This coming Friday, Nov. 20, is the official opening of the brand new Stewart’s Shop here in the village. As part of that celebration, Stewart’s is making a very generous donation to the Altamont Free Library of $2,000. We could not be happier to have been chosen as the beneficiary of Stewart’s philanthropy, and we extend our grateful thanks to Stewart’s for its generosity.

Over the years, donations from Stewart’s Holiday Match program have allowed us to renovate our storage spaces, buy ukuleles for circulation, complete work on our fire-alarm system, and update the toys in our children’s section, among much else.

Every summer, Stewart’s gives us hundreds of coupons for free ice-cream scoops that we use as prizes for our annual Summer Reading Program. We so appreciate all that Stewart’s does for us and for our community. Thank you Stewart’s! 

Library Lights

Feel that nip in the air? That’s a pretty good sign that the holidays are creeping up on us. We’re about a month away from the Altamont Celebration of Lights, so it’s time to start thinking about lighting up the Orsini Park Gazebo. This holiday season, honor the memory of a friend, loved one, or pet with a light on the Altamont Village Gazebo in Orsini Park.

The lights cost $5 each and all proceeds benefit the Altamont Free Library. The honorees names will be read during the annual lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m., and be published on the library’s website.

Forms are available in the library’s entryway and in this week’s edition of the Altamont Enterprise. Please join us at the gazebo with on Friday, Dec. 11 for what is always a lovely and moving (masked-up and socially distant) ceremony.

Book Club!

With the onset of cooler weather, we’ve had to migrate our First Monday Book Club meetings to the digital realm. If you would like to join us for our next meeting, please us at 518-861-7239 or email us at and we’ll make sure that you get the Zoom meeting connection details for our next meeting on Dec. 7.

At that meeting, we’ll be discussing the wonderful novel “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michelle Richardson. Call today to reserve your copy and join us! 

Browsing

If you’ve been missing scanning our library shelves since the pandemic hit, we’d love to welcome you back in! You can now make an appointment to come in and browse the collection! 

It’s been really great having folks back in the building after so long, and on behalf of the staff, I want to say everyone who’s come in so far to browse for being so patient and careful about following our new rules.

Here’s how it works: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time. 

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn, covering the mouth and nose throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available. Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff. 

Curbside Grab & Go service is still our primary mode of lending, and when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery. 

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and Board, we sincerely appreciate it.

Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky, and the Pack Horse Library Project of the 1930s, this novel will be discussed by the Altamont Free Library’s First Monday Book Club when it next meets, via Zoom, on Dec. 7.

We’ve just held our November meeting of the First Monday Book Club. Throughout the summer and fall, we’d been meeting in Orsini Park but, with the onset of cooler weather, we’ve had to migrate our meetings to the digital realm.

If you would like to join us for our next meeting, please call us at 518-861-7239 or email us at and we’ll make sure that you get the Zoom meeting connection details for our next meeting on Dec. 7. At that meeting, we’ll be discussing the wonderful novel, “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson. Call today to reserve your copy and join us! 

Library Lights

Feel that nip in the air? That’s a pretty good sign that the holidays are creeping up on us. We’re about a month away from the Altamont Celebration of Lights, so it’s time to start thinking about lighting up the Orsini Park Gazebo. This holiday season, honor the memory of a friend, loved one, or pet with a light on the Altamont Village Gazebo in Orsini Park.

The lights cost $5 each and all proceeds benefit the Altamont Free Library. The honorees names will be read during the annual lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m., and be published on the library’s website. Forms are available in the library’s entryway and in this week’s edition of the Altamont Enterprise. Please join us at the gazebo with on Dec. 11 for what is always a lovely and moving (masked-up and socially distant) ceremony.

Browsing

If you’ve been missing scanning our library shelves since the pandemic hit, we’d love to welcome you back in! You can now make an appointment to come in and browse the collection! 

It's been really great having folks back in the building after so long, and on behalf of the staff, I want to thank everyone who’s come in so far to browse for being so patient and careful about following our new rules.

Here’s how it works: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time. 

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn, covering the mouth and nose throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available. Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff. 

Curbside Grab & Go service is still our primary mode of lending, and when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery. 

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and Board, we sincerely appreciate it.

Since June, we’ve had two ways of using the library. One is to use our own awesome Hoopla and Overdrive services to download ebooks and digital audiobooks to your smart devices from anywhere. That’s a pretty great service.

