Many thanks to all who came out to support the library during our annual Election Day Bake Sale.
To be totally honest, we weren’t sure we were even going to do a bake sale this year, and keep our powder dry for next year’s mega election, but when our great friends and bake sale coordinators, Mary Heidinger and Pat Spohr, decide that something is happening, it happens.
Thank you to all who donated baked goods, and all of the volunteers who helped run the sale, and to the village of Altamont for letting us use the space. You all make politics so much sweeter.
Hours change
Beginning on November 1, Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT! At the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m. to 1p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. day! We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change.
To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open. If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518- 861-7239, or emailing me at .
Homeschoolers
Our community is home to many homeschoolers, and we want to know what we can do to help you! One program that we’ve been working on is a workshop on library skills for homeschoolers, which is a necessary element of many homeschooling curricula.
If you and your family would be interested in such a program, please get in touch with us at or by calling us at 518-861-7239. Let us know what you’d like such a class to cover, what times and days work best for you, and how old your students are. That information will help us develop our program. Thanks!
Young Readers Book Club
Last month we had a very successful first meeting of our new Young Readers Book Club for readers ages 9 to 12, and we think the second meeting is going to be even better.
This month, we’re reading “Resistance” by Ann Jungman, a fairly obscure, but fantastic book about a group of children’s attempts to help the Dutch resistance to the occupying Nazi’s during World War II. (It’s so obscure that even the author doesn’t have any extra copies! We asked.)
We’ve scrounged together a few extra copies, so pick one up today and join us on Wednesday, Nov. 13, for a great discussion! We have a signup sheet at the desk, and you can always send us an email at so that we know you’re coming.
An orphan girl in Nazi Germany discovers the power of books in Marcus Zusak’s “The Book Thief,” which the First Monday Book Club will discuss on Nov. 4 at the Altamont Free Library.
If you’re a library user, you’re probably used to certain things: A smiling face at the circulation desk, a helpful answer to any questions you might have, and a relatively quick turnaround time when you request things from other libraries.
While those first two are never in doubt, the third part has given us a bit of trouble recently. As background, you should know that all the libraries in Albany and Rensselaer counties (the Upper Hudson Library System) pay to have a courier service pick up and drop off books and movies that are headed to other libraries.
Well, last Wednesday, the company we’ve used for the past 12 years abruptly quit without notice. For nearly a week, requested materials couldn’t be delivered and items returned to a different library couldn’t make it back home.
The good news is that Upper Hudson has found a great new delivery service, and they’re getting up and running. Still, it may take a few more days before all of the pent up materials work their way through the system.
If you’ve had to wait a few extra days for something to become available, we sincerely regret the inconvenience. Thank you for your patience. And thanks also to the superheroes at UHLS for their extraordinary work in restoring this essential service as quickly as they did!
“Book Thief”
Please join us the First Monday Book Club for a discussion of “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak on Monday, Nov. 4 at noon. This phenomenally popular young adult novel is set in in Germany during the Nazi era, and concerns the life of a young orphan girl as she discovers the power of books and writing. It’s an important book and our discussion should be a fascinating one.
Election Day Bake Sale
Election Day is fast approaching, and 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 while you’re voting at Altamont Village Hall on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, be sure to stop by our annual AFL Bake Sale!
Since this election will be a smaller one, we’ll be keeping the bake sale on the smaller side this year. (Don’t worry: We’ll be back to our usual Election Day baked goods extravaganza in 2020!) The always phenomenal Mary Heidinger and Pat Spohr could use a few extra pairs of hands running the sale, so if you’ve got a spare hour or two on Election Day and you’d like to help, please let us know. All proceeds from the sale go to support the Altamont Free Library.
Hours change
Beginning in Nov. 1, Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT! At the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. day!
We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change.
To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open. If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518-861-7239, or emailing me at .
Homeschoolers
Our community is home to many homeschoolers, and we want to know what we can do to help you! One program that we’ve been working on is a workshop on library skills for homeschoolers, which is a necessary element of many homeschooling curricula.
If you and your family would be interested in such a program, please get in touch with us at or by calling us at 518-861-7239. Let us know what you’d like such a class to cover, what times and days work best for you, and how old your students are. That information will help us develop our program. Thanks!
On Friday, Oct. 11, we celebrated the first Altamont Founders Day by hosting a wonderful event we called the Altamont Remembers Story Swap. Our goal was to gather together folks with long memories and good stories to tell and to engage them in a discussion that would pull out as many yarns as possible, and to record those stories for posterity.
