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THE BLAST
THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM
WALLKILL PUBLIC LIBRARY
| | | Weekend of Wallkill Was Great! | |
WOW!
Wallkill Public Library was happy to have been able to participate in Weekend of Wallkill 2026. We have such a great time collaborating with our community partners at Vision of Wallkill, Friends of the Wallkill Public Library, and the Wallkill Greenhouse. This year was no exception!
Some of the great programs that the library was able to take part in included Ms. Sarah's LEGO Build Contest, the Friends of the Wallkill Public Library Mum Sale, Merrie Witkin's presentation on "Colonial Era Houses in Shawangunk", and "Art Along the Sidewalk". Director Dan was also thrilled to have participated as the judge for the Doggy Costume Contest. It was a really wonderful day that we were proud to play a small role in supporting. We look forward to doing so again next year!
| | | | | Ms. Sarah's LEGO Build Contest | | Some of the creative entries in the "Art Along the Sidewalk" contest. | | | The Friends of the Wallkill Public Library annual mum sale. | | WOW Doggy Costume Contest | | Thank You for Your Support! | | | |
2027 Budget Approved!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote at the library yesterday! I'm happy to announce that Dustyn Cormier was elected to fill a vacant seat on the Library's Board of Trustees by unanimous approval by the community, and that the 2027 Library Budget passed by an overwhelming majority as well. We appreciate your continued support and confidence in what we do. We'll do our best in the coming year to keep earning that trust and confidence.
| | Medicare Educational Seminar | |
Saturday October 10 at 10:30am
in the Town Hall Community Room
The Wallkill Public Library is happy to host presenters from the Medicare Resource Group for a presentation and discussion about the resources available to those seeking more information about Medicare.
Are you 65 or turning 65 in the next year or two? Already on Medicare? Leaving your employer coverage? Learn how and when to enroll, when you can make changes and the different plan options available to you. This seminar is strictly for educational purposes.
Registration is required: https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/17283547
| | | It's the Great Give Back at the Wallkill Public Library | | | | |
The Great Give Back is here again, and the Wallkill Public Library is happy to be in the middle of it once again! We're going to be doing our best to give back, but we're going to need the community's help. In addition to our usual Battery Recycling box, and our CLYNK Bag deposit bottle and can program, we'll also be collecting food donations as part of the Ulster County Food Fight.
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This year Ulster County Food Fight is pitting the Ulster County libraries against the Dutchess County libraries in a contest to see which county can collect the most donations.
So, if you are willing and able to give, your donations will be greatly appreciated! We'll be donating all food and personal hygiene items to Loaves & Fishes Food pantry, located at the Wallkill Reformed Church. Donations will be accepted through October 17.
| | | Featured Park Pass of the Month | | |
Mohonk Preserve
Autumn is a beautiful time to enjoy our local flora and fauna and to take advantage of Wallkill Public Library’s Mohonk Preserve passes!
With over 8,000 acres of mountain ridges, forests, fields, and streams and 70 miles of hiking, biking, climbing trails and carriage roads, Mohonk Preserve is the largest non-profit member and visitor-supported nature preserve in New York State. Not sure where to start exploring? Begin your journey at the Visitor Center at 3197 State Route 44-55 in Gardiner, NY 12525 to collect your wristband, or any of the Mohonk Preserve Trailheads, to begin your adventure!
Mohonk Preserve passes may be checked out by Wallkill Public Library patrons 18 years or older for hiking, biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing (equipment and horses not included.) The pass allows free access for one vehicle with up to four visitors age 16 and up. Children 15 years old and younger are free when accompanied by an adult pass holder.
The small print: Loan time for passes is three days and passes cannot be returned via the book drop. The passes do NOT include parking at the Mohonk Mountain House. However, you may park elsewhere on the preserve and hike on the Mountain House property, including Lemon Squeeze & Mohonk Tower. Although the passes authorize these privileges, they do NOT authorize entry to the Mountain House itself.
Visit them online at: www.mohonkpreserve.org/visit or call: 845-255-0919
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Shim Scarecrows
We offered two sessions to make super cute Shim Scarecrows, a perfect decoration to welcome Fall!
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DIY Body Butter
From shea and kokum butter to rice bran oil and vitamin E, participants explored the art of handcrafted skincare at our Saturday Workshop. Each attendee went home with a rich, moisturizing body butter made from scratch.
| | The Wallkill Library is looking for volunteers for our Chess for Champs (and Beginners) program on Wednesdays from 4pm to 5:30pm. If you're interested in teaching new players how to play chess and need volunteering hours we'd love to have you. Contact us at wak@rcls.org if you are interested! | | | Autumn 2026 Adult Book BINGO | | | | |
Dive into the Autumn 2026 Adult Book Bingo challenge at the Wallkill Public Library which runs through November 30 for a chance to win a $50 gift card for Hannaford Supermarket!
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!
