Sunday: The town's Community Tree Lighting will take place at 4 p.m. today. Carols, music, refreshments and a visit from Santa will highlight the event.
Monday: The Library Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. at the library.
Tuesday: An American Girl Christmas Ornament Workshop will take place at 4:30 p.m. Textile Tuesdays are held between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the community room of Town Hall.
Wednesday: Celebrate National Cookie Day with a Cookie Monster Craft (and snacks!) at 2 p.m. The Homework Lab meets from 2:30-5:30 p.m. downstairs in the children's room. The second part of Smocking with Susan will be offered at 6:30 p.m. in the community room of Town Hall.
Thursday: The Knit and Crochet Club meets at 6:30 p.m.
Friday: The DS Club gets together at 4 p.m.

Those looking to come in out of the cold and celebrate the season are welcome to join the library for two special holiday events:
Polar Express Story Time will take place at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17. Sip some hot chocolate and enjoy the story, then check out the running o-gauge train that will be set up in the children's room!
Mrs. Claus will be on hand at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 18 to read a story to children of all ages, and Santa's elves will be around, as well, to lead attendees on a holiday Cookie Walk.
From 6-7:30 p.m. that night, crafts and a holiday television special will be offered.
Registration for both events is required.

Beginning in January, the GED will be no more, replaced with a new test called the  TASC (Test Assessing Secondary Completion) in New York State.
If you submitted an application to take the GED postmarked after Sept. 30, your application will be returned to you, along with directions on how to send in a TASC application for the test dates available in 2014.
If you're planning on taking the test next year, please be aware that the current GED study guides will not be useful to those studying for the TASC. New test prep books should be available by February.
In the meantime, Wallkill Public Library archivist Matthew Thorenz has added the link Changes to GED/TASC Information  to the library's Magazines and Databses. Check it out for more information!

 

World Book Night, an annual celebration of books and reading, will be held on April 23 this coming year.
That's when thousands of volunteers across America will give out a total of half a million books to those within their communities who don't normally read.
The way the event works is 30-35 books are chosen by a panel of librarians and booksellers. The books' authors waive their royalties and their publishers pay the costs of printing World Book Night editions. Participating bookstores and libraries then act as host locations for those who are volunteer book givers.
If you'd like to be one of those volunteers, you can read up on the guidelines and apply!

Into the Light, a Shadowland Theatre performance that features the Vanaver Caravan Dance Group, Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, and guest singers Barely Lace, will be presented at 3 p.m. Dec. 8.
The show will touch on many holiday traditions, including Hanukkah, Christmas, Sankta Lucia, Kwanzaa, and more.
Tickets will be available at the door of Shadowland Theatre at a cost of $8 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Proceeds will support the artists and theatre.
The event is co-sponsored by the Ellenville Library. For more information, call Vanaver Caravan at 256-9300.

One might think this generation of texting, selfie-snapping, digitalized teens would prefer an eReader to a paperback or hardcover.
But think again - according to a recent Voxburner survey, 62 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds would rather read print than eBooks.
The reasons cited by the readers broke down to mainly two - cost and an emotional attachment to physical books.
So don't take down your daughter's bookshelves just yet! They may still come in handy.