The other way has been our Grab & Go service, where you can order books and movies and more, and then pick them up from the library entryway when they are ready for you. That’s pretty great too.

And now a few weeks ago we added a third option: You can make an appointment to come in and browse the collection!

It’s been really great having folks back in the building after so long and, on behalf of the staff, I want to say everyone who has come in so far to browse for being so patient and careful about following our new rules.

Here’s how it works: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2  and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time.

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn, covering the mouth and nose, throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available. Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff.

Curbside Grab & Go service is still our primary mode of lending and, when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID-19 or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery.

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and board, we sincerely appreciate it.

Please join the First Monday Book Club for our next meeting on Monday, Nov. 2, at noon. After holding book club meetings in beautiful Orsini Park for the past several months, we’re going to retreat back to online meetings I’m afraid.

This month, we’ll be discussing the wonderful novel, “Ask Again, Yes” by Mary Beth Keene. If you haven’t joined us before and you’d like to join the chat, give us a call at 518-861-7239 or an email at and we’ll send you the connection information. We still have a few copies to be picked up if you’d like to read along with us. 

Browsing

Since June, we’ve had two ways of using the library. One is to use our awesome Hoopla and Overdrive services to download ebooks and digital audiobooks to your smart devices from anywhere. That’s a pretty great service.

The other way has been our Grab & Go service, where you can order books and movies and more, and then pick them up from the library entryway when they are ready for you. That’s pretty great too. And now a few weeks ago we added a third option: You can make an appointment to come in and browse the collection!

It’s been really great having folks back in the building after so long, and on behalf of the staff, I want to thank everyone who has come in so far to browse for being so patient and careful about following our new rules.

Here’s how it works: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2  and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time.

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn, covering the mouth and nose, throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available. Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff.

Curbside Grab & Go service is still our primary mode of lending and, when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID-19 or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery.

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and board, we sincerely appreciate it.

Since June, we’ve had two ways of using the library. One is to use our own awesome Hoopla and Overdrive services to download ebooks and digital audiobooks to your smart devices from anywhere. That’s a pretty great service.

The other way has been our Grab & Go service, where you can order books and movies and more, and then pick them up from the library entryway when they are ready for you. That’s pretty great too. And now a few weeks ago we added a third option: You can make an appointment to come in and browse the collection!

It’s been really great having folks back in the building after so long, and on behalf of the staff, I want to say everyone who’s come in so far to browse for being so patient and careful about following our new rules.

Here’s how it works: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time.

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn covering the mouth and nose throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available.

Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff. 

Curbside Grab & Go service will remain our primary mode of lending and, when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID-19 or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery.

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and board, we sincerely appreciate it. 

Try Hoopla!

Back when we were closed, we introduced a new service for digital books, audiobooks, streaming music and movies that you could access from anywhere. It’s called Hoopla, and it’s totally great. At the time, we thought that we would just keep that service until the end of September to tide you over until we reopened, but it turned out to be so popular that we’re keeping it! 

If you haven’t tried Hoopla yet, you should! The Hoopla app can be downloaded onto any smart device, and gives you access to a tremendous catalog on ebook, digital audiobooks, streaming music, movies and TV shows for free with your library card.

Even better, there’s never a waitlist for anything you check out! If you have a card from any of the libraries in Albany or Rensselaer Counties, you can borrow up to five items a month. For more information, check out HooplaDigital.com or AltamontFreeLibrary.org and start streaming today.

If you have any questions about Hoopla or any of our other digital services, send me an email at or call the library at 518- 861-7239 and we’ll do our best to help!

Since June, we’ve had two ways of using the library. One is to use our awesome Hoopla and Overdrive services to download ebooks and digital audiobooks to your smart devices from anywhere. That’s a pretty great service.

The other way has been our Grab & Go service, where you can order books and movies and more, and then pick them up from the library entryway when they are ready for you. That’s pretty great too.

Now we’re adding a third option: You can make an appointment to come in and browse the collection! 

Here’s how it will work: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time.

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn covering the mouth and nose throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available.

Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff. 

Curbside Grab & Go service will remain our primary mode of lending and, when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID-19 or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery.

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and board, we sincerely appreciate it. 

Try Hoopla!

