Wallkill Public Library
Oh, the places you'll go! 
 There's something out there that allows users to escape utterly and totally from the swirling black hole that is (or can be) their own existence....something that offers not only this desperately needed respite from reality, but - as an added bonus - makes those who take advantage of it smarter, sharper, and more compassionate in the bargain.
It's called a book, and as today is Read Across America Day, we thought we'd just take a moment to extol a few of its virtues.
Of course, being employed at a library, we're a little biased, it's true. And yes, these days there are a lot of other means of distracting oneself from the hardship of daily living. Video games are always a popular choice. Television also holds a special spot in many hearts (and living rooms...and bedrooms...and other places that don't bear thinking about). Social media is indeed distracting, though more as a complete immersion in daily minutiae than a vacation from it.  
But the thing is, although these will all do the job of taking one away from it all for a few hours, once the game is unplugged or the TV is turned off or the computer's shut down, you're the same you you were before your brief escape. Maybe, in some cases, even a little worse for wear. 
Books offer the benefit of not only temporary oblivion but knowledge. The very act of reading stimulates certain areas of the brain and may ward off cognitive decline. Relating to and developing an apathy for fictional characters not only helps a child cope with his/her own problems, but cultivates a sense of compassion toward others.
Tomorrow is Dr. Seuss's birthday, and you and your child can celebrate by stopping at the library or book store for some special treats.
You can instill a love of books in your children no matter what their age by shutting off the electronics for a portion of the day and picking up a book. It doesn't have to be Shakespeare - it can even be a comic. Anything that inspires a love of reading is the perfect material for your child, and one of the greatest gifts parents, other loved ones, or teachers can give! 
 Library board meets 

 The WPL board met last Saturday to review our strategic plan for the next few years and to brainstorm great new ideas for programs and services that we can offer to our patrons of all ages. Board members were brimming with ideas and we covered many sheets of paper capturing them all! While many of these will have to wait until we have a wee bit more space, there were also many that can be incorporated in the near future. So stay tuned to this blast for upcoming new and novel ways that WPL will continue to serve as the heart of our community! And please,if there is something you would like to see offered by the library, let us know! 

 

Christi Crowley

WPL Board of Trustees President

Coming up at the Wallkill Public Library
    Miss Christine is taking a well-earned vacation, so there will be no Art Clubs or Exchange this week.
Monday: The Library Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Book Buddies meets at 10:30 a.m. Textile Tuesday handcrafters are welcome to stop by the community room of the Town Hall between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to sew, knit, or enjoy some other craft with friends. Books Alive! performers will rehearse at 3:30 p.m. Weather Story Time will take place at 4 p.m.
Wednesday: Mommy and Me will not be meeting today - Miss Carolyn will be busy with a field trip. Everyone's welcome to attend Toddler Story Time at 11 a.m., however! Archivist Matthew Thorenz will be giving a presentation at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall community room entitled, The Barbarie Patent: A Transatlantic Story.
Thursday: The Knit and Crochet Club meets at 6:30 p.m.
Friday: Musikgarten is offering classes for littles ones up to age 4, starting with Infant/Toddler Classes (for birth to age 2) at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., and a Preschool Class (for ages 3-4) at 12:30 p.m., downstairs in the library. Call 905-2556 for more information.
Saturday: A Books Alive! rehearsal will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. A special program to honor Women's History Month, Stitches in Time, will be offered at 2 p.m.   
Wallkill Library archivist published online 
  Wallkill Public Library archivist and staff member Matthew Thorenz has been published online at Teaching the Hudson Valley!
A former employee of the New Windsor Cantonment, Matt has done extensive research on African Americans who spent time in New Windsor during the Revolutionary War. His article is about Jude Hall, a slave who ran away and enlisted to fight in the war, going on to participate in such famous battles as the one that took place at Bunker Hill.  
Teaching the Hudson Valley is a free resource for K-12 educators that provides lesson plans for natural science and social studies using resources available through parks and museums in the region. If people wish to learn more about African Americans in the Continental Army, they can click the Resources link for the full 10-page essay entitled: Substitutes, Servants and Soldiers: The Black Presence at New Windsor Cantonment.
Matt will be at the Shawangunk Town Hall at 7 p.m. Wednesday to discuss The Barbarie Patent: A Transatlantic Story.
Author featured for Women's History Month
  Local author Sally Wortmann was inspired to pen her book, Stitches in Time, by her great-grandmother's wedding dress.
Though her story is geared toward children, the subject matter is appealing to history buffs of all ages, and the timing of her presentation makes for the perfect means for all of us to honor the women in our lives.
Ms. Wortmann will bring the wedding dress that inspired her to her March 9 program, and attendees are welcome to bring mementos from the women who inspire them to the 2 p.m. discussion, as well.
Be sure to call the library at 895-3707 to reserve your seat. Refreshments will be served.  
Holistic care specialist talks to parents
   Fran Sussman, a specialist in holistic care who's been in private practice since 1993, will talk to parents and caregivers of children with special needs about the benefits of holistic care Thursday.
Presented by Parents Supporting Parents (of children with special needs), the discussion will take place at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall community room.
Ms. Sussman  is sought after as a speaker, workshop leader, and meditation teacher. She writes a regular column for the Times Herald-Record as well as a weekly one for Hudson Valley Insider.
If you're interested in attending Thursday's discussion, RSVP to Paulette today at [email protected].  
Books Alive! performance coming up 
  Mark your calendars - Saturday, March 16, is the 2013 performance of Imagine That!, this year's much-anticipated Books Alive! show.

