In Callicoon, we are lucky to have one of those small-town institutions that quietly does a lot for the community: the Delaware Free Branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library. Most of us simply call it the Callicoon Library, but its official name carries a bit of history.

The library was established in 1951 in the Klimchok building, which still stands today. It is the red building right in the middle of town. It was a modest beginning, but the goal was simple: make books and information available to the public, and trust people would use them. As it turns out, they did.

As the collection and community involvement grew, the library needed more space. On December 10, 1970, it moved into its current home, the historic 1913 former Callicoon National Bank building. A structure once dedicated to protecting money now safeguards knowledge, a pretty good upgrade.

One of the building’s more interesting features is that it still contains two bank vaults from its earlier life.

The upstairs vault remains closed to the public, while the downstairs vault has a literary purpose.

 It hosts book sales run by the Friends of the Library, a volunteer group that supports the library in many ways. If you’ve never ventured inside during a sale, you are missing one of Callicoon’s most charming experiences: browsing for inexpensive books in what was once a bank vault.

The upstairs also once played host to the Delaware Lodge #561 of Free and Accepted Mason.

In 2000, the Callicoon branch became part of the consolidated Western Sullivan Public Library system, joining libraries in Jeffersonville and Narrowsburg. This partnership expanded resources for everyone with a library card. If the book you want isn’t on the shelf in Callicoon, the system can track it down and send it your way.

Of course, libraries today do far more than circulate books.

The Callicoon branch regularly hosts programs for children and adults, discussion groups, creative workshops, and presentations on all sorts of topics. For a building that once focused entirely on financial transactions, it now handles a remarkable number of intellectual ones. Which brings me to one of the upcoming events on their calendar.

On Friday, March 27 at 6 pm, I will be presenting a program at the library called Cymatica: Sound and Vision Cinema. 

If the word “cymatica” sounds unfamiliar, you are not alone. The first time I heard it, I suspected it might be a rare mineral or a slightly advanced yoga pose.

Cymatics is the study of how sound vibrations create visible patterns in matter. I play the handpan, a beautiful steel instrument that looks a little like a flying saucer and produces warm, resonant tones. 

Those sounds inspired me to create animation based on songs I write using handpan and voice. On March 27, I will play handpan and sing while the animation plays on a giant screen.

The event is free, but you need to register in advance so the librarians know how many people to expect.

The easiest way is to register online here: https://bit.ly/CymaticaMarch2026.

Registering online is best. But if technology occasionally behaves as if it has a personal grudge against you, simply call 845-887-4040 and ask one of the librarians to register you.

The Delaware Free Branch has been serving the community for more than seventy years.

Step inside, and you’ll find books, programs, volunteers, and even the occasional flying saucer-like surprise waiting among those old bank walls.