July 2026 Newsletter

News from Castleton Public Library - July 2026 View this email in your browser What's New in July 2026:  Summer is in full swing at CPL! Have you signed up for our Summer Reading Club yet? Our program is inclusive of all ages -- including babies/toddlers, preschoolers, kids, teens, and adults. Join the fun and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift certificate (we'll draw 20 winners). You can sign up all summer long! A listing of our July events and take-home kits is below -- or you can download our Summer Reading Club guide for a full list of our events and take-home kits through the end of the summer. Planning to visit area museums this summer? Check out one of our museum passes to receive free or reduced admission. Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit our website or ask a staff member for information about our museum pass program. We hope you will join us for a summer full of fun and learning! Download our Summer Guide as a PDF Our Take-Home Kits Take & Make Craft Kit: Patriotic Crafts Pick up anytime from Friday, June 26 through Friday, July 3. Take & Make Craft Kit: Egg Carton Caterpillar Pick up anytime from Sunday, July 5 through Saturday, July 11. Take & Make Craft Kit: Emoji Faces Pick up anytime from Sunday, July 12 through Saturday, July 18. Take & Make Craft Kit: Make a Monster Pick up anytime from Sunday, July 19 through Saturday, July 25. Take & Make Craft Kit: Origami Pick up anytime from Sunday, July 26 through Saturday, August 1. Our StoryWalks July 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! Among a Thousand Fireflies by Helen Frost will be up all month long. We change the StoryWalk book each month.  July 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! Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall will be up all month long. We change the StoryWalk book each month.  Weekly Events Learn & Play Storytime Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. - July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30.  Children from birth to age 5 are invited to enjoy stories, rhymes, music, and movement! Our Other Events Summer Snacks: Fruit Smoothies   Wednesday, July 1, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Starts on the hour at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. Looking for a refreshing treat on a hot summer day? Fruit smoothies make a delicious healthy snack! T-Rex Tea Party Storytime   Thursday, July 2, 10:30 a.m. Our storytime turns prehistoric this week with a fun twist on the traditional tea party! Don’t miss a visit from Hudson the T-Rex! Chalk the Walk Contest   Thursday, July 2, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Chalk our library’s sidewalks and join in on some friendly competition! The winning designer will win a set of new art supplies! 4th of July Crafts   Friday, July 3, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Red, white, and blue galore! Celebrate the 4th of July with fun crafts at the library. DIY Grass Hair Garden   Sunday, July 5, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Decorate a cup with a fun face and plant grass seeds to create a one-of-a-kind “hair” planter. Job Seeker Help with Rensselaer County Career Center Monday, July 6, 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. Magic Wands   Monday, July 6, 3:00-7:00 p.m. Come make your very own magic wand and learn some spells to make your summer fantastic! Summer Snacks: S'more Pops   Tuesday, July 7, 12:00-4:00 p.m. Chocolate, marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs...say less. Stop in and treat yourself! D&D for Adults   Tuesday, July 7, 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. String Pull Paintings   Wednesday, July 8, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Use a few simple supplies to make a unique work of art! Open Mic Night   Wednesday, July 8, 6:00 p.m. Musicians & poets - come share your talents! All ages welcome to perform and to watch. Special Visitor Storytime: Yoga   Thursday, July 9, 10:30 a.m. Jen from Prancing Pony Yoga will join us for a yoga-based storytime focused on movement for kids! Please bring a mat or towel. Funding for this event provided by Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation. Summer STEAM: Paper Tube Bird Feeder   Thursday, July 9, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Join us to make a simple bird feeder out of recycled materials. Allergen Alert: Peanut butter will be used as a binding agent. Dinosaur Bones Discovery   Friday, July 10, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. We’ll have dinosaur bones of all shapes and sizes out for building and play all day! Tie Dye   Saturday, July 11, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Bring your plain tees, socks, or anything else that needs brightening to the library! Afternoon Finger Sandwiches and Sweet Tea   Sunday, July 12, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Tea sandwiches are just little sandwiches that you drink with tea while you're socializing. Come make your own small sandwiches from a variety of different ingredient options. Try something new! Sunday Afternoon Stroll   Sunday, July 12, 2:30 p.m. Take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood and chat with other walkers while exploring the beauty of the village. Summer STEAM: Firework Rainbow   Monday, July 13, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Starts on the hour at 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00. Come have fun with chemistry and make some rainbow fireworks! Recommended for Ages 8 and up, but younger is welcome with adult help. Fiber Arts Workshop   Monday, July 13, 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. Life-Size Chalk Dinosaurs   Tuesday, July 14, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Help us create life-size dinosaurs with chalk and marvel at their actual size! D&D for Teens: Session 0   Tuesday, July 14, 5:30 p.m. For ages 12-17. Have you ever wanted to learn to how to play D&D or join a group of other players? Start here! Beginner Yoga   Tuesday, July 14, 6:30 p.m. Join us for an indoor yoga class geared toward adult beginners, with instructor Barbara Hacker. Please bring your own mat. Funding for this event provided by the Friends of CPL.  