Altamont Library Notes for Tuesday, November 1, 2022
You might have noticed some big machines out in front of the library last week digging up a whole bunch of dirt. We had a few people come in to ask if we were having a sewer issue or something like that.
Far from it! In fact, we’ve had the folks at Staucet’s Landscaping out there for the past few days, making the area under our platform overhang ready to install a new patio!
The idea, which we’ve been kicking around for quite some time, is to mimic the original train station platform and to create a new covered outdoor seating area and programming space where we could have a story time or where you could get a cup of coffee and bring your laptop and do a bit of work using our 24/7 wi-fi.
You could even come inside and borrow one of our chess boards and have a nice game with a friend! We’re really excited about this new space, and we hope you will be too.
This project was made possible through a State and Municipal Aid grant from New York State, which we received with the invaluable assistance of town of Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber and Don Csaposs of the Guilderland Industrial Development Agency, to whom we are very grateful.
Thanks also go to Assemblymember Pat Fahy for her assistance in shepherding the SAM grant through the State Legislature. I am also grateful to Jason Staucet of Staucet’s landscaping for his fantastic work, and to AFL Building Chair Paul Scilipoti for his.
We look forward to having an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new patio in the spring but, in the meantime, once the finishing touches are in place, please feel free to enjoy the last few da
ys of pleasant weather for the year out on the patio!
Election Day
Bake Sale
Election Day is almost here, which means it’s time again for the annual AFL Bake Sale!
While you’re doing your patriotic duty, there is one sure fire way to leave the polling place with a smile on your face: Get yourself a brownie!
Whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat or an independent, we can all agree that homemade cookies, pies and bread make the world a little sweeter, so please visit the Library’s Election Day Bake Sale at Altamont Village Hall while you’re voting on Nov. 8. All proceeds from the sale go to support the Altamont Free Library.
Better yet, you can also donate baked goods to the sale! We need plenty of bakers to make this fundraiser a success, so if you’d like to donate some baked goods or would like to help out running the table, give me a call at 518-861-7239 or email me at . Thank you!
First Monday
Book Club
Do you love to read? Do you love talking about what you’ve read with other interesting and smart people? If so, please join us for the next meeting of the First Monday Book Club on Monday, Nov. 7, at noon.
If you would like to join us for our next meeting, please call us at 518-861-7239 or email me at and we’ll make sure that you get all the details. At that meeting, we’ll be discussing “10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works” by Dan Harris. There will be plenty to discuss, so call today to reserve your copy and join us!
Masks optional
As of Oct. 1, masking is optional but recommended for both patrons and staff at the Altamont Free Library. We will continue to provide disposable masks for all who would like to use them, and we ask that if you’re not feeling well that you put one on.
For the many of you who have told us that you feel more comfortable in a mask-requiring environment, please know that we will continue to do all we can to make sure that the library is as clean and sanitary a place as we can reasonably make it, and you are encouraged to wear a mask yourself if you prefer.
Many of the staff members will continue to wear masks. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns about this new policy, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at director@altamontfreelibrary.org.