Altamont Library Notes for Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Things seem to be getting a bit better with the coronavirus. In Albany County, positive test rates are at their lowest since November, which is great!

On the other hand, new information keeps coming out every week about new COVID strains that seem to spread more quickly and easily, so this is no time to let down our guard. In fact, now is the time to double down and double mask so that we can get things back to normal all the sooner.

Albany County has created a website where you can register for vaccination, once vaccines become available for you. Just go to https://alb.518c19.com and sign up. Many of you are already eligible to make an appointment to receive a vaccine: If you are over the age of 65 or are a medical, education, transportation, public-safety or grocery worker, you can make that appointment as soon as appointments are available, so that you can get vaccinated.

Until then, keep doing the hard work of making sure that you, your loved ones, and your community are as safe as possible: Wear a mask (or two!), and avoid indoor gatherings whenever possible. If we keep this up for just a few months longer, I’m sure that we’re going to have a beautiful, nearly normal summer. 

“The Overstory”

book discussion

Do you love to read? Do you love talking about the things you’ve read? If so, consider joining our First Monday Book Club!

We meet, as the name implies, on the first Monday of every month at noon. Our next meeting will be Monday, March 1 at noon when we’ll meet via Zoom to discuss “The Overstory” by Richard Powers. The Overstory, which won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, is very simply a novel about trees.

More specifically, the novel follows numerous characters and their relationships with trees throughout each’s life. It’s a fascinating book, and we’ve got several copies on hold if you’re interested.

You can also find the digital audiobook available for free on the Hoopla app. If you’d like to join us, or to reserve your copy of The Overstory, call us at 518-861-7239 or send us an email at director@altamontfreelibrary.org.

New York Times access

If you’re reading this, then we already know that you’re a smart cookie and you subscribe to The Altamont Enterprise. Good for you! But here’s something new for the new year: Now you can use your Altamont Free Library card to access The New York Times online for free!

Normally, once you’ve read a few articles in The New York Times every month, you are restricted from accessing any more until the next month, which can be frustrating. Now, you can simply go to AltamontFreeLibrary.com/Times and get a code that will allow you to access every Times article for 72 hours.

Once your 72 hours are up, just come back to our website, get a new code, and you’re good for another 72 hours. You’ll need to set up a free New York Times online account, which is super easy, and you’ll be set to read the online Times on as many computers or smart devices as you like! If you need any help getting set up, please give us a call at 518-861-7239 and we’ll walk you through it.

These days, it’s more important than ever to get your news from reliable journalistic sources like The Enterprise and The Times, so start reading today!