If I do say so myself, we succeeded beyond all expectations, but don’t take my word for it: Check out the recent Altamont Enterprise podcast episode, which is a lightly edited recording of the event. (If you’re not sure how to listen to a podcast, stop on in and we’ll show you!)
My sincere thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success, especially to the Enterprise’s Sean Mulkerrin for helping with the recording and Melissa Hale Spencer for moderating the conversation. Most of all, thanks to all of our friends who turned out and shared their incredible memories. (Just to whet your appetite for the podcast, one of the stories involves the Orsini Park gazebo, a manure spreader, and Halloween 1916.)
If you’re sorry to have missed the event, and have stories to share yourself, let us know and we’ll be sure to keep you in the loop for the next time we do it!
The Great Give Back
Libraries are all about supporting community. It’s kind of our thing. We strive to help people every day and in every way that we’re able to. To emphasize that point, in the coming weeks, many local libraries will be participating in an event known as the Great Give Back.
Different libraries will be participating in different ways, all in support of their local communities. Here at Altamont Free Library, we will be holding a food drive in support of the Altamont and Guilderland Food Pantries, which collectively serve the nutritional needs of hundreds of local families. If you are able to contribute, please drop your donations off at the library any time that the library is open between Friday, Oct. 18 and Friday, Oct. 25.
To learn more about what other libraries are doing to participate in the Great Give Back, please check out the Upper Hudson Library System’s website at UHLS.org. Thank you for your support!
Fall crafts
Join us on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 3 to 4 p.m. for an afternoon of crafts, laughs, and scares! We’ll be painting decorative gourds in all kinds of scary ways, so dress accordingly and make sure to sign up in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at .
Juice and Jammies Story Time
On Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., put on your pj’s and join Ms. Erika for a pre-bedtime story, snack and craft! This low-key storytime will be just the thing to prepare your young folks to count some sheep. Make sure to sign up in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at .
Hours change
Beginning on Nov. 1, Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT! At the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. day!
We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change. To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open.
If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518-861-7239, or emailing me at director@altamontfreelibrary.org.
Libraries are all about supporting community. It’s kind of our thing. We strive to help people every day and in every way that we’re able to.
To emphasize that point, in the coming weeks, many local libraries will be participating in an event known as the Great Give Back. Different libraries will be participating in different ways, all in support of their local communities.
Here at Altamont Free Library, we will be holding a food drive in support of the Altamont and Guilderland food pantries, which collectively serve the nutritional needs of hundreds of local families. If you are able to contribute, please drop your donations off at the library any time that the library is open between Friday, Oct. 18, and Friday, Oct. 25.
To learn more about what other libraries are doing to participate in the Great Give Back, please check out the Upper Hudson Library System’s website at UHLS.org. Thank you for your support!
Hours change
Beginning in Nov. 1, Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT! At the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. day!
We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change. To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open.
If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518- 861-7239, or emailing me at .
Cyber Security Workshop
The Internet has drastically changed the way that we interact with the world, and when we hear about hacking and viruses, it’s sometimes tough to know what those threats mean or what we can do about them.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., John Borst of the New York State Office of Information Technology Services will provide an overview of cyber threats and give tips and tricks for maintaining a safe and secure online life!
Fall crafts
Join us on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 3 to 4 p.m. for an afternoon of crafts, laughs, and scares! We’ll be painting decorative gourds in all kinds of scary ways, so dress accordingly and make sure to sign up in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at .
Juice and Jammies Story Time
On Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m., put on your pj’s and join Ms. Erika for a pre-bedtime story, snack and craft! This low-key storytime will be just the thing to prepare your young folks to count some sheep.
Make sure to sign up in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at staff@altamontfreelibrary.org.
One of the questions we get asked most frequently here at the library is: Are there any good books on the history of Altamont? We tell them that of course there are.
Keith Lee’s recent book in the Images of America series is about as good as you could hope for, and of course the old standby “Old Hellebergh” by the late Guilderland Town Historian Arthur Gregg is still pretty good.
We even have a walking tour that will lead folks through Altamont history, but the best resource for Altamont history is still, as it has always been, the people that live here. We’d like to collect some of that history and preserve it for posterity, and we need your help.
If you or a loved one have a long memories and stories to tell about Altamont, please join us on Friday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. for an Oral History Roundtable we’re calling Altamont Remembers. The idea is to have lots of friends join us, and to let the stories and memories flow in open conversation, which will be recorded and transcribed so that we always have them.
