May 2026 Newsletter

News from Castleton Public Library - May 2026 View this email in your browser Notes from Our Director:  For those of you who reside in the Schodack Central School District, Castleton Public Library has placed a funding proposition on the school district's upcoming ballot. Click here for more information about the library funding proposition that will appear on the ballot. The proposition will appear on the ballot at the Schodack Central School District School Budget Vote & Board Election, held in the Maple Hill High School Gym on Tuesday, May 19, from 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Maple Hill is located at 1216 Maple Hill Road, Castleton, NY 12033. The library will be hosting two Library Funding Proposition Community Information Sessions on Wednesday, May 6. One session will be held at 1:00 p.m. and another will be held at 6:00 p.m. Sessions will be held in person at the library (85 S. Main Street, Castleton, NY 12033). Members of the public who have questions about the funding proposition may contact Library Director Melissa Tacke by phone at 518-732-0879 or by email at [email protected]. Spring is a wonderful time to explore the outdoors -- and your library can help! May brings the return of our StoryWalks at Schodack Town Park and Schodack Island State Park! The StoryWalk uses pages from a picture book along a walking path so that families can enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time, any time the parks are open. Each StoryWalk begins near the park's playground. We change the book each month from May through October! We also have items you can borrow to help you enjoy the outdoors. Explore underneath the surface of the Earth with our metal detector! Borrow one for 14 days using your library card, just like borrowing a book.  You can also borrow fishing poles from the library for 14 days. The library has several poles to loan -- each pole is ready to go with line, hook, and a bobber.  Best, Melissa Tacke, Library Director Download our May calendar as a PDF Our Take-Home Kits Take & Make Craft Kit: Coffee Filter Butterfly Pick up anytime from Sunday, May 3 through Saturday, May 30. Create a unique butterfly to add some color to your space! Our StoryWalks May StoryWalk @Schodack Island State Park Location: Schodack Island State Park, 1 Schodack Island Way, Schodack Landing, NY 12156 The StoryWalk begins near the playground and is available anytime! Enjoy a StoryWalk with your family! Little Owl's Day by Divya Srinivasan will be up all month long. We change the StoryWalk book each month.  May StoryWalk @Schodack Town Park Location: Schodack Town Park, 498 Poyneer Road, Nassau, NY 12123  The StoryWalk begins near the playground and is available anytime! Enjoy a StoryWalk with your family! Hello Spring! by Shelley Rotner will be up all month long. We change the StoryWalk book each month.  Weekly Events Learn & Play Storytime Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. - May 7, 14, 21, 28.  Children from birth to age 5 are invited to enjoy stories, rhymes, music, and movement! Our Other Events Little Ones Playtime   Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 3, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Little ones ages birth to 5 years are invited to drop in any time on Saturday or Sunday to play with a special assortment of fun toys geared toward young children. Job Seeker Help with Rensselaer County Career Center Monday, May 4, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Looking for a new job or fresh career path? Rensselaer County Career Center is here to help! Professional career services include resume development, interview preparation, job search assistance, and career assessment. After Dinner Book Club Monday, May 4, 7:00 p.m. Join us the first Monday of each month for a book discussion! This month's selection is The Sinners All Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne by Kate Winkler Dawson. Books are available at the front desk. D&D for Adults: Session 0   Tuesday, May 5, 5:30 p.m. For ages 18+. Maybe you enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons or you want to start but have no idea where to begin. This Session 0 is the perfect place to learn and establish a new character. After this initial session, D&D for Adults will meet monthly on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Library Funding Proposition Community Information Session   Wednesday, May 6, 1:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. The library will offer two information sessions (one at 1:00 p.m. and one at 6:00 p.m.) regarding the library funding proposition that will appear on the Schodack Central School District ballot on May 19. For more information, including a Q&A about the proposition, visit tinyurl.com/CPL-2026Vote Teen Advisory Council   Wednesday, May 6, 4:30 p.m. Teens ages 12-17 -- earn volunteer hours and assist in planning teen events at the library! All ideas welcome.  Drop-In Tech Help   Thursday, May 7, 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. Stop in anytime with tech questions that our on-site tech guru can help to answer. Mother's Day Crafts   Saturday, May 9, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Come make a craft to give to mom, grandma, or another special "mom" in your life!  