Altamont Library Notes for Wednesday, August 12, 2020

If you need to get out of the house with your young folks, and would like to get a bit of reading done at the same time, why not take a StoryWalk at Schilling Park!

Read the classic children’s story “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Eric Carle and Bill Martin Jr. while walking around this lovely little pocket park just off of Maple Avenue in the Village of Altamont!

Many thanks to our friends at the Upper Hudson Library System and the Village of Altamont for helping make this StoryWalk possible.

“Brown Bear, Brown Bear” will be up in Schilling Park for the next two weeks, assuming the posts stay planted and the signs hold up. Keep your eyes peeled for new StoryWalks around the village in the coming weeks.

The StoryWalk Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

Census

By now, more than 75 percent of all households in the village of Altamont have responded to the federal census, which is great! That’s better than the national average, the state average, and the Albany County average, so well done!

But, you know what? I think we can still do better! And we need to, because for every person that doesn’t get counted, the village loses out on $10,000 in support from the county over the 10 years before the next census.

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, from noon to 5 p.m., professionals from the Census Bureau will have a table set up outside the library, and they would be happy to help you fill out your census questionnaire, or answer any questions you have about the census.

In the meantime, if you haven’t responded yet, you can do it online at www.my2020census.gov, on paper when you receive your form in the mail, or by phone at 1-844-330-2020. Take 15 minutes (or less) and fill out your census form today.

Even if you haven’t received a mailing from the Census Bureau 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.

If you have any questions or need help in filling out your questionnaire, send us an email at or leave a message on the library’s voicemail at 518-861-7239 and we’ll get right back to you.

Summer Reading

Hey, young friends! Join our annual summer reading program. Things will be a little different this year than last, but just like in years past, there will be Summer Reading Bingo Cards, prizes, and a very special stuffed raccoon hiding around the village.

Stop by the library to pick up a Bingo Card, and like us on Facebook, or check out our website for all the details! Happy reading! 

Rosie Raccoon

Have you met Rosie Raccoon? She’s going to be hanging around Altamont this summer, and she’d love to make some new friends, but first you have to find her. Last week, Rosie was at Bella Fleur, smelling the roses. Did you see her? 

If you’d like a clue to help you find her this week, check out the sign in our vestibule, or like us on Facebook and look for a clue there. If you do find Rosie, come let us know where she is, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a pretty great prize at the end of the summer. 

Grab & Go

Curbside Grab & Go service is in full swing here at the library and it’s been going really well so far, and it’s been so wonderful to see so many of our friends back in the library after so long.

Here’s how Grab & Go service works:

— Hours of operation for pick-up and drop-off will be noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday;

— Reserve books and DVD’ at http://www.catalog.uhls.org anytime or by calling us at 518-861-7239 beginning June 15;

— When your items are ready, a library staff member will call or email you with a time you can pick them up. Please make an appointment before you come so that we can be sure to have everything ready for you when you get here;

— Your order will be waiting on a table in the library’s vestibule in a paper bag with your name on it. Please follow the directions you will see posted about “traffic flow” and social distancing;

— At this time, the library building and its restroom will remain closed to the public. Printing, computer, faxing and photocopying services are not yet available;

— Returns can be dropped off in the marked boxes in the library’s vestibule during business hours. Due dates for previously checked out materials have been extended into July — overdue fines are not being applied to previously borrowed materials;

— Returned items will be quarantined at the library for at least 72 hours before they are able to be checked in and recirculated; and

— Library users must maintain social distance and wear masks while picking up and dropping off library materials. 

If you have any questions, please give us a call at 518-861-7239. See you soon!