Pat Countryman, who worked at the library for 21 years and was well-known (and loved!) by patrons and staff alike, passed away Oct. 18.

Pat worked behind the circulation desk during her time at Wallkill Public Library, and was known for her detailed decorations and displays, such as the exhibit honoring local veterans that the library put out for years around Veterans Day and Memorial Day. A lifelong resident of the area, she not only knew many of the library’s patrons personally, but was an expert on local history, as well. She worked at the library from 1991 to 2012 and was known to have a soft spot for the little ones who came in for Storytime.

In 2017, she was honored with certificates of appreciation from Shawangunk Town Supervisor John Valk, New York Assemblyman Brian Miller, and then-Library Board President Ken Simon in a ceremony at the library. In attendance were longtime board members Kathy Vogel, Susan Litz, and Camille Reid, as well as the library’s former director (and current trustee), MaryLou VanAken. The fact that so many came out to honor Pat five years after she left the library is a testament to the impact she had on people. She’ll be missed for her sense of humor, warmth, and insight into the community she knew so well.   

Gone fishin'!

Thanks to the Federated Sportsmen's Clubs of Ulster County (FSCUC), users will soon be able to borrow a fishing pole from the library!

The FSCUC recently donated a cabinet filled with poles, tackle boxes, and informational pamphlets to the library. Once the poles are barcoded and cataloged, patrons will be able to check them out just as they would a museum pass or book. Borrowers will also get to take out – and keep! - a tackle box, as the FSCUC will replenish the supply when it gets low.

Saturday, Oct. 21, Ray Valk and other FSCUC members stopped by the library with Sen. Peter Oberacker to show him the cabinet and its contents and talk about the Lend-a-Pole initiative. Sen. Oberacker voiced his support for libraries and praised the Lend-a-Pole program as another way in which the library serves its community. We thank them all for visiting, and for the cabinet, as well!

Next time you’re in browsing for material, don’t forget to check out the Weekend of Wallkill Art Show entries, now on display atop our bookcases!

The Vision of Wallkill loaned the library the artwork, which was created by our own talented community members and first displayed during this year’s Weekend of Wallkill.

Thanks much to Julie Craner for delivering the pieces and helping us set them up!

Nancy Gayle Judson from PJ Library will be offering Shabbat Storytime at 5:30 p.m. the fourth Friday of each month, starting Oct. 27. The program was moved to a later time slot to accommodate those who don’t get off of work until later in the day.

The storytime celebrates the joy and meaning of the weekly Jewish day of rest called Shabbat. Participants will read PJ Library stories that teach about Shabbat and other upcoming holidays, make a craft, sing songs, and dance. The program is sponsored by the PJ Library program of Ulster County and the Jewish Federation of Ulster County. Visit our online calendar to register!

The Vision of Wallkill is getting into the holiday spirit with their Haunted Hamlet and Pumpkin Smash.

If you love to scare up some spooky decorations around your house and yard, be sure to take a picture and add it to VOW’s Haunted Hamlet Facebook post, in the comments section.  



The Pumpkin Smash will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Shawangunk Transfer Station (located at 267 River Road). Bring your Halloween pumpkins or Jack-o’-lanterns and get rid of them before they bottom out on your porch. Following the event, tour the transfer station and learn more about recycling, composting, and how you can help keep Wallkill clean. This is offered in collaboration with the Town Environmental Management Committee. 

Our next meeting of the Adult Fiction Book Club is November 14 at 2 p.m. (we decided to move to day meetings until it gets lighter out in the evenings, again). We'll be reading Back to the Garden by Laurie King.

A fifty-year-old cold case involving California royalty comes back to life--with potentially fatal consequences--in this gripping standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. -- Goodreads

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.

Have you seen the bewitching results of the Witch Hat Decorating Contest at the library? If not, be sure to visit soon and select your favorite for our "Viewer's Choice” award. One vote per visit per patron. Write the number of your favorite hat on a piece of paper and give it to the person at the Circ Desk. The last day for voting will be Friday, November 3rd. A winner will be announced on Monday, November 6.

Thanks to the generosity of our patrons, the library was able to collect 429 food and hygiene items to donate to Wallkill’s Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry!

The library was once again participating in the Ulster County Food Fight as part of the Great Give Back, which is a day of service at New York libraries. The food collection contest between libraries in the Ulster County Library Association took place between Sept. 1 and Oct. 21.

Many thanks to everyone who donated items, as well as to Access Physical Therapy, who created their own collection and donated the contributions from that to the library!

Crafting with the seniors

Summer is over, and we are back to our monthly craft visit with the seniors group.

This month, they created floral greeting cards using recycled security envelopes and dimensional floral stickers.

Spooky spiders

Halloween embroidery hoops were so much fun! We did free hand embroidery for the web and overstitched a lightly transferred spider before adding the ribbon hanger.

Beautifully spooky bouquets!

Look closely... some of those flowers are looking back at you!

Mahjong meet-ups

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!

Adult coloring club

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.

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

We’ve had a fall-tastic October so far in the Children’s Room and are looking forward to more fun autumn days in November!

Librarians are Community Helpers

Miss Michelle had the honor of being a guest at the Wallkill Nursery School’s “Community Helper” week. We discussed the different parts of a book, what it means to have a library card, and all the wonderful things we can borrow and do at the library! We wrapped up with a story about a bear who thinks he’ll never find the book he wants at the library…can you guess what happens in A Library Book for Bear?

Author visits WPL

We also had a very special Children’s Room guest this past weekend! Local author K. L. Going shared her “author’s toolbox” with us and also explained some cool techniques that illustrators use. She then treated us to readings of two of her amazing books, Dogs in Charge and This is the Planet Where I Live and then guided the kids in making their own personalized planet books!

In November, we will be welcoming kindergartens from Ostrander Elementary School for a special library tour during their “Community Walk.” 

Friendship: Tea Jars and Storytime

Saturday, November 18, 11 AM

We also look forward to our next Saturday pop-up event on November 18th - Friendship: Tea Jars and Storytime. We will make our own take-home jars of friendship tea mix to share with our friends and families during the holidays and beyond and then Miss Michelle will read some heartwarming stories about friendship. Reister here.

Looking for some Junior Fiction books? Check out our revamped section - all titles are now in alpha author order, with popular series and authors marked for your browsing convenience!

Speaking of books, here are some highlights on the way to our stacks soon:

• 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.