Fiber Arts Workshop   Monday, May 11, 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. For adults and teens 16+. Join us for our monthly Fiber Arts Workshop! Whether you're new to knitting and crochet or a seasoned fiber artist, this is the perfect place to share and create in a friendly environment. All skill levels welcome! Yarn and hooks/needles are available to beginners. Perler Bead Flowers   Tuesday, May 12, 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. Join us anytime to create your own pixel-style flower out of perler beads! Open Mic Night   Wednesday, May 13, 6:00 p.m. Musicians & poets - come share your talents! All ages welcome to perform and to watch. Teen Scene: Sidewalk Chalk Mural   Friday, May 15, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. For teens in 6th grade and up. Add some color to the library's front walkway! Friends of CPL Plant Sale   Saturday, May 16, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Location: River Rest (Corner of Scott Avenue and Main Street), Castleton, NY 12033. All proceeds benefit the library! An assortment of vegetable plants and flowers, along with coffee and donuts, will be available for purchase. Featuring music by Scarlett Duo.  Hanging Origami Peace Crane   Sunday, May 17, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Learn the history of the origami peace crane and make your own using origami paper. You'll also string beads on it for a hanging decoration you can put anywhere as a symbol of peace. CPL Board of Trustees Meeting   Monday, May 18, 7:00 p.m. Monthly meeting of the library's Board of Trustees. Members of the public are welcome to attend.  Afternoon Book Club   Wednesday, May 20, 1:00 p.m. Join us the third Wednesday of each month for a book discussion! This month's selection is Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World II at Home and Abroad by Matthew F. Delmont. Books are available at the front desk.  Paws to Read   Wednesday, May 20, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Join us for some reading practice with a certified therapy dog! Our friendly pup creates a calm, happy space for young readers. Practice reading aloud and enjoy furry encouragement! Registration is encouraged but walk-ins will be accepted if time permits. Registration opens on May 1 at https://tinyurl.com/PawstoReadCPL Friends of CPL Meeting   Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m. Want to help support and raise funds for the library? Come join the Friends! All are welcome. STEAM Lab: Pendulum Painting   Friday, May 22, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Learn the science behind what makes a pendulum work while you create a one-of-a-kind work of art! Recommended for ages 5 and up; younger children welcome with adult help. Rainbow Scratch Art   Saturday & Sunday, May 23 & 24, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Stop in to make cool rainbow scratch art with special paper! Cook with Me: Bacon Ranch Pinwheels   Tuesday, May 26, held on the hour at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00.  Starts on the hour at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. Learn a fun new recipe that requires a little bit of play, too! Write Your Life: Memoir Writing for Adults Wednesday, May 27, 6:30 p.m. In this monthly workshop-style class, we will complete writing exercises that spark creativity and share our own pieces with the group in an effort to hone the craft of storytelling. Saturday Stories Saturday, May 30, 11:30 a.m. Stop by for a weekend storytime and activity geared toward families with young children (ages birth-8) featuring crafts, music and movement, books, and fun! Prep Today, Enjoy Tomorrow: Overnight Oats Saturday, May 30, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. For ages 12 and up. Overnight oats make a great, nutritionally-dense breakfast which is easy to prep ahead of time and is ready to enjoy in the morning! Stop in to check out some recipes and make your own sample to enjoy tomorrow morning! Job Seeker Help with Rensselaer County Career Center Monday, June 1, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Looking for a new job or fresh career path? Rensselaer County Career Center is here to help! Professional career services include resume development, interview preparation, job search assistance, and career assessment. Adult Sewing Class Series: Sew a T-shirt Quilt (4 of 4)   Monday, June 1, 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. Turn your favorite shirts into a cozy, one-of-a-kind quilt! Join us for a four-part adult sewing series where you’ll learn how to prepare, cut, arrange, and stitch together a memory-filled T-shirt quilt. Whether you’re a seasoned sewist or a complete beginner, this hands-on class will guide you through each step—from stabilizing fabric to assembling your finished quilt top. All materials provided; bring your own beloved T-shirts to transform. After Dinner Book Club Monday, June 1, 7:00 p.m. Join us the first Monday of each month for a book discussion! This month's selection is Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu. Books are available at the front desk. D&D for Adults   Tuesday, June 2, 5:30 p.m. For ages 18+. Play D&D at the library! New players can arrive at 5:00; game play starts at 5:30. D&D for Adults meets monthly on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Digital Library Resources Check Out Our Digital Collections! The Upper Hudson Library System hosts a great collection of ebooks, digital audiobooks, digital magazines, and streaming video, resources for research, and more! Click here to visit our page about digital resources.  Borrow a WiFi Hotspot Did you know that we loan WiFi hotspots? They can be borrowed for 14 days -- all you need is your library card! Hotspots are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be checked out and returned at CPL. Call 518-732-0879 or email [email protected] for more information.  WiFi Inside & Outside Our Building Our WiFi is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can access the public WiFi on the front lawn, or alongside the building on Stimpson Avenue (the signal is strongest near the front of the building). Just look for the network called "Castleton Public Library." There's no password to connect!  Copyright © 2026 Castleton Public Library, All rights reserved.