Back when we were closed, we introduced a new service for digital books, audiobooks, streaming music and movies that you could access from anywhere. It’s called Hoopla, and it’s totally great. At the time, we thought that we would just keep that service until the end of September to tide you over until we reopened, but it turned out to be so popular that we’re keeping it! 

If you haven’t tried Hoopla yet, you should! The Hoopla app can be downloaded onto any smart device, and gives you access to a tremendous catalog on ebook, digital audiobooks, streaming music, movies and TV shows for free with your library card.

Even better, there’s never a waitlist for anything you check out! If you have a card from any of the libraries in Albany or Rensselaer Counties, you can borrow up to five items a month. For more information, check out HooplaDigital.com or AltamontFreeLibrary.org and start streaming today.

If you have any questions about Hoopla or any of our other digital services, send me an email at or call the library at 518- 861-7239 and we’ll do our best to help!

Since June, we’ve had two ways of using the Altamont Free Library. One is to use our awesome Hoopla and Overdrive services to download ebooks and digital audiobooks to your smart devices from anywhere. That’s a pretty great service.

The other way has been our Grab & Go service, where you can order books and movies and more, and then pick them up from the library entryway when they are ready for you. That’s pretty great too.

Now we’re adding a third option: Beginning on Monday, Sept. 12, you can make an appointment to come in and browse the collection!

Here’s how it will work: You can call us at 518-861-7239 to make an appointment to come in and to browse the library collection. At first, appointments will be scheduled between 2 and  6 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and, depending on how things go, we may expand that to the entire day over time. 

Visits must be scheduled ahead of time by phone, and walk-ins will not be allowed, even if no other appointments are scheduled at the time. Appointments will be limited to 10 minutes per visit, and to one patron or family (five people maximum) at a time.

Face masks must be worn, covering the mouth and nose throughout your visit, and all patrons must use hand sanitizer upon entering the building. Computers and bathrooms will not be available to patrons, but the photocopier and fax machine will be available.

Please be advised that all toys have been temporarily removed from the children’s section, in order to keep the library hygienic and safe for all users and staff.

Curbside Grab & Go service will remain our primary mode of lending, and, when items are requested, we will continue to prefer that method of delivery. Please do not schedule a visit if you are experiencing any COVID or flu symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, or if you are unable to wear a mask for any reason, we will be happy to arrange for curbside delivery.

We look forward to continuing to serve our community in all of the ways that we safely can. We thank you all for your continued support, patience, and respect for these new rules. On behalf of the staff and Board, we sincerely appreciate it. 

Try Hoopla!

Back when we were closed, we introduced a new service for digital book, audiobooks, streaming music and movies that you could access from anywhere. It’s called Hoopla, and it’s totally great. At the time, we thought that we would just keep that service until the end of September to tide you over until we reopened, but it turned out to be so popular that we’re keeping it! 

If you haven’t tried Hoopla yet, you should! The Hoopla app can be downloaded onto any smart device, and gives you access to a tremendous catalog on ebook, digital audiobooks, streaming music, movies and TV shows for free with your library card!

Even better, there’s never a waitlist for anything you check out! If you have a card from any of the libraries in Albany or Rensselaer Counties, you can borrow up to five items a month. For more information, check out HooplaDigital.com or AltamontFreeLibrary.org and start streaming today.

If you have any questions about Hoopla or any of our other digital services, send me an email at or call the library at 518- 861-7239 and we’ll do our best to help! 

 

Mark your calendars, and join us in Orsini Park at noon on Monday, Oct. 5, for an open-air, socially-distant, in-person meeting of the First Monday Book Group. Bring a lawn chair, a mask, and a water bottle, and meet us for a discussion of Ibrahim X Kendi’s searing examination of race in America, “How To Be An Antiracist.” Reserve your copy today and we’ll see you in the park!

Uke Club

We're bringing back our monthly ukulele jam on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m.! We'll be meeting outdoors in Orsini Park, so please bring a chair, a sweater, a music stand if you have one, a mask, and your uke! Masks should be worn, especially while singing, and all participants are expected to maintain social distance throughout. 

Many thanks to the Normanskill Strummers, who are letting us use one of their wonderful songbooks for the jam. If you plan to attend and need a copy of the songs we’ll be trying out, let us know and we’ll send you a copy or print one out for you. You can find all kinds of neat resources and songs sheets at the Normanskill Strummers website at https://www.normanskillstrummers.com/.