Pick up your Bingo sheet at the circulation desk or download the file and print today!
| | Wings Over Wallkill Birdwatching Walks | | |
Saturday October 10 at 9am
at the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge
It's our last birdwatching walk of the season! Join us at the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge for a nice autumn stroll as we check out the local birds and other fauna that decide to make an appearance. We'll be meeting in the parking lot of the Grasslands located at 902 Hoagerburgh Road Wallkill, NY 12589. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, and to bring your cameras or binoculars. Birdwatchers of all experience levels are welcome, from first-timers to seasoned experts.
| | | | | Hawk Watch 2026 is back at the Wallkill Public Library throughout all of September and October. Hawks are on the move along the east coast as some are migrating, and others are finding winter hunting grounds. Please share your hawk sightings with us in our Hawk Watch ledger at the Wallkill Public Library on the table across from our checkout desk. We'd love the hear about what you're seeing. | | You can also find birdwatching materials and log your bird sightings online at: http://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/birding/i-bird-ny | |
Now through November 1
Come by the library to pick up your I Bird NY Challenge birdwatching sheets and submission forms. The birds you spot and report help the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation track bird populations in NYS, and help with wildlife conservation efforts. For your participation, you'll receive a competition certificate, a commemorative patch, and be entered to win great birding prizes including birding accessories such as spotting scopes and binoculars. Participants may also earn a bonus entry into the prize giveaway by submitting a photo with their bird sighting submission forms to document their experience completing the I BIRD NY Challenge.
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Friday, October 2, 4:15 - 5:00 PM
I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964
Beyond the Book is a monthly book club for tweens, where stories spark real-world adventures! This month, we’re diving into the thrilling I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964 by Lauren Tarshis. Join us for lively discussions and—of course—snacks! Come for the books, stay for the fun, and leave with skills that go beyond the page.
Registration is required
https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/17759578
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October's Adult Book Club Selection
The Adult Fiction Book Club will be meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 3:45pm to discuss The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon.
Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.
When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.
Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.
-- from Goodreads.
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Reading ahead?
November's Adult Book Club Selection
The Adult Fiction Book Club will be meeting on Tuesday, November 20, 2026 at 3:45pm to discuss November 9 by Colleen Hoover.
Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.
Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.
Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?
-- from Goodreads.
| | Saturday Morning Book Club | | | |
October's Saturday Book Club selection is...
... The Mad Wife by Meagan Church. We'll be discussing it on Saturday, October 31 at 10:30 AM.
Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the perfect 1950s housewife. Despite the tragic memories that haunt her and the weight of exhausting expectations, she keeps her husband happy, her household running, and her gelatin salads the talk of the neighborhood. But after she gives birth to her second child, Lulu's carefully crafted life begins to unravel.
When a new neighbor, Bitsy, moves in, Lulu suspects that something darker lurks behind the woman's constant smile. As her fixation on Bitsy deepens, Lulu is drawn into a web of unsettling truths that threaten to expose the cracks in her own life. The more she uncovers about Bitsy, the more she questions everything she thought she knew―and soon, others begin questioning her sanity. But is Lulu truly losing her mind? Or is she on the verge of discovering a reality too terrifying to accept?
In the vein of The Bell Jar and The Hours, The Mad Wife weaves domestic drama with psychological suspense, so poignant and immersive, you won't want to put it down.
-- from Goodreads.com
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Reading ahead?
November's Saturday Book Club selection is...
... Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. We'll be discussing it on Saturday, November 21 at 10:30 AM.
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers.
Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their “rightful owners.” With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered.
A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.
-- from Goodreads.com
| | | Click the titles to link to our online catalog to read descriptions, reviews, and place holds. | | Click the titles to link to our online catalog to read descriptions, reviews, and place holds. | | Children's Program Highlights | | |
The Lego Sculpture Build during the Weekend of Wallkill attracted quite a crowd as builders of all ages used their imagination and skills to create a scene that "Unearthed a Story". (See photos above in Weekend of Wallkill story.)
Other children's programs included building rockets or castles, leaf art using glue (the ones pictured were too "gooey" to take home right away), and sorting activities using fine motor skills.
See October's calendar of events at October Calendar of Events for family storytimes, craft times, STEM activities, Lego Club, etcetera.
| | | 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program | | Congratulations to Evie F. on reading 1,000 Books!!!! In addition to bragging rights, she earned a 1,000 Book tag, a backpack, and a book to add to her home library. | | Another super reader to celebrate is Henry T.-R. who read 300 books and is getting closer to the halfway mark of his goal of 1000 books. Keep up the great reading!!! | | | | The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program is free and no child is too young to sign up so feel free to ask a library staff member for additional information. | | |
Monthly Take and Make Crafts will be available in the Children's Area (in a labeled bin near the basement stairs).
