Library Budget passes unanimously

Dear Wallkill Public Library Patrons,

I wanted to extend my heartfelt gratitude and that of the rest of the library staff for your continued support of our efforts to serve the community by taking the time to come out and vote in support of the library budget. The funding approved will allow us to continue providing the same excellent service you've come to expect from the library and allow us to make some improvements to our facilities and services over the coming year!

It's also my pleasure to announce that Christine Morelli and Stan Seagren were re-elected to their roles within the Library Board of Trustees. I'm sure Stan and Christine will continue to be excellent stewards for the library's mission.

Your continued patronage and support of the library is greatly appreciated!

With Sincere Thanks,

Dan Perkins & all of the staff at the Wallkill Public Library

Mondays, 12:30-3:00 PM

Starting October 28

Join our local Mahjongg expert extraordinaire, Eileen Masterson, as she leads us through lessons on how to play the ancient and addictive game of Mahjongg! Eileen is an experienced mahjongg teacher and has led our mahjongg groups on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Click to register on our online calendar or use the button below.

... and the Deep-Space Search for Another Earth with Kevin Manning

To the Moon, Alice! Well, to the Moon and Mars to be exact. Come join us on October 8 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. for "Exploring the Moon & Mars and the Deep-Space Search for Another Earth with Kevin Manning".

Kevin Manning is an astronomy educator & former NASA consultant. He will be discussing current efforts, and future plans, for exploring the Moon and Mars. Please join Kevin via Zoom in the Wallkill Public Library Reading Room, as he leads this fascinating discussion! Click to register for the Zoom program or use the button.

For patrons who would like to attend from home, please join us via Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84826146627

On display through November 2

Come view the spooky, stylish and awesomely inventive skeletons on display at the Wallkill Public Library through November 2, 2024. The Tiny Skeleton Fashion Show, is a unique art display where creativity meets the macabre.

Patrons were supplied a mini 8-inch posable skeleton to dress using items from home. Drop in to view their ghoulish creations in our exhibit and celebrate the festive fall season in a fun and artistic way! 

Be sure to vote for your favorites!

Collecting donations through October 19

There’s still time to make a big impact in the 5th Annual Ulster County Food Fight! With the drive halfway through, we’re calling on our wonderful community to help boost participation by donating unopened, unexpired, non-perishable food and personal hygiene items. Your generosity will go a long way in supporting local families, and together we can make a difference! Let’s show how strong the Wallkill spirit is—every donation counts! All items will be donated to the Wallkill Loaves & Fishes Pantry located right here in the Hamlet.

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).

Looking to take the next step in your career?

Want to explore new a hobby?

Homeschooling your kids and need materials?

With more than 600 courses, there is something for every learner in UniversalClass. You can now sign up for a free account with your library card and access courses in:

• Crafts and Hobbies
• Computer Training
• Health and Fitness
• Finance
• Music
• Pet Care
• Writing
• And so much more!

Courses are self-guided, but you’ll also get feedback from a real human instructor who grades every assignment. Most courses are accredited and provide Continuing Education Units, which are widely recognized by employers and educators.

Funding provided by Ulster County Executive and Ulster County Legislature and your Local Library.

Sign up for a UniversalClass account and start learning:

https://ulstercountylibrary.universalclass.com

Book BINGO for Fall

Dive into 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! 

Wednesday, October 9, 5:00-6:30pm

Join us for an "Intro to Home Composting" workshop by UCRRA (Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency)!

Home composting is a great way to manage food scraps like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, stale bread, and other scraps or spoiled foods so they don't go to waste! 

This free workshop is designed for new/beginner composters looking to get started. The class will introduce the environmental and horticultural benefits of composting and the basic principles of how to do it correctly. Then, participants will learn about the various compost bin options and the pros and cons of each composting system. Registration is required. Click to register on our online calendar or use the "Register" button.

Don't forget to sign up for the last two walks of the season!

Come join Dan Perkins for a 1-hour birdwatching walk. The walks are for both beginner and experienced birdwatchers.

On 10/12 we'll be meeting at 8am in the parking lot of the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge at 902 Hoagerburgh Rd, Wallkill, NY 12589. A guide from U.S. Fish & Wildlife will join us for the walk! Register here: https://wallkill.librarycalendar.com/event/wings-over-wallkill-birdwatching-walk-shawangunk-grasslands-national-wildlife-refuge-4274

And on 10/26 we'll be having another birdwatching walk along the Rail Trail at 8am. We will be starting on the lawn of the Wallkill Public Library and heading up the Rail Trail just across the street. Register for that here: https://wallkill.librarycalendar.com/event/wings-over-wallkill-birdwatching-walk-4273

Saturday, October 12 only

Please note: The parking lot for the library (entrance on Park Avenue) will be closed for line painting on Saturday, October 12 but the library WILL BE OPEN!

Please use the Central Avenue parking lot instead. Our handicapped accessible service ramp will be open as usual.

Sage Smudging Sticks

There was a sweet, savory smell wafting thru the library on this Workshop Wednesday! This workshop had an all-adult crowd out to assemble sage smudging sticks.