If you’d like to join us to reminisce about the Altamont Fair in the 1940s or Sand Street in the ’70s or Altamont Elementary School in the ’80s, please sign up at the library, and bring a friend!
Founders Day
It’s almost time for Founders Day! What? You’ve never heard of Altamont Founders Day?
That’s probably because this is the first time it’s being celebrated. This October, we’re commemorating the 1890 founding of the Village of Altamont with a weekend of great events that will celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community.
As discussed above, we’ll be hosting the Altamont Remembers roundtable discussion on Friday, Oct. 11. The following day, the village will play host to folks from all over the region as we show off our Museum in the Streets with guided tours of the historic core of the Village from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you’ve never done the museum walking tour, this would be a perfect opportunity! Later, we will celebrate the opening of a new exhibit on the founders of Altamont put together by the Village Archives and Museum at Village Hall. Please join us as we celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community!
Teen Book Giveaway
We sometimes get sent books for our collection, and sometimes even get sent extra copies and cool author swag to give away! We have a bunch of great young-adult books that we’d love to get into the hands of teen readers.
All you have to do is come in and fill out a raffle ticket with your contact info and you’ll be in the running to win some fabulous books! Good luck, and happy reading!
Hours change
Beginning Nov. 1, the Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT at the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m.-to-1 p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m.-to-3 p.m. day!
We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change. To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open.
If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518-861-7239, or emailing me at director@altamontfreelibrary.org.
Cyber Security Workshop
The Internet has drastically changed the way that we interact with the world, and when we hear about hacking and viruses, it’s sometimes tough to know what those threats mean or what we can do about them.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m., John Borst of the New York State Office of Information Technology Services will provide an overview of cyber threats and give tips and tricks for maintaining a safe and secure online life.
One of the questions we get asked most frequently here at the Altamont Free Library is: Are there any good books on the history of Altamont?
We tell them that of course there are! Keith Lee’s recent book in the Images of America series is about as good as you could hope for, and of course the old standby “Old Hellebergh” by the late Guilderland Town Historian Arthur Gregg is still pretty good.
We even have a walking tour that will lead folks through Altamont history, but the best resource for Altamont history is still, as it has always been, the people that live here. We’d like to collect some of that history and preserve it for posterity, and we need your help.
If you or a loved one have a long memories and stories to tell about Altamont, please join us on Friday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. for an Oral History Roundtable we’re calling Altamont Remembers. The idea is to have lots of friends join us, and to let the stories and memories flow in open conversation, which will be recorded and transcribed so that we always have them.
If you’d like to join us to reminisce about the Altamont Fair in the 1940s or Sand Street in the ’70s or Altamont Elementary School in the ’80s, please sign up at the library, and bring a friend!
Altamont Remembers
It’s almost time for Founders Day! What? You’ve never heard of Altamont Founders Day?
That’s probably because this is the first time it’s being celebrated. This October, we’re commemorating the 1890 founding of the Village of Altamont with a weekend of great events that will celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community.
As discussed above, we’ll be hosting the Altamont Remembers roundtable discussion on Friday, Oct. 11. The following day, the village will play host to folks from all over the region as we show off our Museum in the Streets with guided tours of the historic core of the Village from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you’ve never done the museum walking tour, this would be a perfect opportunity! Later, we will celebrate the opening of a new exhibit on the founders of Altamont put together by the Village Archives and Museum at Village Hall. Please join us as we celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community!
Exhibits
Speaking of exhibits, we’re so lucky here in Altamont to be surrounded by extraordinary artistic talent and collectors of interesting things, and this week we have some new exhibits that we get to show off.
First of all, in our vestibule we are featuring a small piece of a big collection of rare and vintage baseball cards belonging to friend of the library Bob Kelly. Bob’s got some super interesting cards in his collection, and just in time for the end of the playoffs, he’s letting us show them off.
You don’t have to visit Cooperstown to see Catfish Hunter, Duke Snider, or Hammerin’ Hank Aaron. You can see them all at the library!
We also get to show off a collection of beautiful watercolor paintings by Altamont-based artist Diane Wozniak. Diane is having a bit of a moment with current or upcoming exhibits at three local libraries. We just hope that she’ll remember us when she’s famous.
Many thanks to all of our local artists and enthusiasts for letting us enjoy the fruits of your creativity, talent and hard work.
Teen Book Giveaway
We sometimes get sent books for our collection, and sometimes even get sent extra copies and cool author swag to give away! We have a bunch of great young-adult books that we’d love to get into the hands of teen readers.
