Public Library will be conducting weekly Tech Support sessions every Thursday from 2 to 4 PM. Swing by the library Reading Room if you need a hand, and we'll do our best to get you the answers you need and give you the know how to do it yourself. 

No registration required! Walk-ins welcome.

Recycling made easy

Wondering what's the best way to get rid of those used batteries rolling around in your junk drawer?

The Library accepts used batteries and cell phones to be recycled! You will find the WeRecycle Battery Box located on our window seat. Please use a plastic baggie (found on the side of the box) to place your batteries or cell phones in before placing them in the battery recycle box. Quick, easy, convenient, and environmentally friendly!

We continued our Earth Day celebrations this month at our Little Explorers STEM & Sensory program, where we created our own earths using a marbleized painting technique... with shaving cream! We also picked up the trash and did a matching game to decide if it could be recycled or discarded.

Visit Miss Michelle and Mr. Dan at the Wallkill Public Library table at Popp Park during the Duck Derby on Saturday, May 10 between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM. We will have information about our amazing library and programming, plus quacktastic craft kits and swag… and maybe even some prizes! We also hear that there is going to be a cool puppet show at 1 PM!

On Thursday, June 19 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, come see what this year's Summer Reading Program theme, Color Our World, is all about, including the fantastic programming (July 3 through August 14) and engaging reading challenges (through August 31) that we have planned for your children (ages 12 and under), starting with our kick-off event on July 3! There will also be crafts, cupcakes, a face painter, and balloon animals! More information to come.

We are thrilled to roll out a new program in the Children's Room, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten!

1000 books might seem like a lot, but you have probably already made a dent and if not, it's never too late to start! This program is a national initiative which promotes bonding through reading between infants and young children and their caregivers/parents using a simple and fun approach to establish strong early brain development and literacy skills. There are also incentive prizes along the way! Any child from birth to kindergarten-age can participate.

Sign up in-person at the library or send Miss Michelle an email expressing your interest at mgreco@rcls.org. You can then pick up your program packet. PS: We'll have more information and resources on our website soon!

Her first 100!

Congratulations to Violet F. and family for reading their first 100 books as part of our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program! Violet's mom received a special necklace with a badge to commemorate this milestone - she can keep adding badges for Violet as she and her family read more books to reach their goal! Anyone interested in the program can contact our library for more information.

Zoe the Therapy Dog

Zoe's next visit with us will be on May 20th at 10:30 AM. Zoe loves to join in on the fun - she also enjoys being read to and will take some gentle pets along the way…she might even surprise us with some tricks! To register your child, please click on the following link to our online calendar: https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/13476643

Take & Makes

Did you know that we have weekly sign-ups for *FREE* craft kits? Register for "Miss Michelle's Take-and-Make Craft" each week by Tuesday to pick-up a take-and-make craft kit on Thursday or after! Recently we made Wiggly Snakes, to celebrate The Year of the Snake, and Pop-up Groundhogs with a little winter poem. For children ages 3 & up. Please register each child separately on our online calendar at the following link: https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar/wpl_programs_events

Ongoing children's programming

In the Children’s Room on our lower level

• Storytime is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 AM,
• Crafting Caboodles is on Tuesdays at 11:00 AM, and
• STEM is on Wednesdays at 11:00 AM.
• We also have take-and-make sign-ups again!

Please click on the button below to link to our online calendar to register for these programs.

Check out our special book display featuring books about feelings, emotions, and self-care. 

Ulster County is excited to announce the return of its trailblazing initiative — the Nature Bus — kicking off during Earth Week on Saturday, April 26, and running every Saturday through the end of September. Spearheaded by County Executive Jen Metzger in partnership with Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) and the Department of Tourism, the Nature Bus offers residents and visitors the opportunity to explore the County’s breathtaking natural and recreational attractions, including Sojourner Truth State Park, Mohonk Preserve, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Black Creek Preserve, Walkway Over the Hudson State Park, and Kingston Point Beach — and it's all free of charge. Read more...

• Our doors are open for library services including browsing for library materials, making copies, sending faxes, and using the public access computers.
• Our bookdrop is open for contact-free and after-hours returns of library materials. Be sure to secure DVD and BCD cases with rubber bands.
• Curbside delivery of pre-ordered items is available by request. Call the circulation desk at 845-895-3707 to make a pick-up appointment.
• Fine-free returns on everything, except museum/park passes.
• Inter-library loans are available between all RCLS libraries.
• In-person programming for all ages!
• Museum passes are available to Wallkill Public Library patrons for the Empire Pass, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, Historic Huguenot Street Tour Pass, Mohonk Preserve, Motorcylcepedia, Museum Village, and Storm King Art Center. Plus, more print-at-home museum passes available through the Ulster County InfoPortal on the library’s website.
• We are not accepting any donations of books or DVDs at this time.