Altamont Library Notes for Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Altamont
By Joe Burke
Election Day has passed us and, as I write this, we don’t yet know the outcomes of the various important elections, but it might be nice to step back from negativity and think about how lucky we are to live where and when we do.
Working in the Altamont Free Library, I often think about all of the changes that our building has seen since it was completed in 1897. Over the past 124 years, this building has seen the expansion of political, social, and economic rights and opportunities for enormous segments of our population.
It has witnessed multiple wars, recessions, depressions, and hardships. It has seen cultural changes the likes of which could not have been imagined by the builders of our train station or the founders of our library.
It has seen the eradication of horrific diseases and the dramatic increase in life expectancy. It has seen people on the moon and the rise of instantaneous global communication.
All of this reminds us that change is always difficult and discomforting, but despite all of those changes the essentials remain: We live in one of the most beautiful, bountiful places on the face of the planet and we are sustained by our strong community ties.
No matter what the outcome is on Election Day, rest assured that the Altamont Train Station will still be here, ready as always to take you on your next exciting journey.
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 six weeks 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. 10, at 6 p.m., and be published on the library’s website.
Forms are available at the library and in future editions of The Altamont Enterprise. Please join us at the gazebo on Friday, Dec. 11, for what is always a lovely and moving (and currently socially-distant) ceremony.
Story time
Since June, we’ve been doing our weekly Tuesday morning story times for children outside in Orsini Park or our back patio, and it’s been a ton of fun! Now that the weather is getting colder, we’re moving story times a few blocks away and indoors.
Please join us in the Community Room at Altamont Reformed Church at 129 Lincoln Ave. in Altamont every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. for a super-fun morning of songs, stories, and activities! We’re moving to ARC so that our story-time families have lots of room to stretch out and distance themselves from one another.
Since this is an indoor program, all participants over the age of 2 must wear masks for the duration of the program. Please enter through the back, and head right upstairs to the Community Room. Many thanks to Altamont Reformed Church for hosting us this fall and winter. We hope to see you there!