All you have to do is come in and fill out a raffle ticket with your contact info and you’ll be in the running to win some fabulous books! Good luck, and happy reading!
Hours change
Beginning Nov. 1, the Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT at the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m.-to-1 p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m.-to-3 p.m. day!
We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change. To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open.
If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518-861-7239, or emailing me at director@altamontfreelibrary.org.
Change can be difficult sometimes. Right now, the change from summer into autumn is playing particular havoc with my sinuses.
But some changes make things easier for lots of folks, and we hope that this is one of those: Beginning on Nov. 1, Altamont Free Library will no longer be open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. BUT! At the same time, we will be extending out Saturday hours from a three-hour 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. day to a six-hour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. day!
We hope that people will find the longer hours on our busiest day of the week to be a positive and helpful change. To our beloved Sunday users, we hope that you will be able to visit us another day, and that you understand that having a small staff keeping a small library open an incredible 58 hours per week (way more than any other library our size in the area) means having to make tough choices about which hours to be open.
If you have any concerns, complaints, or questions, please let me know by calling me at 518-861-7239, or emailing me at .
Trivia Night
On Friday, Sept. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m., our monthly Trivia Night is back! Make a team, study up and BYOB to this mind-twisting trivia contest! Entrance is $5 and the winning team takes half of the door. Contestants must be 21 and up, please.
Young Readers Book Club
Do you love Raina Telgemeier? Jack Gantos? What about Kate DiCamillo or JK Rowling? Now that the school year has begun, we’re starting a book club for readers ages 9 to 12, and we’d love for your young book lovers to get involved.
We’ve picked our first title, and it is (drumroll, please) — “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster. This classic story revolves around a bored young boy named Milo and his magical tollbooth that transports him away to fantastical lands full of strange creatures and hilarious wordplay.
We’ve got plenty of copies, so pick one up today and join us on Wednesday, Oct. 9 for a fun discussion! We have a signup sheet at the desk, and you can always send us an email at so that we know you’re coming.
Altamont Remembers
It’s almost time for Founders Day! What? You’ve never heard of Altamont Founders Day? That’s probably because this is the first time it’s being celebrated. This October, we’re commemorating the 1890 founding of the Village of Altamont with a weekend of great events that will celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community.
On Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m., we’re gathering together Altamont residents with the longest memories for a group discussion about the Altamont of the past, which we’ll record for posterity. If you’d like to join us to reminisce about the Fair in the 40’s or Sand Street in the 70’s, please sign up at the library, and bring a friend!
Exhibits
We’re so lucky here in Altamont to be surrounded by extraordinary artistic talent and collectors of interesting things, and this week we have some new exhibits that we get to show off. First of all, in our vestibule we are featuring a small piece of a big collection of rare and vintage baseball cards belonging to friend of the library Bob Kelly.
Bob’s got some super interesting cards in his collection, and just in time for the end of the playoffs, he’s letting us show them off. You don’t have to visit Cooperstown to see Catfish Hunter, Duke Snider, or Hammerin’ Hank Aaron. You can see them all at the library!
We also get to show off a collection of beautiful watercolor paintings by Altamont-based artist Diane Wozniak.. Diane is having a bit of a moment with current or upcoming exhibits at three local libraries. We just hope that she’ll remember us when she’s famous. Many thanks to all of our local artists and enthusiasts for letting us enjoy the fruits of your creativity, talent and hard work.
Teen Book Giveaway
We sometimes get sent books for our collection, and sometimes even get sent extra copies and cool author swag to give away! We have a bunch of great young-adult books that we’d love to get into the hands of teen readers.
All you have to do is come in and fill out a raffle ticket with your contact info and you’ll be in the running to win some fabulous books! Good luck, and happy reading!
We’re so lucky here in Altamont to be surrounded by extraordinary artistic talent and collectors of interesting things, and this week we have some new exhibits that we get to show off.
First of all, in our vestibule we are featuring a small piece of a big collection of rare and vintage baseball cards belonging to friend of the library Bob Kelly. Bob’s got some super interesting cards in his collection, and just in time for the end of the playoffs, he’s letting us show them off.
You don’t have to visit Cooperstown to see Catfish Hunter, Duke Snider, or Hammerin’ Hank Aaron. You can see them all at the library!
We also get to show off a collection of beautiful watercolor paintings by Altamont-based artist Diane Wozniak. Diane is having a bit of a moment with current or upcoming exhibits at three local libraries. We just hope that she’ll remember us when she’s famous.
