THE BLAST

THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM

WALLKILL PUBLIC LIBRARY

January 24, 2025

We get by with a little help from our friends...

The Friends of the Wallkill Public Library are meeting on Wednesday, January 29 at 6 p.m. in the library Reading Room. If you are interested in volunteering to help the Friends of the Library fundraise and plan community programs, please come join us.

Show your support and nominate WPL!

It's Chronogrammies nomination time again


It’s that time again for you to vote for the Hudson Valley’s most outstanding establishments, organizations, and people. (Wallkill Public Library received third place in the Library category in 2024! Let’s try to improve our position this year!)


The Ground Rules

  • The top 5 nominees with the most nominations in each category advance to the voting round.
  • In the event of a tie between the 5th and 6th place positions, both nominees advance.
  • You can vote once a day for each category.
  • One ballot per person.
  • Vote in as many or as few categories as you would like.
  • You MUST submit your name and email address with entry to validate your ballot.


Nominate us now:

https://www.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/awards/Page#//

2025 Year-long Reading Challenge

12-Month Reading Challenge Starts NOW!


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!

Now Accepting Donations

Wallkill Public Library will be accepting donations of pre-loved and gently used books, CDs, DVDs, & Blu-Rays between now and mid-April in anticipation of the upcoming Town-wide Yard Sale. So, if you would like to clear some shelves for the New Year and support the library, please drop of your book and disc donations. If you have any questions about what sort of materials we will and won't accept please contact us either by stopping by the front desk, calling us at (845) 895-3707, or sending us a message through our Contact Us page: https://www.wallkillpubliclibrary.org/Pages/Index/225518/contact-us


As a rule of thumb, we will NOT accept the following:

  • Items that are clearly damaged
  • Textbooks or encyclopedias
  • Reference or science books more than 5 years old.

Identity Theft Awareness Week

The Federal Trade Commission and its partners are offering free podcasts, webinars, Facebook Live interviews, and other events to help individuals avoid and recover from identity theft and identify scams. These resources are designed for everyone, with additional tips for service members, older adults, young adults, and business owners. The website is provided below.

https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/identity-theft-awareness-week

Upcoming workshops and making events

Monthly Munch:

National Hot Chocolate Day

Friday, January 31, 1:00 PM


December's Monthly Munch celebrates HOT CHOCOLATE! 


Each year on Janurary 31, National Hot Chocolate Day warms up folks around the country by celebrating this timeless cold weather beverage! Stop by to warm up with a sample of our homemade hot cocoa or join us to make a homemade hot chocolate mix in a jar. Perfect for giving to a special friend or relative, or for having on hand at home. Age 5+. Registration required for making a mix to go!

Register online

Vintage-Style Valentine Workshop

Wednesday, February 5, 6 PM  


All ages! Registration is required. Register for the workshop by clicking this link: https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/13987876

If you cannot make the Workshop Wednesday card making session then sign up for this Grab & GO! card kit. Each kit contains the materials needed to assemble at least one card from the prior WW card session. You may need a glue stick to complete some kits. Kits will be held until the following Wednesday before given to interested patrons. Age 10+. Register for the Grab & Go by clicking this link:

https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/13869467

Register  for Workshop
Register for Grab & Go kit

Saturday Workshop: Soap Making 101

Saturday, February 8, 11:30 AM 


Join us at the Town Hall Community Room for a Saturday Workshop on Soap Making. Discover the art of soap making while using a melt and pour soap base along with goat's milk, shea butter, and coconut oil. Learn the properties of each ingredient as you create your own unique soap blend. Make two bars of soap in the hands-on class experience. Registration is required and space is limited. Register by clicking this link: https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/13987876

Register online

Workshop Wednesdays

Blue wine bottles were painted with winter scenes and lit from within with fairy lights to create warm winter decorations.

Homeschool Art Club

These beautiful wet felted projects were created by this month’s Homeschool Art Club!

Great Backyard Bird Count

28th Annual - February 14-17, 2025

Join the world in connecting to birds February 14–17, 2025. Count birds in your backyard, local park, or wherever you spot a bird, and submit your observations online by clicking this link: https://www.birdcount.org


Watch the video on the website to learn more about the count. Spend time in your favorite places watching birds—then tell us about them! In as little as 15 minutes notice the birds around you. Identify them, count them, and submit your counts to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. If you already use the bird identification apps, eBird or Merlin, your submissions over the 4 days count toward GBBC.

New Adult Fiction

Click the titles to link to our online catalog to read descriptions, reviews, and place holds.

Power of Persuasion

Stacey Abrams

Eleanor and the Cold War

Ellen Yardley

The Legend of Meneka

Kritik H. Rao

The Ends of Things 

Sandra Chwialkowska

The Big Empty 

Robert Crais

Beg, Borrow, or Steal

Sarah Adams

Always Remember

(Ben’s Story)

 Mary Balogh

Sweet Fury

Sash Bischoff

The Texas Murders

James Patterson & Andrew Bourelle

The Business Trip

Jessie Garcia

Book Clubs

Adult Fiction Book Club's February selection

Reserve a copy

If you would like to attend virtually, contact Kim O'Sullivan at kosullivan@rcls.org.