Hope to see uke in the park!

Grab & Go

We’ve been doing Grab & Go Service for a while now, and it’s going really well! Nevertheless, we just want to remind everyone of the rules for Grab & Go.

Our goal is to control the traffic flow in and out of the library’s vestibule as much as possible in order to limit contact between patrons. Adhering to the following rules will make an easier and safer library experience for your library staff and fellow patrons

— 1. To pick items that you have requested, you must make an appointment by calling the library at 518-861-7239. We have appointments from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday at 10 minute intervals;

— 2. Please be here at or as close as possible to your appointment time. Your books and movies will be in a brown bag with your last name on it to your left when you walk in. The items are already checked out, so you can just grab the bag and go;

— 3. If there is someone else inside the vestibule when you arrive, please keep your distance and wait until the vestibule is empty. One person or family is allowed in the vestibule at a time;

— 4. When you are in the library vestibule, you must wear a mask covering your mouth and nose;

— 5. The public is not allowed in the library at this time. If you need assistance, please knock on the door to get our attention. If the inner doors are closed, please do not open the inner doors and come in;

— 6. You do not need an appointment to return books but, again, if there is someone already inside, please wait until the vestibule is empty before coming in. If the library is closed, returns can be placed in the outdoor drop-box next to the front door; and

— 7. We are not taking donations at this time.

A reminder, too, that, in order to ensure that library materials are totally disinfected before the staff handle them, we are holding items for four days after they are returned and before they get checked in. After the quarantine period, we back-date the check-in to the date the items were actually returned, so there will not be any overdue fine charged for the quarantine period.

If you see items on your account at least a week after you returned them, please give us a call and we will sort it out.

Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation!

There are so many things we can’t control these days, but one thing that we can have some control over is our immune system, and it has never been more important to have a healthy immune system. Please join us for a virtual discussion with Altamont-based Certified Holistic Health Coach Kelly Pickering on Monday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. to learn more about how you can take charge of your immune health.

According to Kelly, “In a time when it’s easy to feel helpless, I assure you you’re not! Learn about healthy immune function, what weakens it, and ways to support and enhance your body’s innate abilities through simple, easy to implement daily choices.”

Kelly, in addition to being a certified Holistic Health Coach, is also a Sanoviv-trained Nutrition Advisor, and a certified Healthy Gut Advisor, so she knows what she’s talking about! Please register in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at

Census endings soon

The 2020 Census count is nearly complete! In just a few weeks, all of the thousands of people who have spent countless hours working to make as complete a count of the population as they could will hand in their work and the results will begin to be tabulated.

We have one last chance in those next two weeks to make sure that every single Altamontian, Knoxite, Berner, Voorheesvillian, and Guilderlander gets counted. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already responded and if you have, thank you!

But, if you know someone who hasn’t, please let them know that it’s not too late yet! Have them call us at 518-861-7239 or call the Census response hotline directly at 844-330-2020. You can even complete the short questionnaire online at www.my2020census.gov. And if a friendly census worker comes to your door, please be as helpful as you can. With your help, we can make sure that our communities count!

Book club in

Orsini Park

Mark your calendars, and join us in Orsini Park at noon on Monday, Sept. 7, for an open-air, socially-distant, in-person meeting of the First Monday Book Group. Bring a lawn chair, a mask, and a water bottle, and meet us for a discussion of Ibrahim X. Kendi’s searing examination of race in America, “How To Be An Antiracist.” Reserve your copy today and we’ll see you in the park!

Grab & Go

We’ve been doing Grab & Go Service for a while now, and it’s going really well! Nevertheless, we just want to remind everyone of the rules for Grab & Go.

Our goal is to control the traffic flow in and out of the library’s vestibule as much as possible in order to limit contact between patrons. Adhering to the following rules will make an easier and safer library experience for your library staff and fellow patrons

— 1. To pick items that you have requested, you must make an appointment by calling the library at 518-861-7239. We have appointments from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday at 10 minute intervals;

— 2. Please be here at or as close as possible to your appointment time. Your books and movies will be in a brown bag with your last name on it to your left when you walk in. The items are already checked out, so you can just grab the bag and go;

— 3. If there is someone else inside the vestibule when you arrive, please keep your distance and wait until the vestibule is empty. One person or family is allowed in the vestibule at a time;

— 4. When you are in the library vestibule, you must wear a mask covering your mouth and nose;

— 5. The public is not allowed in the library at this time. If you need assistance, please knock on the door to get our attention. If the inner doors are closed, please do not open the inner doors and come in;

— 6. You do not need an appointment to return books but, again, if there is someone already inside, please wait until the vestibule is empty before coming in. If the library is closed, returns can be placed in the outdoor drop-box next to the front door; and

— 7. We are not taking donations at this time.