Many thanks to all of our local artists and enthusiasts for letting us enjoy the fruits of your creativity, talent, and hard work.
Young Readers Book Club
Do you love Raina Telgemeier? Jack Gantos? What about Kate DiCamillo or JK Rowling? Now that the school year has begun, we’re starting a book club for readers ages 9 to 12, and we’d love for your young book lovers to get involved.
We’ve picked our first title, and it is (drumroll, please) — “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster. This classic story revolves around a bored young boy named Milo and his magical tollbooth that transports him away to fantastical lands full of strange creatures and hilarious wordplay.
We’ve got plenty of copies, so pick one up today and join us on Wednesday, Oct. 9 for a fun discussion! We have a sign-up sheet at the desk, and you can always send us an email at so that we know you’re coming.
Teen Book Giveaway
We sometimes get sent books for our collection, and sometimes even get sent extra copies and cool author swag to give away! We have a bunch of great young-adult books that we’d love to get into the hands of teen readers.
All you have to do is come in and fill out a raffle ticket with your contact info and you’ll be in the running to win some fabulous books! Good luck, and happy reading!
Mystery Book Club
Please join us for a meeting of our newest book club, which is focused exclusively on mysteries! We’ve got members interested in every subgenre from intense psychological thrillers to low-key cozy mysteries and every type of mystery in between.
If you love a good whodunit, please join us on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. as we try to crack the case of Star Island by Carl Hiaasen.
Upstate Potluck
As you may know, every month we hold a very popular potluck dinner where we focus on a different national or regional cuisine every month. Since the early fall is gives us such wonderful food here in the Capital District, we’ll be coming back home this month.
At 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23, we’ll be sampling the foods (and drinks!) of Upstate New York! If you’ve never joined us for a potluck before but have always wanted to, this is the month to do it!
Please call the library to register in advance and bring a dish to share. If you need inspiration, check out one of our upstate-focused cookbooks.
Trivia Night
On Friday, Sept. 27, from 7 to 9 p.m,. our monthly Trivia Night is back! Make a team, study up and BYOB to this mind-twisting trivia contest! Entrance is $5 and the winning team takes half of the door. Contestants must be 21 and up, please.
Altamont Remembers
It’s almost time for Founders Day! What? You’ve never heard of Altamont Founders Day? That’s probably because this is the first time it’s being celebrated.
This October, we’re commemorating the 1890 founding of the Village of Altamont with a weekend of great events that will celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community. On Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m., we’re gathering together Altamont residents with the longest memories for a group discussion about the Altamont of the past, which we’ll record for posterity.
If you’d like to join us to reminisce about the Fair in the 40’s or Sand Street in the 70’s, please sign up at the library, and bring a friend!
It’s almost time for Founders Day! What? You’ve never heard of Altamont Founders Day.
That’s probably because this is the first time it’s being celebrated. This October, we’re commemorating the 1890 founding of the village of Altamont with a weekend of great events that will celebrate the history of our beautiful and unique community.
On Friday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m., we’re gathering together Altamont residents with the longest memories for a group discussion about the Altamont of the past, which we’ll record for posterity. If you’d like to join us to reminisce about the Altamont Fair in the ’40s or Sand Street in the ’70s, please sign up at the library, and bring a friend!
Young Readers Book Club
Do you love Raina Telgemeier? Jack Gantos? What about Kate DiCamillo or JK Rowling?
Now that the school year has begun, we’re starting a book club for readers ages 9 to 12, and we’d love for your young book lovers to get involved. We’re still formulating a plan and a schedule, but as we do that, we’d love to hear from you!
What the last great book you read? What authors are your favorites? Do you like some kinds of stories more than other kinds? What days work best? Let us know!
We have a signup sheet at the desk, and you can always send us an email at with your contact information so that we can keep you in the loop about our first meeting!
Teen Book Giveaway
We sometimes get sent books for our collection, and sometimes even get sent extra copies and cool author swag to give away! We have a bunch of great young-adult books that we’d love to get into the hands of teen readers.
All you have to do is come in and fill out a raffle ticket with your contact info and you’ll be in the running to win some fabulous books! Good luck, and happy reading!
Mystery Book Club
Please join us for a meeting of our newest book club, which is focused exclusively on mysteries! We’ve got members interested in every subgenre from intense psychological thrillers to low-key cozy mysteries and every type of mystery in between. If you love a good whodunit, please join us on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. as we try to crack the case of Star Island by Carl Hiaasen.