On Tuesday, February 25 at 3:45 p.m., the adult fiction book club will meet in the children's room to discuss Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline.


Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby. Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated. After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.

Two months pass and Christine is happily pregnant. but one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders-and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.

Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Riveting and fast-paced, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?

-- Goodreads

Saturday Morning Book Club's February pick

The Saturday Morning Book Club will hold their next meeting on Saturday, February 22 at 10:30 a.m. They'll be discussing The Color of Water by James McBride.


Touches readers of all colors as a vivid portrait of growing up, a haunting meditation on race and identity, and a lyrical valentine to a mother from her son.


Who is Ruth McBride Jordan? A self-declared "light-skinned" woman evasive about her ethnicity, yet steadfast in her love for her twelve black children. James McBride, journalist, musician and son, explores his mother's past, as well as his own upbringing and heritage, in a poignant and powerful debut, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother.

-- Goodreads

Reserve a copy
Register!

Ongoing programming

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 and contemporary board games like Risk, Mysterium, Sherriff of Nottingham, and Scrabble. For teens and adults.

Register on our online calendar

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!

Where in the World is Flat Stanley??

Just when you think your library friend Flat Stanley is lost and gone forever, you get not one, but two messages from him!

In January, he met mascot Briggsy the Dog at the Briggs Lawrence County Public Library in Ohio.

On his way to Ohio, Flat Stanley made a stop at the Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor, New York, where he got to sit with their No Face Dolls in a Mohawk-made Black Ash splint basket. Below is a link to read a story of how the dolls came to have no faces. 

https://youtu.be/WWtyHyrWLxg?si=UEdix-G-BaAHQnUN


There is mention of Flat Stanley heading South, but right now we doubt it is for warmer weather! We can't wait to hear from him again soon.

From Miss Michelle

We hope that everyone had a chance to play out in the snow and that you are staying cozy - remember that you can always visit the library to warm up with a good book! Below are some other ways to have fun at the library in the winter, as well as some news to share... 

February 1 is Take Your Child to the Library Day

Swing by the Wallkill Public Library any time between 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM to do a scavenger hunt - once you complete your list, grab a prize! There will also be snacks... and some other things you can do while you're here - borrow a book or DVD, sign-up for a program, take a tour... and sign-up for a library card, if you don't already have one! Registration is not required - for ages 12 and under. 

Special Saturday Pajama Storytime coming in February!

Saturday, February 22, 11 AM

Join Miss Michelle for a Special Saturday Pajama Storytime! Wear your coziest pjs and bring a snuggly blanket and your favorite stuffy! We might even play a game or two!


This program will be in the Community Room at Town Hall. Registration is not required - for ages 12 and under.

Zoe the Therapy Dog


Zoe's next visit with us will be on February 11 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://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/13476629

Register

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! This week's theme was bravery - we made Captain American shields, as modelled by our resident bear! 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

Register

A Warm Visit on a Cold Day

We'd like to thank Miss Cindy, her staff, and parents/guardians for bringing their 3- and 4-year-olds from Miss Cindy's Neighborhood Nursery School in for a recent visit. We took a tour around the library and learned about the parts of a book. We read some great stories, sang a silly song, and made a craft together. We hope that our new friends will visit us again soon!

Borden raffle winners!

A couple weeks ago we shared the names of the randomly chosen winners of our Borden gift basket raffle - Alessia S. and Christopher A. - we also wanted to share photos of them with their prizes! In case you don't know, Borden is our Librarian Elf on the Shelf; though he has returned to the North Pole to help Santa prepare for next Christmas, we enjoyed his sneaky visits this holiday season - our young library friends did a great job finding him! 

Alessia S.

Christopher A.

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.

Register for children's programs online

Valentines Books


As we head toward February, check out some of our books about Valentines Day and love!

Board books

A Book of Hugs

I Love You, Little Pookie

Picture books

All You Need is Love

If You'll be My Valentine

I Love You, Stinky Face

Love You Forever


Little Mouse's Big Valentine

Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink

Secret Valentine

Junior early readers

Pikachu in Love

Valentine Mice!

Early readers

Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine

Graphic novels

Narwhal and Jelly #9:

Narwhal's Sweet Tooth

Olympians #6:

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love

Junior fiction

Beauty and the Beast

Crush

Emma Jean Lazarus Fell in Love

Junior Non-Fiction

Saint Valentine

New Young Adult books

We have added a TON of new young adult titles to our collection!

YA Fiction

The Lies We Conjure

Sarah Henning

We Did Nothing Wrong

Hannah Jayne

The Wild Huntress

Emily Lloyd-Jones

Snow Drowned

Jennifer D. Lyle

Portrait of a Shadow

Meriam Metoui

Just Until

Joseph Moldover

Library services at a glance

  • 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.
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