We used fresh white sage grown at the library this summer for a base of our smudging sticks. We added other herbs, wrapped them with cotton cord and learned about the practice of smudging.  White sage, known for its strong and aromatic scent, is the most common herb for smudging. A white sage smudge stick is often used to prevent illness and cleanse a space as it has antimicrobial properties.

Spooky Spell Books

This week’s Workshop Wednesday participants created spooky spell books for haunted Halloween decor!

Fun(gi) for all!

In September, in honor of mushroom month, we needle felted colorful fungi! A perfect addition to fall decorating and gift giving to your favorite mycologist!

Halloween Felting: EYES IN A JAR

Wednesday, October 30, 6:00pm - 7:30pm

This month's felting program is not for the faint of heart...

Like nails on a chalkboard, you'll squirm with dreaded delight while you needle orbs into colored eerie eyeballs! The final resting place for your creepy creation will be as jarred pickled peepers or stringed strained eyes. Registration required. Ages 10+. Click to register on our online calendar or use the button below.

October is National Cookie Month!

Join us for a simple cookie swap in preparation for Halloween and the holiday season.

Bring a baked batch of your favorite cookie (about 24), the recipe, and a container to bring cookies home in.

We will enjoy them with light refreshments, exchange recipes, and make a little something to finish off our evening. All ages welcome! Registration required. Click to register on our online calendar or use the "Register" button.

The Saturday Morning Book Club will have their next meeting on Saturday, October 26 at 10:30 a.m. They'll be discussing A Most Clever Girl by Stephanie Marie Thornton.

1963: Reeling from the death of her mother and President Kennedy's assassination, Catherine Gray shows up on Elizabeth Bentley's doorstep demanding answers to the shocking mystery just uncovered about her family. What she doesn't expect is for Bentley to ensnare her in her own story of becoming a controversial World War II spy and Cold War informer...

Recruited by the American Communist Party to spy on fascists at the outbreak of World War II, a young Bentley--code name Clever Girl--finds she has an unexpected gift for espionage. But after falling desperately in love with her handler, Jacob Golos, Elizabeth makes another unexpected discovery when she learns her lover is actually a Russian spy. Together, they will build the largest Soviet spy network in America and Elizabeth will become its uncrowned Red Spy Queen. However, once the war ends and the U.S. and U.S.S.R. become embroiled in the Cold War, it is Elizabeth who will dangerously clash with the NKVD, the brutal Soviet espionage agency.

As Catherine listens to Elizabeth's harrowing tale, she empathizes with her, that is, until she uncovers startling revelations that link the two women's lives in shocking ways. Faced with the idea that her entire existence is based on a lie, Catherine realizes there can be many sides to the truth. And only Elizabeth Bentley can tell her what that truth really is. -- 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 2pm until 4pm

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 starting in September. 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!

Where in the world is Flat Stanley??

He has had quite an adventure, and our library Stanley is still out there!! Stanley made it from Wallkill to Olean in upstate NY. His next stop was the Pike County Library in Petersburg, Indiana. Then on to the Ferdinand Library and the Bienville Parish Libraries in Louisiana. His next report came from Orange Grove Library in Gulfport, Mississippi. They sent him north to Britton, South Dakota... We hear he's headed to CANADA! Oh my, Stanley, don't forget your passport! We can't wait to hear what's next!

Saturday October 19th at 11:00 AM

Join us as we decorate craft pumpkins and sip on some cool juice boxes - there will also be yummy snacks and prizes! Costumes are not necessary but are encouraged! This program will be in the Community Room at Town Hall. Please register each child separately on our online calendar at the following link: https://wallkill.librarycalendar.com/event/craft-pumpkin-juice-box-sip-and-paint-4970

A Quick Summer Rewind…

In our last newsletter, we celebrated some of the randomly selected grand prizes winners of our Summer Reading Program challenge. We’d like to applaud a few more below - thanks again everyone for doing an amazing job!

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/2024/10

Below are some recent projects we’ve worked on:

At our Weekend of Wallkill Lego-building Workshop and Storytime in September, we had a brick-tastic time creating some sweet builds. Our theme was "Welcome to the Barnyard" and there were some great farm builds of things like tractors and barns, as well as other amazing structures - check them out below!

Zoe the Therapy Dog

We are so excited to see Zoe again, after the summer break! She will visit with us during Storytime on Tuesday, 10/19/24 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-3906

Rescheduled: MogaWorks with Susan Clark

After the new year, we will welcome back Ms. Susan for a program of yoga, music, movement… and most of all, fun! Exact date TBD - stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone who went on a bear hunt in the Children’s Room and entered our raffle. The randomly chosen winner of a bear-tastic surprise is Luke G.! Luke will receive a copy of the book All Things Bears for Kids!

Eye Spy…

I spy some spooky eyes in the Children’s Room! Guess how many are in the jar for a chance to win a Halloween classic! One guess per child under 12 during the month of October please. 

October is Health Literacy/National Cookbook month!

Check out our special book display in celebration... and for inspiration!

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.