Upstate Potluck
As you may know, every month we hold a very popular potluck dinner where we focus on a different national or regional cuisine every month. Since the early fall is gives us such wonderful food here in the Capital District, we’ll be coming back home this month.
At 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23, we’ll be sampling the foods (and drinks!) of Upstate New York! If you’ve never joined us for a potluck before but have always wanted to, this is the month to do it! Please call the library to register in advance and bring a dish to share. If you need inspiration, check out one of our upstate-focused cookbooks.
Trivia Night
On Friday, Sept. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m., our monthly Trivia Night is back! Make a team, study up and BYOB to this mind-twisting trivia contest! Entrance is $5 and the winning team takes half of the door. Contestants must be 21 and up, please.
Gala prep
Believe it or not, it’s time again for us to begin planning for the I Love My Library Gala we hold every February. Our annual gala is not only the social event of ever Altamont winter, it’s also an incredibly important fundraiser for our library. Our most recent gala raised just over 10 percent of our annual budget.
A successful gala means that we can continue to be open every day of the week, and to provide the programs, materials, and services you rely on us for. But, of course, the gala doesn’t organize itself. We have a great group of supporters who volunteer their time, energy, and creativity to making sure that we have a fantastic gala every single year, but we need more help.
Specifically, we need YOUR help. If you love our library, joining the gala team is a wonderful (and fun!) way to show your support. We need folks to help make invitations and stuff invitations, to design centerpieces, to collect things for our live and silent auctions and much more!
There’s much to do and many hands make light work. If you’d be interested in helping out, we’d be very grateful if you’d send us an email at or a phone call at 518-861-7239. Thank you!
Right around this time last fall, we launched a fun and exciting challenge for library lovers throughout the Capital District that we called the Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition. The challenge was to visit all of the 36 libraries in Albany and Rensselaer Counties between Sept. 1 and the end of the year.
Thousands of people participated, and 375 completed the objective. Well, to celebrate the awesome time we all had doing it, we’re throwing a party, and if you participated in any portion of the challenge, you’re invited!
Join us at the Crossing Park in Colonie on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The party will run from 4 to 7 p.m. and you can drop in for 10 minutes, or make a whole evening of it and bring a picnic supper! There’ll be crafts, activities, music, cider, and doughnuts, but best of all tons of folks who love libraries as much as you do!
Gala prep
Believe it or not, it’s time again for us to begin planning for the I Love My Library Gala we hold every February. Our annual gala is not only the social event of every Altamont winter, it’s also an incredibly important fundraiser for our library.
Our most recent gala raised just over 10 percent of our annual budget. A successful gala means that we can continue to be open every day of the week, and to provide the programs, materials, and services you rely on us for.
But, of course, the gala doesn’t organize itself. We have a great group of supporters who volunteer their time, energy, and creativity to making sure that we have a fantastic gala every single year, but we need more help.
Specifically, we need your help. If you love our library, joining the gala team is a wonderful (and fun!) way to show your support. We need folks to help make invitations and stuff invitations, to design centerpieces, to collect things for our live and silent auctions and much more!
There’s much to do and many hands make light work. If you’d be interested in helping out, we’d be very grateful if you’d send us an email at or a phone call at 518-861-7239. Thank you!
Mystery Book Club
Please join us for a meeting of our newest book club, which is focused exclusively on mysteries! We’ve got members interested in every subgenre from intense psychological thrillers to low-key cozy mysteries and every type of mystery in between.
If you love a good whodunit, please join us on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. as we try to crack the case of Star Island by Carl Hiaasen.
Juice and Jammies Story Time
On Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m., put on your pj’s and join Ms. Erika for a pre-bedtime story, snack and craft! This low-key storytime will be just the thing to prepare your young folks to count some sheep. Make sure to sign up in advance by calling us at 518-861-7239 or emailing us at .
Upstate Potluck
As you may know, every month we hold a very popular potluck dinner where we focus on a different national or regional cuisine every month. Since the early fall is gives us such wonderful food here in the Capital District, we’ll be coming back home this month. At 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23, we’ll be sampling the foods (and drinks!) of Upstate New York!
If you’ve never joined us for a potluck before but have always wanted to, this is the month to do it! Please call the library to register in advance and bring a dish to share. If you need inspiration, check out one of our upstate-focused cookbooks.
Trivia Night
On Friday, Sept. 27, from to 9 p.m., our monthly Trivia Night is back! Make a team, study up and BYOB to this mind-twisting trivia contest! Entrance is $5 and the winning team takes half of the door. Contestants must be 21 and up, please.