Altamont Library Notes for Wednesday, May 18, 2022
— Photo by Joe Burke
Betty Spadaro last October told her life story to Joe Burke, Altamont’s library director, as part of the library’s oral history project. She died on May 2 at the age of 103.
As you will have read in last week’s edition of The Enterprise, our friend Betty Spadaro passed away last week at the age of 103. Betty was a joyful inspiration to us here at Altamont Free Library.
She was born two months before the Armistice that ended World War I. Her teaching career lasted 40 years and took her from a rural one-room schoolhouse in Knox (which currently resides at the Altamont Fair) to the Altamont Elementary School we know and love today.
She taught generations of Altamont, Guilderland, and Knox children, and mentored generations of Altamont, Guilderland, and Knox teachers. She loved her community and her library.
I was lucky enough to get to spend a few hours with her at her home in Glen Lake back in October, and I interviewed her for our ongoing oral history project, which records and preserves the life stories of important community members.
You can find a transcript of our interview here at the library and the audio version of the interview on our YouTube channel. Her memory was astonishing in its clarity even at 103.
In one of her last gifts to the Altamont Community, Betty wrote the check that allowed the Altamont Free Library to eliminate overdue fines, so that all people could have access to books, no matter their economic circumstances.
She will be missed, but she will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace, Betty. May her memory be a comfort.
Historic homes
As we were reminded with the installation of our new exhibit on the history of the Altamont Train Station, every building has a story. Have you ever wondered about the people who lived in your house before you came along?
If so, please join us on Wednesday, May 25, (please note the changed date) at 7 p.m. for a workshop on how you can learn all about your house and its previous occupants. Led by county legislator and local historian Jeff Perlee, this workshop will fill you in on all of the free resources that you can use to learn more about the place you call home.
To register in advance call us at 518-861-7239 or email me at
Train Station
History Exhibit
The Altamont Train Station has witnessed a lot of history since it opened its doors in 1897. Next Monday, we will unveil an exhibit all about that history.
The exhibit was curated by Dan Barker of the Village Archive and Museum and features photos, documents, and artifacts from our building’s 125-year history. Among the artifacts on display will be the original stationmaster’s wooden ticket cabinet, which has never been displayed before.
The exhibit, which is presented with the financial assistance of the library’s Marijo Dougherty Fund for Local History Research, also features text by Keith C. Lee documenting the station’s history. It will be on display for the next few months, so please come on in and take a look! Many thanks to Dan and Keith for putting this all together.