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Here's to a peaceful 2013 |
 The world was supposed to come to an end today but, alas, all is well. It seemed as if it was coming close to an end last Friday, though. The tragic events of that day will rest in our hearts for some time to come. When a quiet little town becomes the setting for such violence, it makes us all feel a little more vulnerable and helpless. Yet I think we are more powerful than we give ourselves credit for. It doesn't have to do with political power or access to fire arms, but with the power of our words, our character and our commitment to each other as members of the same community. We need to care of one another. One of the fathers of a child who was killed last Friday made this statement the day after the shooting: "This tragedy will not be something that defines us. Let it inspire us to be better, more compassionate, more humble people." Let's do this together - we owe it to the memory of those twenty-six innocent lives that were taken and we owe it to each other as people sharing this space on earth together. This is the season of Peace. Let it begin with each one of us.
I want to thank everyone from our community who came out on that rainy chilly Monday evening for the candlelight vigil at the Peace Tree on our front lawn. Thank you to staffers, Paulette Snyder and Christine Adams for helping to pull everything together quickly and efficiently so we could spread the word that our little community was gathering in peace and hope to heal and console each other. Thank you to Bill Hecht and the  entire school district for helping to spread the word - it was so heartwarming to see all the teachers and administrators who gathered with us around the tree, all the faces of children and neighbors and business people from our community who joined us to keep hope alive so that good will prevail. Thank you to Pastor Toni Macon, Father Joseph Fallon and Cantor Nova Herzog for your words of faith and encouragement... we needed you and you were there for all of us.
 Thanks also to Stewart Crowell for the much-needed tents that rainy night; to the DeGroodt family for their pastries; and to little Liam Curtis, for putting his own teddy bear beneath the tree to watch over the angels.
As we celebrate the upcoming holidays together with family and friends, let's all hold each other a little tighter, be a little nicer, spread a lot more love and peace and gratitude. We are the architects of our future. A more peaceful world begins with us.
Mary Lou Carolan
Director |
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Coming up at the Wallkill Public Library  Happy holidays to all! A reminder that the library will be closed Dec. 24 and 25, as well as Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. We wish everyone a safe and healthy holiday and New Year!
Wednesday: Celebrate the beginning of Kwanzaa with a Kwanzaa Craft at 3 p.m. The Quilters' Circle will not be meeting today. Thursday: The Knit and Crochet Club as well as the Quilters' Circle meet at 6:30 p.m. Friday: Break out the cards for some Old Maid, Go Fish, Spit, or whatever suits you! Card-Playing Day takes place from 2-4 p.m. Looking ahead: You have one more week in which to enjoy holiday discounts at local businesses and restaurants! Show your Wallkill Public Library card at participating shops and eateries until Dec. 31 and get great deals! Books Alive! rehearsals begin Jan. 8. See below. Bill Robinson and his Birds of Prey will be visiting the library at 2 p.m. Jan. 26. |
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Practice starting soon for Books Alive!  Participants in this year's Books Alive! children's theater project don't have long before they'll be hitting the stage again for rehearsals for the 2013 show!
Starting Jan. 8, practice sessions will be held Tuesdays from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for ages 11-13, and Wednesdays from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for 8-10 year olds. This season's original music will be composed by Barbara Ganin and based on the works of Mo Willems and Maurice Sendak. Adrienne Gelfand-Perine and Jim Perine will once again be the show's directors. The musical is tentatively scheduled to be performed Saturday, March 16. For more information, call the library at 895-3707 or contact Adrienne and Jim at 917-656-7945 or dramapearl@aol.com. |
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Much thanks to our generous patrons
It's the season of giving, and no one's more generous than our wonderful community and patrons. Our sincere appreciation goes out to:
- The Wallkill Fire Department, for donating Christmas trees to decorate the library and Friends' Used Book Shop
- Donna Richardson, for the wreath on the library's front door
- Al Smiley, for the poinsettia and candy
- Kathy and Don Raponi, for their generous gift
- Doris Betterton, for the box of candy
- Debbie MacEwan, for her thoughtful gift
- Bonnie Knapp, for the candy
Our sincere apologies to anyone we inadvertently left out - we're all a little sluggish and foggy from the candy!
Happy holidays to all. |
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Would you like to give the gift of reading?  The Ulster Literacy Association is offering nationally accredited tutor training for those who would like to become literacy volunteers.
Orientation will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10. The following three Saturdays - Jan. 12, 19, and 26 - training will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The orientation and training will be held at 480 Aaron Court in Kingston. To register, call the Ulster Literacy Association's office at 331-6837. For more information, visit ulsterliteracy.org, or email info@ulsterliteracy.org. |
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New books let parents, kids, read together  There's a recent arrival to the Wallkill Public Library children's room - the "We Both Read" series.
These beginning readers offer a parent's page opposite a kid's, so that the two of you can share the experience by taking turns reading aloud. Parents read the more sophisticated text on the left-hand pages, while children read the simpler right-hand pages. The children's pages contain words that either should be familiar to them or easily sounded out. It's a fun, easy way to encourage a love of reading. |
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Patrons can use site to build resumes  Gale Cengage's Testing and Education Reference Center is an invaluable resource for those looking to further their education, switch careers, or explore their options. One of the best features of the site is the Resume Builder located beneath the Career Tools tab. With the Resume Builder, anyone can create a professional resume that outlines their qualifications and highlights their skills and accomplishments.
There are more than 1,000 brainstorming phrases to help get your started - enter your information, choose a design, and let the Resume Builder expertly format your resume for you. When you're finished, you'll receive your resume as a word document, so you can print and mail it. You'll also be able to email copies of your resume directly to employers and schools.
This great tool is accessible through the Ulster County Infoportal that's free to Wallkill Public Library patrons. Just use your library card number to log on and you're ready to start creating a new life.
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Book suggestions to help all ages cope
Those who chose to mention the Sandy Hook tragedy to their children know how hard it is to explain the inexplicable, and then to wonder what's going through your son's or daughter's mind once you're done.
There is a resource you can turn to if you're looking for advice on how to discuss a traumatic topic of any sort with your child, or if you're trying to help your little ones through a difficult time. The Library Association of Rockland County has compiled a list of books to help both adults and children cope with stressful or traumatic events. The site also has links to mental health and human service departments and associations and other informational sites for coping with tragedies. |
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