Save the date: Saturday, December 7

Join in Vision of Wallkill's 3rd annual Holidays in the Hamlet happening on Saturday, December 7th from 3 - 6:30 pm on the Wallkill Public Library lawn. The pre-event show, Polar Express by David Engel will begin at 2 pm in the Shawangunk Town Hall community room and is sponsored in part with the Wallkill Public Library. Registration for the show will open later this month.

Kick off the holiday season by bringing your family and joining your neighbors as you stroll the library lawn. Starting at 3 pm, come enjoy holiday music, watch the Tree Lighting, and give your signed letter to Santa. Be sure to have some cash on hand for the locally curated Hudson Valley artisans and food vendors. You will want to nosh and sip while you shop and be merry. VOW encourages everyone to shop locally. End the memorable evening by watching fireworks near Garrison Park!

If you want to become a vendor or have questions, contact Donna at 845-527-6230 or email visionofwallkill12589@yahoo.com.

Just in time for holiday baking!

Bake from Scratch is an artisan food and cooking magazine that celebrates the world of baking. It features stunning photography, easy-to-follow recipes, techniques and endless inspiration for the budding at-home baker to the expert chef. Get a taste of the culinary lifestyle with recipes of essential menu staples, mouthwatering desserts, delectable savory dishes, seasonal meals, regional favorites and more.

Check out Bake from Scratch, as well as 30+ other popular magazine titles! The regular loan period for magazines is one week, but they can be renewed up to two times.

Thank you for your service!

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

--President John F. Kennedy

If you are out and about on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11, stop by the Wallkill Public Library (yes, we will be open!) to view our photo display of Wallkill veterans assembled by former librarian, Pat Countryman. Check out our Veterans Day display of books and DVDs on the mantle.

Spotted Lanternfly

Given the unseasonably mild weather we've been having, hopefully you are getting to spend some extra time outside enjoying the weather while it lasts. During your walks, keep an eye out for signs of two pests that have invaded this area and pose real threat to our agricultural industry and our trees.

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) or SLF, is an invasive insect pest from Asia that primarily feeds on trees of heaven (Alianthus altissima) but can also feed on a wide variety of plants such as grapevine, hops, maple, walnut, and fruit trees. While the full impacts of SLF are unknown, the insect will negatively impact the agricultural and tourism industries and may impact New York's forests.

Due to our long warm fall, Spotted Lanternflies are still out and about laying eggs. Click on the DEC link below to read more about the infestation and what you can do to help.

Spotted Lanternfly - DEC

Spongy Moths

Spongy moths (Lymantria dispar dispar -- formerly known as gypsy moths) whose caterpillars caused major damage to area trees this spring, especially oaks, are destructive, invasive insects that pose a danger to North America's forests. Their caterpillars feed on the leaves of more than 300 species of trees and shrubs, eventually killing them. Female moths lay eggs on many outdoor surfaces—stacked firewood, trailers, grills, lawn furniture, and toys.

Keep your eye out for egg masses and destroy them. On a recent walk on the rail trail, masses were noted (and destroyed) on many trees and under benches along the trail.

Learn more about the spongy moth: What you need to know about spongy moths: A Q&A with ecologist Clive Jones

Spongy Moth - NYSDEC

Book BINGO for Fall

There's still time to participate in the Autumn 2024 Adult Book Bingo challenge at the Wallkill Public Library which runs through December 1 for a chance to win a $50 Hannaford grocery card!

Check off your bingo squares by reading diverse genres, and you'll be entered into our exciting drawing. Completing bingos and filling your card earn extra tickets! Embrace the fall reading season and you could be our lucky winner! 

We collected 399 items!

A huge thank you to all who donated food and personal care items during the Ulster Country Food Fight, a friendly competition between Ulster County libraries to raise awareness of local food insecurity and collect donations to benefit local food pantries. Hats off to the Highland Library who collected a stunning 2,853 items! While we did not win this year, we did help restock the shelves of the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, our local food pantry that serves the Wallkill School District.

The Saturday Morning Book Club will have their next meeting on Saturday, November 30 at 10:30 a.m. They'll be discussing The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim Defende.

Perfect for fans of the hit Broadway musical, "Come from Away."

When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill. As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email, and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news.

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill. -- Goodreads

Board Game Afternoons

Mondays, 3:00-5:00 PM in the Reading Room

Starting in September! We'll meet in the Reading Room on Mondays from 3-5:00 pm to play classic and contemporary board games like Risk, Mysterium, Sherriff of Nottingham, and Scrabble. 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!

Adult crafting

Grab a project and come enjoy the craft of your choice, whether it's knitting, crocheting, diamond painting, coloring, embroidery, or cross stitch!

Adult Crafting meets on Thursday afternoons between 2-5:00 pm in our Reading Room. No registration is required.

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!

COVID and Flu season, that is...

Order Your 4 Free At-⁠home COVID-⁠19 Tests

Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home tests. Your order of COVID tests is completely free – including shipping by the postal service. Tests start shipping tests the week of September 30. Want to know when your tests are coming? Sign up to receive email alerts when you order! Click to order your free COVID tests online or use the button below.

Need help placing an order for your at-⁠home tests?

Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).

We are in cleaning mode in the Children's Room, which means we have been stocking our red "for sale" cart (by the stairs) with great books and DVDs... at great prices! Bring a bag and fill it with new-to-you items for $3.00! Be sure to check back regularly for new additions.

Eye Spy

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Eye Spy Challenge this October! We had over 70 guesses of how many "eyeballs" were in our jar - our guesses ranged from the low-end (5) to the high-end (70,000)! A lot of friends guessed 100, but there were actually 84 eyeballs in the jar. We did a random drawing between the 3 children who guessed the closest (80), and the winner of a copy of the Halloween classic book, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, is Clementine - congrats and enjoy!

Craft Pumpkin Paint & Juice Box Sip! 

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Craft Pumpkin Paint & Juice Box Sip! We crafted some really cool pumpkins and enjoyed some yummy snacks!

Take-and-Makes

Can’t make it to in-person Crafting Caboodles? Then sign up for Miss Michelle’s Take-and-Make craft! Sign-up weekly on our online calendar at the following link by Tuesdays to pick up your craft Thursdays or after:  https://wallkill.librarycalendar.com/events/month/2024/11

Below are some recent projects we’ve worked on:

Thanks-GIFT-ing Crafting Fun!

Join us on Saturday, November 16^th from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM for a pop-up Thanks-GIFT-ing crafting event! We will paint/decorate wooden ornaments, and/or other wooden treasures, to display at home or gift to friends and family this holiday season. For children ages 12 and under. Registration is not required - feel free to drop in! This program will be in the Community Room at Town Hall.

What are You Thankful For?

During the month of November, check out the large bulletin board in the Children's Room to see what our turkey is thankful for. We'd also love to hear what YOU are thankful for - feel free to fill out a feather on our board!

Zoe the Therapy Dog

During our last visit with Zoe, we had a special Storytime in the Reading Room. Zoe wore her Halloween costume, which was perfect for our Pumpkins & Jack O'Lanterns theme!

Zoe's next visit with us will be on November 19^th 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! Please register each child separately on our online calendar at the following link: https://wallkill.librarycalendar.com/event/family-storytime-3914

Nonfiction November

Check out our special November book display, celebrating all things that are factual. What will you discover?

Ongoing children's programming

Children's Room programming is back to our regular schedule in the Children’s area 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.

• 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.
• Grab & GO projects with materials necessary for crafts available for pickup at the library.
• In-person programming for all ages!
• Museum passes are available to Wallkill Public Library patrons for Empire Pass, Mohonk Preserve, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, 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.