The members of the children's theater project, along with directors Adrienne and Jim Perine and composer Barbara Ganin, have been hard at work rehearsing for their 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. performances that Saturday.

This year's show, an original musical based on the works of Mo Willems and Maurice Sendak, will once again take place at the John G. Borden Middle School Auditorium. Tickets for the performance will be sold at the door. For more information, call the library at 895-3707.

  
Lion Brand Yarn field trip coming up 
  Calling all knitters and crocheters! Plans are in the works for a trip to the famous Lion Brand Yarn Studio and outlet in April!
A bus will leave the library at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, April 21. The first stop will be the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in New York City, followed by another stop at the New Jersey outlet in Carlstadt. The bus will return to the library by 6:30 p.m.
Attendees should bring a bag lunch. Cost of the round trip is $25, made payable to the Wallkill Pubic Library. There are only 53 seats on the bus and they're going fast, so if you're interested in attending, let us know ASAP by calling 895-3707 and talking to (or leaving a message for)  Carolyn Thorenz.  
LEGO classes are back this summer!
  Are your LEGO engineers ready to take their skills to the next level? This summer's Engineering FUNdamentals with Play-Well TEKnologies may be the perfect activity for them!
Classes run from July 15 through July 19; from 9 a.m. to noon for grades K-2, and from 1-4 p.m. on those days for grades 3-5.
Students will develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills while designing and building motorized machines, catapults, pyramids, demolition derby cars, buildings, and other LEGO constructions. Returning students will be given new projects that build on what they learned last summer.
Class size is limited and enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis. All materials will be provided. No refunds will be issued after the first class. Class fee is $130 - you can register by visiting Play-Well TEKnologies' website.
You can cut down on telemarketing calls
    Still bothered at all hours of the day (usually meal times) by the ringing of your phone, followed by the automated drone of a sales  pitch on your answering machine?
You can put a stop to most of these calls by contacting the National Do Not Call Registry, which is managed by the Federal Trade Commission. Calls from charities, political organizations, and telephone surveys, as well as from companies with whom you have an existing relationship, cannot be blocked, but you can still create more silence in your home (or on your cell) by registering up to three phones - call 888-382-1222, or visit DoNotCall.gov.  
Library usage statistics show big impact 
Wallkill Public Library Usage Statistics for January 2013:
  
Total WPL users: Up 17 to 2914*
Checkouts: Up 867 to 2,664
Inter-library loans to other libraries: Up 60 items to 277
Inter-library loans from other libraries to WPL users: Up 242, to 718
  
*Stats reflect change from previous month
We want to hear from you!

 What do you think of our newsletter? What information is most important to you? What are your favorite library programs, and what else would you like to see offered?  

Please share your thoughts by either sending out an email response to this newsletter, or reaching out to Lisa at [email protected].

Quick Links
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter