Thanks to the kindness of our community members, the library was able to collect 100 Valentines for delivery to local nursing home residents!

Participants picked up the card kits that were specially designed by Christine Adams and returned them upon completion, so that library user Jamie Meinsen – who came up with this idea – could deliver them to Montgomery Nursing Home and Campbell Hall Rehabilitation Center.

Thanks to Jamie and to all who took the time to brighten the day for someone who might have been in need of a smile! 

The Friends of the Wallkill Public Library dedicated an outdoor bench in memory of Shelly Runowich during a Feb. 11 ceremony.

Shelly, who passed away in April of 2021, was a longtime Friends member and library user, known for her volunteerism and participation in community events.

The event was attended by Shelly’s family, friends, and board members of the library. 

The bench is now located outside the library’s reading room, beneath the tree in front of the parking lot. Thank you to the Friends for their amazing tribute!

Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. Give.

The Wallkill Reformed Church is hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Thursday, February 23 from 1:00-6:00 PM in their Fellowship Hall located at 45 Bridge Street, Wallkill, NY 12589

Warm hearts. Warm thoughts. Give blood in the month of February for a $10 gift card by mail from Amazon. To schedule your appointment, please visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Town of Shawangunk Police Department, Shawangunk Town Councilman/Police Chief Liaison Robert Miller, Shawangunk Councilman/Police Chief Liaison Brian Amthor in cooperation with Jillian Nadiak-Bruck of Ulster County Mental Health-Healing Communities Division and Detective Albert Babcock of the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office / O.R.A.C.L.E. (Opioid Response as County Law Enforcement) have secured three opioid emergency kits to be placed in public buildings in the Town of Shawangunk, including the Wallkill Public Library.

Brian Amthor and Robert Miller became aware of this lifesaving resource being offered by the Ulster County Mental Health-Healing Communities Division and asked that Police Chief Marlatt reach out to secure boxes for our town. Once boxes were secured, Detective Babcock was contacted and graciously provided pouches and NARCAN to supply boxes with the means necessary to combat an opioid overdose.

This afternoon, Police Chief Marlatt, Councilman Robert Miller, and Councilman Brian Amthor installed an Opioid Emergency Kit at the Wallkill Public Library near the front door. This kit is meant for public use in the case of an opioid overdose at or near the library. The kit has been set up in such a way that everything needed, including PPE and instructions, are inside the grab-and-go bag. Opioid overdose is an issue that we cannot ignore. These Opioid Emergency Kits are welcomed in the Town of Shawangunk and may prove to be instrumental in savings lives.

The library’s Fiction Club will be reading  Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr, for their March meeting.

Cloud Cuckoo Land, by the author of All the Light We Cannot See, is a sweeping novel that takes place over the course of hundreds of years, both on earth and in space. Cloud Cuckoo Land brings together an unforgettable cast of dreamers and outsiders from past, present and future to offer a vision of survival against all odds.

The Fiction Club will be meeting on March 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. 

Quilling

The reading room was filled while we quilled! Patrons curled, folded, and glued thin paper strips creating heart-shaped paper filigree, known today as quilling.

A how-to YouTube video looped in the background

Make-your-own greeting card workshop

"You hold the key to my heart" cards from our Wednesday workshop.

Wood burning

Pyrography programs brought the patrons out of the woodwork to try this hot art form! Look at our March calendar for more dates -- both day and evening sessions are available -- and reserve your spot.

Wood burning projects from the month of February.

Glass Etching

Mini bud vases -- etched and decorated -- ready to display the spring's first blooms!

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) 2022 cards. Just drop in, no registration required.

Calling all word nerds and Scrabble enthusiasts! Come in, bring a friend, or play your fellow patrons... we have the boards and Official Scrabble Dictionary to get the party started. Ages 13+, adults welcome. Registration required.

The last game night this month is February 28 at 6:00-7:30 PM.

We can't believe that only a few short weeks ago, the temperature outside was zero and below! On one of those very cold days, we celebrated a special Saturday pop-up program: Take Your Child to the Library Day! We read a book totally appropriate for the day, The Mitten by Jan Brett.

Afterwards, we each crafted our own unique mittens, which Miss Michelle will display on a garland in the Children's Room. We then kept warm by playing some movement games - scavenger hunt book BINGO and mitten bean bag toss. The children won mitten prize tickets for their participation and were entered into a raffle to win Barnes & Noble gift cards. Our randomly chosen winners are: Mia K., Austin W., and Gloriana C. Congratulations to our winners who were notified via email or phone, and thanks to everyone for braving the cold and celebrating with us!

For March, we have another great special Saturday pop-up program in the works - on March 18th from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, join Miss Michelle in the Community Room at Town Hall for a "Leprechaun Surprise Craft & Snack Party!" where we’ll each make a different surprise craft (or two!) and then we’ll make grab & go snacks using a secret Leprechaun recipe! Registration is required; wearing green is encouraged.

We have another special event coming up in March - on Thursday, March 30th from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, we will be hosting special guest Jerry Schneider for "Support our Pollinators," a pop-up STEM program, plus craft.

Mr. Jerry, creator of the award-winning Butterfly Game, will delve into the amazing lives of our local pollinators, such as bees, bats, hummingbirds, beetles, dragonflies, and butterflies! We will learn how these important critters help our orchards, backyard gardens, and our rain forests to flourish!

During the second half of the program, we will do a fun t-shirt craft with Mr. Jerry - please bring your own white t-shirt, or Mr. Jerry will have heavy cotton Gildan tees for sale at $5.00 each. Registration is required.

Animal Crackers: Circus Mayhem