The Highland Public Library will host a series of exciting programs in October, including hands-on learning, an art exhibit, and community support efforts.

On Saturday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m., the library will present Creatures Alive! in collaboration with Mohonk Preserve. This interactive program offers participants an opportunity to explore local aquatic life through a hands-on investigation. Attendees will meet various species, such as aquatic insects, mollusks, amphipods, annelids, zooplankton, and their predators, while learning about their underwater habitats. The program emphasizes the importance of clean water for environmental and human health. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

The library will be closed on Monday, Oct. 14, in observance of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

For Halloween enthusiasts, the library’s costume collection is available in the Children’s Room and Program Room. Costumes are going fast, but patrons are encouraged to stop by to find one or donate gently used costumes for others to enjoy.

The Ulster County Food Fight will wrap up on Oct. 19. The library encourages residents to continue contributing non-perishable food items to help support the community.

Additionally, visitors can explore United Fauna, a contemporary surrealist art exhibition by Collin Douma, in the Meeting Room. The exhibit contrasts animal imagery with machines to provoke thought on humanity’s environmental impact. Douma’s work highlights the real consequences of climate change, emphasizing that while nature may not strike back in fantastical ways, the Earth’s biodiversity is rapidly declining due to human inaction.

For more information, visit Highland Public Library at 14 Elting Place, Highland, or call 845-691-2275.