A reminder, too, that, in order to ensure that library materials are totally disinfected before the staff handle them, we are holding items for four days after they are returned and before they get checked in. After the quarantine period, we back-date the check-in to the date the items were actually returned, so there will not be any overdue fine charged for the quarantine period.

If you see items on your account at least a week after you returned them, please give us a call and we will sort it out.

Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation!

We’ve been doing Grab & Go Service for a while now, and it’s going really well! Nevertheless, we just want to remind everyone of the rules for Grab & Go.

Our goal is to control the traffic flow in and out of the library’s vestibule as much as possible in order to limit contact between patrons. Adhering to the following rules will make an easier and safer library experience for your library staff and fellow patrons

— 1. To pick items that you have requested, you must make an appointment by calling the library at 518-861-7239. We have appointments from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday at 10 minute intervals;

— 2. Please be here at or as close as possible to your appointment time. Your books and movies will be in a brown bag with your last name on it to your left when you walk in. The items are already checked out, so you can just grab the bag and go;

— 3. If there is someone else inside the vestibule when you arrive, please keep your distance and wait until the vestibule is empty. One person or family is allowed in the vestibule at a time;

— 4. When you are in the library vestibule, you must wear a mask covering your mouth and nose;

— 5. The public is not allowed in the library at this time. If you need assistance, please knock on the door to get our attention. If the inner doors are closed, please do not open the inner doors and come in;

— 6. You do not need an appointment to return books but, again, if there is someone already inside, please wait until the vestibule is empty before coming in. If the library is closed, returns can be placed in the outdoor drop-box next to the front door; and

— 7. We are not taking donations at this time.

A reminder, too, that, in order to ensure that library materials are totally disinfected before the staff handle them, we are holding items for four days after they are returned and before they get checked in. After the quarantine period, we back-date the check-in to the date the items were actually returned, so there will not be any overdue fine charged for the quarantine period.

If you see items on your account at least a week after you returned them, please give us a call and we will sort it out.

Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation!

Take charge of

your immune health

There are so many things we can’t control these days, but one thing that we can have some control over is our immune system, and it has never been more important to have a healthy immune system. Please join us for a virtual discussion with Altamont-based Certified Holistic Health Coach Kelly Pickering on Monday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. to learn more about how you can take charge of your immune health.

According to Kelly, “In a time when it’s easy to feel helpless, I assure you you’re not! Learn about healthy immune function, what weakens it, and ways to support and enhance your body’s innate abilities through simple, easy to implement daily choices.”

Kelly, in addition to being a certified Holistic Health Coach, is also a Sanoviv-trained Nutrition Advisor, and a certified Healthy Gut Advisor, so she knows what she’s talking about! Please register in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at

Census ending soon

Here’s the good news: All census collection activities will cease nationwide on Sept. 30, so you only have to hear about this from Mayor Gaughan and I for a few more weeks!

The bad news is that in just four weeks, we have a lot of ground to make up to ensure that every single member of our community is counted! By now, more than 75 percent of all households in the village of Altamont have responded to the census, which is great! That’s better than the national average, the state average, and the Albany County average, so well done! But, we need every single person counted, if we’re going to get our fair share of money and representation.  

If you haven’t responded yet, you can still do it online at www.my2020census.gov, or by phone at 1-844-330-2020. Take 15 minutes (or less) and fill out your census today. Even if you haven't received a mailing from the Census Department yet (or it got misplaced), you can still go ahead and respond to the census online by going to https://my2020census.gov.

Simply click on the button that says “If you do not have a Census ID click here,” and you will be led through a series of questions about your home address, and then get into the Census questionnaire. Census workers are also visiting the homes of people who have not yet responded, so please be on the lookout for them! 

If you have any questions or need help in filling out your questionnaire, send us an email at or call us at 518-861-7239 and we'll do whatever we can to help.

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