If your child is interested in one, please write his/her name and age on the Take and Make clipboard near the bin. Crafts will be first come, first served until they are gone.
| | | Ongoing programming and services | | Stop in for free support for all your tech needs. Digital Navigators are available at the library to help you with all your digital and tech needs. Stop in or call to make an appointment. | | | |
Wednesdays at 4pm
in the Reading Room
Join us for Chess at the Wallkill Public Library. We welcome players of all ages and experience levels. Hone your chess skills and have a great time playing the game of kings!
*Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. You can register at: https://wallkillpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar/wpl_programs_events
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HomeBoost Energy Assessment Kits
Wallkill Public Library and the Ramapo Catskill Library System have partnered with Central Hudson to make HomeBoost Energy Assessment Kits available to our patrons. The kits include a specialized camera that can be attached to your smartphone to check your home for drafts. It also can scan appliances to check their relative energy efficiency. Your energy bills aren't getting any lower, so take advantage of these kits to help bring those bills down.
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Blood Pressure Monitor kits available at the library!
Patrons can now borrow blood pressure monitor kits to help be better informed about their heart health. Each kit comes with instructions and information about how to use the monitors and interpret the results. Kits can be checked out for a period of three weeks.
We also have a blood pressure monitor set up in the library where patrons can swing by and test themselves while at the library. We encourage everyone to come by to use them.
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Jigsaw Puzzle Exchange
Looking for a cozy winter activity? Stop by the library and pick up or drop off a jigsaw puzzle as part of our winter puzzle exchange!
We have over 50 puzzles ranging from 150 to 1,008 pieces—perfect for solo puzzlers or the whole family. There’s something for everyone, so come find your next challenge today!
Donating a puzzle? Please count the pieces and place them in a zippered plastic bag before putting the puzzle in the original box. We do our best to ensure every puzzle is complete, but if you discover missing pieces, kindly report it and return the puzzle to the circulation desk.
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New York Times All-Access!
Get the New York Times online access (yes, including Games!) as a Wallkill Public Library patron. News, recipes, podcasts, the Wordle archive — it’s all yours. Unlock your access by clicking the link for instructions on how to explore New York Times content at the library or at home (or anywhere else!).
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Food Pantry Donations
Wallkill Public Library continues to accept unexpired, nonperishable and canned food donations, as well toiletries. All donations go to the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry at the Wallkill Reformed Church. If you are able to give, please feel free to drop off your donations at the library during regular operating hours. If you are in need of assistance, please check out Loaves & Fishes website for information on when they are open: https://wallkillreformed.org/Loaves-Fishes-Food-Pantry
Thank you to everyone who is able to lend a hand to their neighbors during hard times.
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Tech Support
10:00-4:00 PM weekdays
The Wallkill Public Library offers Tech Support from 10-4 on weekdays. So, if you're having issues with your cellphone, tablet, or other technology please stop by the front desk of the library. We'll be happy to lend a hand if we can.
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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 for a come-as-you-please work session.
Bring your present project -- knitting, crochet, quilting, rug hooking, sewing, embroidery, needlepoint, cross stitch, or any other handcraft -- and your lunch and join us! No registration necessary. New members always welcome!
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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!
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Pinochle
Thursdays, 1-3 PM
in the Library Reading Room
People of all skill levels are invited to attend, even first-time players who'd like to learn the game.
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Battery 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!
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Clynk Bottle & Can Collection
Stop by the circulation desk to grab a Clynk bag and tag, then simply:
- Fill the bag with aluminum cans and plastic bottles eligible for the NY bottle deposit.
- 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!
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Lend-A-Pole Program
Thanks to the Federated Sportsmen’s Clubs of Ulster County (FSCUC), patrons are able to borrow fishing poles from the library!
The FSCUC donated a Lend-A-Pole cabinet filled with poles, tackle boxes, and informational pamphlets to the library. Patrons can check fishing poles out just as they would a museum pass or book. Borrowers also get to take out – (and keep!) – a tackle box, as the FSCUC will replenish the supply when it gets low.
Ask at the circulation desk for assistance.
| | Business services available at the library | |
Copy & Print
Copying and self-service printing is available from our public access computers.
- Letter size B&W $.10
- Legal size B&W $.20
- Letter size Color $.30
- Legal size Color $.40
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Fax
Faxes can be sent and received at a charge of $1.00 per page.
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Scan
Scan documents to your portable USB drive. There is no charge for this service!
| | Local Vaccination Clinics | | Library services at a glance | |
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Our doors are open for library services including browsing for library materials, making copies, sending faxes, and using the public access computers.
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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.
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Fine-free returns on everything, except museum/park passes.
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Inter-library loans are available between all RCLS libraries.
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In-person programming for all ages!
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Museum passes are available to Wallkill Public Library patrons for the Empire Pass, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, Historic Huguenot Street Tour Pass, Innisfree Garden, Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, Mohonk Preserve, and Storm King Art Center. Plus, more print-at-home museum passes available through the Ulster County InfoPortal on the library’s website.
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