Library director leaves
behind far-reaching legacy 
Dear Wallkill Public Library Family:
 
It is with mixed emotions that I inform you that I have been offered, and I have accepted, the position of the Director of the Cornwall Public Library effective January, 2016. My last day as director of the Wallkill Public Library will officially be December 31, 2015. 
I began my career with our library as a
Soon after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., the library held a peace vigil. 
volunteer back in 2002. My first gig was playing Clifford the Big Red Dog - I was hooked - and I have loved this place ever since. I was hired as the children's coordinator in 2004 and my passion for libraries exploded. When I was hired as the director in 2008, I became actively involved in ensuring that we took advantage of all of the possibilities and opportunities that a great library can provide its community. It has been an immensely gratifying, satisfying, and life-changing experience for me.
Books Alive! and its directors - Jim and Adrienne Perine (right) - have played a huge part in the library's success.
I have worked with many great people over the years, both board and staff, but I truly feel like right now, I have the best staff and board I could ask for. So, why leave? Because the staff and board is solid and forward-thinking, I believe I am leaving our library in the best hands, and minds. Personally and professionally, I am ready to move on and explore larger venues, different communities, and to enable myself to continue progressing in my profession. Financially, I need a compensation that more closely meets my needs and helps me plan for the future for me and my family. 
I worked hard with the Vision of Wallkill to bring projects like the River Walk, whose ribbon cutting is shown here, to life.  
The Wallkill Public Library has been generous and accommodating to me in so many ways, and has provided me with opportunities I never dreamed possible. I will always be grateful. I will always treasure my work, my relationships, and the Wallkill community, but it is time to move on.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your constant support, enthusiasm and commitment to our great library. I will miss you, but I treasure you. This has been a wonderful experience.
 

My warmest and deepest regards,
 
 


Mary Lou Carolan
Craft your own game during Hour of Code! 
Hour of Code is a 60-minute session designed to demystify the basics of computer science.
That's a subject most schools still don't teach, which is why the annual Hour of Code has become such a global phenomenon.
This year, participants can learn the language of coding and programming through one of two sessions offered at Wallkill Public Library.
Session one will be held from 4-5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, for ages 8-12. Students will write code for the game Minecraft during this program.
Session two, for ages 12 and up, will take place from 4-5:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. Participants will use JavaScript to create their own Star Wars galaxy.
No programming experience is necessary for either session - come in and use our laptops to learn computer code! Visit our website or call the library at 895-3707 to register.
New newsletter offers up fiction highlights
The Wallkill Public Library is now offering a readers' advisory that brings monthly recommendations directly to your inbox!
NextReads is a free service that summarizes a new set of novels each month in an emailed newsletter. You can subscribe by following the link on our website's homepage.
Though at the moment the only NextReads newsletter we're offering is Fiction A to Z, there are other genre-specific newsletters that zero in on romance, mystery, and other recommendations. If the Fiction A to Z newsletter we're offering now becomes popular, we'll offer others in the future.
You can also access the current NextReads newsletter via the library's website. Check it out today!
2015 another chance to Sparkle and Shine!
The holidays are here, and once again it's your chance to give your part of Shawangunk some Sparkle and Shine.
The town-wide holiday decorating contest is back for 2015. Decorate the outside of your house for the holiday season, and then vote for either yourself or someone else in town at one of the boxes that will be set up at the Town Hall, Wallkill Public Library, the post office, Key Bank, and Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan. Voting takes place from Dec. 7-23. Whether you decorate or not, you can still nominate your favorite home.
The contest is sponsored by the Vision of Wallkill community improvement group.
Come to us with your device questions!
Computer Time is now offered three days a week at the library, and the one-hour sessions will be devoted to a lot more than just computer questions.
Staff experts Brendan Lee and Emma Caster-Dudzick will be available to answer users' questions regarding all matters digital, from computers to phones to tablets to e-readers. If you have a device whose quirks and nuances have been driving you nuts, bring it in, or just come in with a question, and Emma or Brendan will do their best to help.
Drop by between 4-5 p.m. Mondays; 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays; or 12-1 p.m. Saturdays and ask for Brendan or Emma. You'll be teched  up in no time!
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