Whether you’re of the Jewish faith, from a blended family, or would just like your children to learn more about the traditions of Judaism, Shabbat Storytime is for you!

Beginning 4 p.m. Friday, October 6, children can experience the joy and meaning of the weekly Jewish day of rest called Shabbat. This weekly program will feature PJ Library stories that teach about Shabbat and other holidays coming up. Attendees will also make a craft, sing songs, and dance while celebrating and reflecting on the week that’s passed and making wishes for the week to come.

This program is brought to you by the PJ Library program of Ulster County and co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Ulster County.  

Every U.S. household can now order four free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their homes, via COVID.gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests.

The tests available for order:

• Are rapid antigen at-home tests
• Can be taken at home or other locations and provide results within 30 minutes
• Can be used for testing whether you’re symptomatic or not
• Are also referred to as self-tests or over-the-counter tests.

At-home COVID-19 tests are fast and convenient, can give you the information you need to protect yourself, your family, and others. Visit COVIDTests.gov or call 1-800-232-0233 to place your order. 

Thank you to all who came out to vote on Tuesday, September 19 at the library’s annual budget vote and trustee election. We are pleased to announce that the budget passed unanimously with 52 Yes votes.

We welcome trustees, Lynne Diener, Susan Burhans-Haldeman, and Larissa Burke, who were elected for 5-year terms. Thank you for your support!

The library’s Fiction Club selected two spooky classics to discuss at their October meeting - Dracula, by Bram Stoker, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving.

The group is scheduled to meet again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 17. Newcomers are always welcome!

Continues through November 20

Fall into our Autumn 2023 Adult Book Challenge! Game sheets are available at the library circulation desk September 20 through November 20. For each challenge leaf you complete, you will receive one raffle ticket to be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to BookShop.org. All completed game sheets must be turned in no later than 6 p.m. on November 20, 2023. The drawing will be held and the winner will be notified on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Good luck to all!

Registration is not required nor available for this event.

Wooden Witches Workshop

Wednesday, October 11 at 6 p.m.

These adorable little wooden witches have so many options when it comes to decorating! You may wood burn details, or paint and add embellishments. Registration required. Adults, teens, kids age 10+.

Haloween Embroidery Hoops

Wednesday, October 18 at 6 p.m.

Embroidery is the art of decorating fabric with thread.

Simple stitches make this project easy, and you can choose both hoops to decorate or choose one to complete.  Registration required. Adults, teens, kids age 10+.

Saturday, November 4 at 11 a.m.

Join us at the Shawangunk Town Hall Community Room for an exciting and brain-teasing adventure with the Wallkill Public Library! Our Jigsaw Puzzle Race is a one-of-a-kind library program that combines friendly competition, teamwork, and the joy of completing puzzles. Whether you're a puzzle pro or a newbie, this event is sure to challenge your skills.

Race Against the Clock: Gather your friends, family, or fellow puzzle enthusiasts to form teams of 2-4 participants. Each team will receive a jigsaw puzzle to complete within a designated time limit. The faster you finish, the closer you get to victory!

Prizes and Bragging Rights: The first team to complete their puzzle will be crowned champions and receive a fabulous prize! Even if you don't win you keep your puzzle!

Refreshments: Enjoy complimentary refreshments to keep your energy levels up as you race to piece together your puzzle masterpiece.

Fun for All Ages: This event is suitable for puzzle enthusiasts of all ages, making it a fantastic family activity or a chance for friends to bond over a shared challenge.

Registration: Pre-registration is required to participate. Register your team by October 21, 2023 to secure your spot in the race.

The Ulster County Food Fight is an annual food collection contest held in cooperation with all the libraries throughout Ulster County from Sept. 1 through Oct. 21. The event is part of the Great Give Back, happening Oct. 21 throughout New York State.

The goal of the Food Fight is to fill the shelves of local food pantries and help end hunger in our communities. The library that collects the highest number of donations wins the Food Fight and gets a certificate. Last year, thanks to your generosity, Wallkill collected 824 items and won the contest!

You can help us win once more by dropping off nonperishable food items at the library between Sept. 1 and Oct. 21. Thanks to adult programmer Kim O’Sullivan for spearheading this important project!

Monday, September 25 was National Quesadilla Day!

We celebrated with a buffet of choices... chicken, beans, cheese for the filling and salsa and sour cream for toppings. Donovan and the others really enjoyed building and eating this delicious Mexican dish.

Every Wednesday at 1 p.m. and Thursday at 6 p.m. the library hosts our Mahjong Clubs. If you’re a player or just interested in learning, join us! We supply the games and (a limited number of) 2023 mahjong cards. Just drop in, no registration required.

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

Coloring pages are no longer just for children! Join us for this creative and relaxing hobby. Just drop in, registration not required. Bring your own materials or use ours.

Coloring Club meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:00-8:00 PM. No registration is required.

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 2:00-5:00 PM. No registration is required.

September started out as summer and ended up paving the way for a lovely October autumn!

As you’re preparing for the tricks and the treats, check out our special programs this month:

POP-UP PROGRAM:

Planet & Costume Party with K.L Going 

Saturday, October 21, 11 AM – 12 PM

Join local author K.L. Going for a Planet Party! She will read her newest book, This is the Planet Where I Live, and then host some eco-friendly activities afterwards. Come dressed in your Halloween best...DIY/up-cycled costumes earn extra planet-saving points! Ages 3 & up; this program will be in the Community Room at Town Hall.

Halloween Family Storytime

with Special Guest Zoe the Therapy Dog

Tuesday, October 31, 10:30 – 11 AM

We will celebrate Halloween by reading, singing, dancing, and socializing! 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! Costumes for dogs and people are encouraged! Ages 0-8. 

Speaking of Zoe, we were so happy to welcome her back to our library this week! She enjoyed some pets and even clapped her paws when we sang “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

Speaking of welcoming back, Miss Michelle was thrilled to return to the Wallkill Nursery School for our monthly Storytime, after their summer break!

In other news, we created a “mad scientist” vibe at our Lego build, as part of the Weekend of Wallkill. We kicked off the event by snacking on moon pies during our special Friday evening Storytime featuring Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-This-World Moon-Pie Adventure. The kids made some great builds for the Lego contest - congratulations to all of the winners!

October 1st through 7th is Banned Books Week. Check out our special display featuring some books you may (or may not) know are (or have been) banned.

Also, take a peek at the new titles coming this month!

• 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, with appropriate social distancing.
• Museum passes are available to Wallkill Public Library patrons for Boscobel House and Gardens, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, Empire Pass, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Hudson River Maritime Museum, Mohonk Preserve, 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.