Birds of Prey   Wednesday, July 15, 6:00 p.m. Come see and learn about raptors like owls, hawks, and more with the Vermont Museum of Natural History! Funding for this event provided by Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation. Parachute Palooza Storytime   Thursday, July 16, 10:30 a.m. What’s better than storytime at the library? Storytime with a giant parachute, of course! Recommended for ages 2-8.  Kids and Teens Cookie Bake-Off   Thursday, July 16, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Drop off your cookie creations anytime between 4:00 and 6:00! Create a delicious cookie to enter into our Cookie Bake-Off! Winner of the bake-off will receive the ultimate baking prize basket! Keychain Critters   Friday, July 17, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Stop by to learn how to make an adorable lizard critter keychain! Tween/Teen Beginner Crochet Class   Saturday, July 18, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. For ages 8-18. Learn how to crochet! All materials provided. Slime Science!   Sunday, July 19, 11:00 a.m. Using a few simple ingredients, concoct some gooey slime to take home! Teens Read!   Monday, July 20, 1:00 p.m. What have you been reading so far this summer? Come gather with more readers and share your faves and what's on your TBR list! Sand Globes   Monday, July 20, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. A twisted take on a winter classic; come make a beach summer scene to take home! Library Board Meeting   Monday, July 20, 7:00 p.m. Monthly meeting of the library's Board of Trustees. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Adopt a Dino   Tuesday, July 21, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Learn all about dinosaurs and pick out your favorite, complete with birth certificate, to take home from our Dino Nursery. Beginner Yoga   Tuesday, July 21, 6:30 p.m. Join us for an indoor yoga class geared toward adult beginners, with instructor Barbara Hacker. Please bring your own mat. Funding for this event provided by the Friends of CPL.  Summer STEAM: Ice Cream Science   Wednesday, July 22, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Starts on the hour at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. Discover the chilly science behind this experiment and try your own delicious results! Friends of CPL Music on the Lawn: The Summit   Wednesday, July 22, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Enjoy live music by The Summit on the front lawn! The Friends of CPL will be selling meatball subs, hot dogs, strawberry shortcakes, and drinks from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Music is from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Presented by the Friends of CPL. Special Visitor Storytime: Matt's Music Together   Thursday, July 23, 10:30 a.m. Join Matt from Music Together, an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for ages 0-4. Funding for this event provided by Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation. Perler Bead Crafts   Thursday, July 23, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. Use your imagination to make awesome creations with Perler beads! Stomp Like a Dinosaur!   Friday, July 24, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Make yourself some dinosaur feet and stomp around! Acting and Improv Games for Kids and Teens   Friday, July 24, 4:30 p.m. Join local actor and director Brian Sheldon for an afternoon of creative acting exercises and games! Saturday Storytime   Saturday, July 25, 11:00 a.m. Sometimes a weekend storytime fits perfectly in a busy schedule. Join us for summer picture book read-alouds. Paper Plate Sunshine   Saturday, July 25, 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Create a shining sun out of paper plates, paint, paper, and googly eyes! Homemade Lemonade   Sunday, July 26, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Learn how to make REAL lemonade with just lemons, sugar, water, and ice! Design Your Own Coloring Page   Monday, July 27, 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. Create a coloring page and we'll duplicate it for you to share with a friend! Summer STEAM: Volcano Science   Tuesday, July 28, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Starts on the hour at 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00.  Recommended for ages 8 and up; younger children welcome with an adult's help. What causes a volcano to erupt? Learn this and see a replica erupt before your eyes in this Summer STEAM! Beginner Yoga   Tuesday, July 28, 6:30 p.m. Join us for an indoor yoga class geared toward adult beginners, with instructor Barbara Hacker. Please bring your own mat. Funding for this event provided by the Friends of CPL.  Aquarium in a Jar   Wednesday, July 29, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. Design the perfect no-maintenance aquarium for your shelf or desk! "Things That Go" Storytime   Thursday, July 30, 10:30 a.m. Join us to read books and sing songs all about cars, trucks, trains and more! Scratch Art   Thursday, July 30, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. Stop in to make cool scratch art with special paper! Summer Snacks: Funfetti Dip   Friday, July 31, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Funfetti is a delicious and fun dip with many options for dipping! Learn how to make it here at the library! 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. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website or at the library. Our mailing address is: Castleton Public Library 85 South Main Street Castleton-on-Hudson, New York 12033 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences