On Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., the Altamont Free Library will hold the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries.

Our inaugural book to discuss will be “In the Woods” by Tana French. This Edgar Award-winning novel is full of psychological suspense, action, and mystery, and is sure to provoke a great deal of amateur sleuthing! Come pick up a copy today and join us.

Name That Tune

If you’ve ever hung out around Altamont in the summer, you may have noticed the sweet sound of a saxophone drifting out of Orsini Park. That’s the sound of saxophone virtuoso Don Snyder practicing in the gazebo for all the world to hear.

Now that the temperature is going down, Don’s had to bring his sax back inside but you can still hear him here at the library! On Friday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., test your knowledge of jazz standards and popular favorites in a fun game of Name That Tune.

Teams and individuals will compete for prizes and bragging rights in the contest of the ears.

Game Night

Teens, do you need a night of fun playing games with just people your age? If so, join us Saturday Oct. 20,  from 7 to 9 p.m. as we spend the night playing games and having lots of laughs and snacks. Ages 13 and up, please.

Spooky crafts for kids

It’s the scariest time of year and we’re getting out some of our nervous energy by painting pumpkins. Please join us on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 4 to 5 p.m. for an afternoon of crafts, laughs, and frights.

Participation is limited to 10 children, and we only have a few spots left, so please sign up at the library or call 518-861-7239 to register in advance.

Hooo’s there!

Owls! Please join us on Sunday, Oct. 28, at from 5 to 6 p.m. to meet some feathered friends. We’ll be joined by great horned owls, barn owls, screech owls, short eared owls and possibly more.

Wildlife Rehabilitator Kelly Martin will teach us all about our nocturnal neighbors and about her many years of experience in healing and reintegrating animals into the wild. This program is always a huge hit, so don’t miss it!

Bake sale volunteers needed

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. 7 — be sure to stop by our annual AFL Bake Sale!

We need plenty of bakers to make this fundraiser a success, so if you’d like to donate some baked goods, give Joe a call at 518-861-7239. The always phenomenal Mary Heidinger and Pat Spohr could use a few extra pairs of hands running the sale as well, 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.

YA Book Bingo

Even though the kids summer reading program has ended, the young adult book bingo contest is just getting going. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes.

And these prizes are something else: We’ve gotten swag packages from some of the top YA authors in the country including Julie Murphy and Brendan Reichs and we’re giving them away to our top readers!

For further questions and rules, email us at or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

812 words

Last Monday, we were honored to host a group of librarians from the nation of Mongolia. The group is traveling around the United States to learn about library practices and programs that they can bring back to their country.

Despite the differences in our languages, geographies, and cultures, we found that we had far more that united us than that separated us. All of our libraries are committed to eliminating barriers to knowledge and enrichment.

All of our libraries are concerned with establishing a love of reading among the children of our communities. All of our libraries harness the power of emerging technologies to empower our community members. In the end, we learned a tremendous amount and hope that they did as well.

Mystery Book Club

On Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., we’ll be holding the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries! Our inaugural book to discuss will be “In the Woods” by Tana French.

This Edgar Award-winning novel is full of psychological suspense, action, and mystery, and is sure to provoke a great deal of amateur sleuthing! Come pick up a copy today and join us!

Name That Tune

If you’ve ever hung out around Altamont in the summer, you may have noticed the sweet sound of a saxophone drifting out of Orsini Park. That’s the sound of saxophone virtuoso Don Snyder practicing in the gazebo for all the world to hear.

Now that the temperature is going down, Don’s had to bring his sax back inside but you can still hear him here at the library! On Friday, Oct. 19,  at 7 p.m., test your knowledge of jazz standards and popular favorites in a fun game of Name That Tune. Teams and individuals will compete for prizes and bragging rights in the contest of the ears!

Game Night

Teens, do you need a night of fun playing games with just people your age? If so, join us Saturday, Oct. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. as we spend the night playing games and having lots of laughs and snacks! Ages 13 and up, please!

Library Expedition

Altamont Free Library is incredibly lucky to belong to a community of spectacular libraries throughout Albany and Rensselaer Counties. Each library is unique, as are the communities they serve.

Some lend out drones and have high tech maker spaces. Some have life-sized mastodons, or paintings by Grandma Moses. Some even are former train stations!

If you’d like to learn more about the community of local libraries, try your hand at the 2018 Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition! Think of it as a kind of Cannonball Run for nerds.

The idea is for folks — as individuals, families, or teams — to visit every single one of the 36 library locations in our two-county library system between the beginning of September and the end of November. Prizes will be awarded for visiting 5, 15, 25, and all 36 libraries.

It’s a fun challenge for folks who love libraries and want to explore parts of the Capital District they may have passed by or passed through but never stopped to smell the books. If you would like to be a 36er — and who wouldn’t? — stop by the library and pick up your official map and get your official Altamont Free Library stamp on your passport! All aboard for adventure!

Bake sale volunteers needed

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. 6), be sure to stop by our annual AFL Bake Sale!

We need plenty of bakers to make this fundraiser a success, so if you’d like to donate some baked goods, give Jme a call at 518-861-7239. The always phenomenal Mary Heidinger and Pat Spohr could use a few extra pairs of hands running the sale as well, 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.

YA Book Bingo

Even though the kids summer reading program has ended, the young adult book bingo contest is just getting going. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes.

And these prizes are something else: We’ve gotten swag packages from some of the top YA authors in the country including Julie Murphy and Brendan Reichs and we’re giving them away to our top readers! For further questions and rules email us at or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

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. 7), be sure to stop by our annual AFL Bake Sale!

We need plenty of bakers to make this fundraiser a success, so if you’d like to donate some baked goods, give me a call at 518-861-7239. The always-phenomenal Mary Heidinger and Pat Spohr could use a few extra pairs of hands running the sale as well, 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.

Mystery Book Club

On Thursday, Oct. 18  at 7 p.m., we’ll be holding the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries! Our inaugural book up for discussion will be “In the Woods” by Tana French.

This Edgar Award-winning novel is full of psychological suspense, action, and mystery, and is sure to provoke a great deal of amateur sleuthing! Come pick up a copy today and join us!

Name That Tune

If you’ve ever hung out around Altamont in the summer, you may have noticed the sweet sound of a saxophone drifting out of Orsini Park. That’s the sound of saxophone virtuoso Don Snyder practicing in the gazebo for all the world to hear.

Now that the temperature is going down, Don’s had to bring his sax back inside but you can still hear him here at the library! On Friday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., test your knowledge of jazz standards and popular favorites in a fun game of Name That Tune. Teams and individuals will compete for prizes and bragging rights in the contest of the ears!

Game Night

Teens, do you need a night of fun playing games with just people your age? If so, join us Saturday Oct. 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. as we spend the night playing games and having lots of laughs and snacks! Ages 13 and up, please!

Library Expedition

Altamont Free Library is incredibly lucky to belong to a community of spectacular libraries throughout Albany and Rensselaer counties. Each library is unique, as are the communities they serve.

Some lend out drones and have high-tech maker spaces. Some have life-sized mastodons, or paintings by Grandma Moses. Some even are former train stations!

If you’d like to learn more about the community of local libraries, try your hand at the 2018 Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition! Think of it as a kind of Cannonball Run for nerds.

The idea is for folks — as individuals, families, or teams — to visit every single one of the 36 library locations in our two-county library system between the beginning of September and the end of November. Prizes will be awarded for visiting 5, 15, 25, and all 36 libraries.

It’s a fun challenge for folks who love libraries and want to explore parts of the Capital District they may have passed by or passed through but never stopped to smell the books. If you would like to be a 36er — and who wouldn’t? — stop by the library and pick up your official map and get your official Altamont Free Library stamp on your passport! All aboard for adventure!

YA Book Bingo

Even though the kids’ summer reading program has ended, the young-adult book-bingo contest is just getting going. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes.

And these prizes are something else: We’ve gotten swag packages from some of the top YA authors in the country including Julie Murphy and Brendan Reichs and we’re giving them away to our top readers! For further questions and rules, email us at or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

In the library world, we always talk a lot about summer reading programs, and great beach reads, and good vacation books, but for my money, there’s no better time than fall to get into a good book. Fall can be a time to try something challenging and hardy like a big biography or a classic you’ve always meant to get to.

Fall can be a time to slip back into something warm and comfortable, like an old favorite author whose work you haven’t kept up with. Or fall can be a time to go “go back to school” and read a groundbreaking work of non-fiction or rediscover poetry.

Fall is what you make of it, and it’s the season we do best here in Upstate America. Stop on by to pick up your next fall favorite.

Library Expedition

Altamont Free Library is incredibly lucky to belong to a community of spectacular libraries throughout Albany and Rensselaer Counties. Each library is unique, as are the communities they serve. Some lend out drones and have high tech maker spaces. Some have life-sized mastodons, or paintings by Grandma Moses. Some even are former train stations!

If you’d like to learn more about the community of local libraries, try your hand at the 2018 Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition! Think of it as a kind of Cannonball Run for nerds. The idea is for folks, either as individuals, families, or teams, to visit every single one of the 36 library locations in our two-county library system between the beginning of September and the end of November. Prizes will be awarded for visiting 5, 15, 25, and all 36 libraries.

It’s a fun challenge for folks who love libraries and want to explore parts of the Capital District they may have passed by or passed through but never stopped to smell the books. If you would like to be a 36er—and who wouldn’t? ---stop by the library and pick up your official map and get your official Altamont Free Library stamp on your passport! All aboard for adventure!

“A Man Called Ove”

On Monday, Oct. 1, the First Monday Book Club will meet at noon to discuss “A Man Called Ove” by Frederik Backman. This beloved Swedish bestseller follows a curmudgeonly elderly man as he hilariously deals with the changing world around him. This is sure to be a fascinating discussion, so please join us.

Mystery Book Club

On Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., we’ll be holding the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries! Our inaugural book up for discussion will be “In the Woods” by Tana French.

This Edgar Award-winning novel is full of psychological suspense, action, and mystery, and is sure to provoke a great deal of amateur sleuthing! Come pick up a copy today and join us!

YA Book Bingo

Even though the kids summer reading program has ended, the young-adult book bingo contest is just getting going. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes.

And these prizes are something else: We’ve gotten swag packages from some of the top YA authors in the country including Julie Murphy and Brendan Reichs and we’re giving them away to our top readers! For further questions and rules email us at or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

— Photo by Ron Ginsburg

Betty Spadaro, a long-time Altamont resident, turned 100 on Sept. 18. “We’d like to wish her a happy birthday,” said Joe Burke, director of the Altamont Free Library. Spadaro is shown here in August at the Altamont Fair in the Bozenkill schoolhouse where she once taught. She is featured in an Enterprise podcast.

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 phone call us at 518-861-7239. Thank you!

Climate Change Talk

For anyone feeling powerless and uncertain about our planet’s future, author, and researcher, University at Albany Professor Maia Boswell-Penc has a message of hope and empowerment, stressing self-care and environmental justice in the face of a changing climate. Listen to her at the library on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.

This talk, called Healthy You, Healthy Earth will discuss the ways that you as an individual can have a positive impact on the climate.

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. 24, 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.

Mystery Book Club

On Thursday, Oct. 18  at 7 p.m., we’ll be holding the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries! Our inaugural book up for discussion will be “In the Woods” by Tana French.

This Edgar Award-winning novel is full of psychological suspense, action, and mystery, and is sure to provoke a great deal of amateur sleuthing! Come pick up a copy today and join us if  

YA Book Bingo

Even though the kids summer reading program has ended, the young adult book bingo contest is just getting going. Stop in for a BINGO card, read the books on the squares to get BINGO, and get entered to win cool prizes.

And these prizes are something else: We’ve gotten swag packages from some of the top YA authors in the country including Julie Murphy and Brendan Reichs and we’re giving them away to our top readers! For further questions and rules email us at or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

Library Expedition

Altamont Free Library is incredibly lucky to belong to a community of spectacular libraries throughout Albany and Rensselaer Counties. Each library is unique, as are the communities they serve. Some lend out drones and have high tech maker spaces. Some have life-sized mastodons, or paintings by Grandma Moses. Some even are former train stations!

If you’d like to learn more about the community of local libraries, try your hand at the 2018 Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition! Think of it as a kind of Cannonball Run for nerds. The idea is for folks, either as individuals, families, or teams, to visit every single one of the 36 library locations in our two-county library system between the beginning of September and the end of November. Prizes will be awarded for visiting 5, 15, 25, and all 36 libraries.

It’s a fun challenge for folks who love libraries and want to explore parts of the Capital District they may have passed by or passed through but never stopped to smell the books. If you would like to be a 36er — and who wouldn’t? — stop by the library and pick up your official map and get your official Altamont Free Library stamp on your passport! All aboard for adventure!

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m., the Guilderland Public Library will host a seminar on Medicare, led by Michael G. Stanton of Halliday Financial. If you or someone you know is turning 65, getting ready to retire, or may be losing an employer plan, this course will help you discover an understanding of Medicare.

From Part A to IRMAA (income-related monthly adjustment amount), learn the fundamentals of how each section of Medicare works in this class aimed at making complex information easy-to-understand. Please call us at 518-861-7239 to reserve your spot.

Juice and Jammies Story Time

On Friday, Sept. 14, 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.  

Back to School Worry Dolls

Has coming back to school got you a little anxious? On Friday, Sept. 14, from 8 to 9 p.m., come hang out with other folks who can relate, have some snacks, and make some crafts. This program is for grades six and up, please. Call ahead at 518-861-7239 to sign up in advance.

Climate-change talk

For anyone feeling powerless and uncertain about our planet’s future, University at Albany Assistant Professor Maia Boswell-Penc has a message of hope and empowerment, stressing self-care and environmental justice in the face of a changing climate.

An author and researcher, she will speak on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. This talk, called “Healthy You, Healthy Earth” will discuss the ways that you as an individual can have a positive impact on the climate.

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 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. 24, 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.

Mystery Book Club

On Thursday, Oct. 18, we’ll have the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries!

If you’re a mystery reader, let us know what authors or genres you’d like us to tackle: Hard-boiled or cozies? Louise Penny, Janet Evanovitch, James Lee Burke, or all of the above?

Let us know, save the date, and keep an eye on this space for our inaugural choice!

Book bingo for teens

Teens, are you feeling nostalgic about the Summer Reading Bingo and want in on the fun?

If so, you can participate the library’s first-ever Teen Summer Bingo. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes. For further questions and rules, call or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

Stop to smell the books

Altamont Free Library is incredibly lucky to belong to a community of spectacular libraries throughout Albany and Rensselaer Counties. Each library is unique, as are the communities they serve.

Some lend out drones and have high-tech maker spaces. Some have life-sized mastodons, or paintings by Grandma Moses. Some even are former train stations!

If you’d like to learn more about the community of local libraries, try your hand at the 2018 Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition! Think of it as a kind of Cannonball Run for nerds.

The idea is for folks, as individuals, families, or teams, to visit every single one of the 36 library locations in our two-county library system between the beginning of September and the end of November. Prizes will be awarded for visiting five, 15, 25, and all 36 libraries.

It’s a fun challenge for folks who love libraries and want to explore parts of the Capital District they may have passed by or passed through but never stopped to smell the books. If you would like to be a 36er — and who wouldn’t? — stop by the library and pick up your official map and get your official Altamont Free Library stamp on your passport! All aboard for adventure!

The Altamont Free Library is incredibly lucky to belong to a community of spectacular libraries throughout Albany and Rensselaer counties. Each library is unique, as are the communities they serve.

Some lend out drones and have high-tech maker spaces. Some have life-sized mastodons, or paintings by Grandma Moses. Some even are former train stations!

Next week, all of the libraries in Albany and Rensselaer counties will celebrate the kickoff of the Upper Hudson Library System Library Expedition. Think of it as a kind of Cannonball Run for nerds.

The idea is for folks — as individuals, families, or teams — to visit every single one of the 36 library locations in our two-county library system between the beginning of September and the end of November. Prizes will be awarded for visiting 5, 15, 25, and all 36 libraries.

It’s a fun challenge for folks who love libraries and want to explore parts of the Capital District they may have passed by or passed through but never stopped to smell the books. If you would like to be a 36er — and who wouldn’t? — stop by the library and pick up your official map and get your official Altamont Free Library stamp on your passport! All aboard for adventure!

Closed for Labor Day

Altamont Free Library will be closed Saturday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 3, in observance of Labor Day. To all of you whose work makes our community thrive, thank you. You’ve earned a day off.

Medicare Seminar

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m., we’ll be hosting a seminar on Medicare, led by Michael G. Stanton of Halliday Financial.

If you or someone you know is turning 65, getting ready to retire, or may be losing an employer plan, this course will help you understand Medicare. From Part A (in-patient care like that received in a hospital or skilled nursing facility) to IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount), learn the fundamentals of how each section of Medicare works in this class aimed at making complex information easy to understand.

Please call us at 518-861-7239 to reserve your spot.

Book bingo for teens

Teens, are you feeling nostalgic about the Summer Reading Bingo and want in on the fun?

If so, you can participate the library’s first-ever Teen Summer Bingo. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes. For further questions and rules, call or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

Farmers’ market

The Altamont Farmers Market is back. This year, the market is here on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We have two excellent farms running the market this year, Fort Hunter Farms on Mondays and Altamont Orchards on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Come on out and support local farmers while at the same time bringing home fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. It’s a win-win! Thanks to Fort Hunter Farms and Altamont Orchards for making this happen.

Mystery Book Club

Speaking of input, on Thursday, Oct. 18, we’ll have the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries!

If you’re a mystery reader, let us know what authors or genres you’d like us to tackle: Hard-boiled or cozies? Louise Penny, Janet Evanovitch, James Lee Burke, or all of the above?

Let us know, save the date, and keep an eye on this space for our inaugural choice!

— Photo from Joe Burke

Hugs for a masked mammal: Eve West won The Altamont Free Library’s Rocky Raccoon raffle by locating Rocky in several locations around the village over the past seven weeks so she gets to have Rocky live with her.

The Altamont Free Library will be closed Saturday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 3, in observance of Labor Day. To all of you whose work makes our community thrive, thank you. You’ve earned a day off.

Summer Concert Survey

I’ve still got the warm fuzzies thinking about what a great time we had all summer long at the Summer Concert Series in Orsini Park. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we all did.

At our last concert of the year, we sent around a short survey, asking folks what performers they’d enjoyed and what they’d like to hear more of in the future. If you missed that concert, we’ still love to hear your opinion.

Please stop by the library and fill out our short survey. It’ll only take a few minutes, and your participation will help us plan a wonderful series for next year. Thanks!

Mystery Book Club

Speaking of input, on Thursday, Oct. 18, we’ll have the first meeting of a new book club dedicated to mysteries!

If you’re a mystery reader, let us know what authors or genres you’d like us to tackle: Hard-boiled or cozies? Louise Penny, Janet Evanovitch, James Lee Burke, or all of the above?

Let us know, save the date, and keep an eye on this space for our inaugural choice!

Summer Reading Roundup

We thank each of the young friends who participated in the Summer Reading Program — a record number. We’re so proud of all of the exploring, crafting, and especially reading that you’ve all done all summer long!

Our friend Rocky Raccoon has a new owner in Eve West, and we’ve run the raffle for all of our prizes. We still have some of our prizes here, so if we’ve gotten in touch with you to let you know that you’ve won, come on in and pick up your prize!

Book bingo for teens

Teens, are you feeling nostalgic about the Summer Reading Bingo and want in on the fun?

If so, you can participate the library’s first-ever Teen Summer Bingo. Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes. For further questions and rules, call or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

Farmers’ market

The Altamont Farmers Market is back. This year, the market is here on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We have two excellent farms running the market this year, Fort Hunter Farms on Mondays and Altamont Orchards on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Come on out and support local farmers while at the same time bringing home fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. It’s a win-win! Thanks to Fort Hunter Farms and Altamont Orchards for making this happen.

Medicare Seminar

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m., we’ll be hosting a seminar on Medicare, led by Michael G. Stanton of Halliday Financial.

If you or someone you know is turning 65, getting ready to retire, or may be losing an employer plan, this course will help you understand Medicare. From Part A (in-patient care like that received in a hospital or skilled nursing facility) to IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount), learn the fundamentals of how each section of Medicare works in this class aimed at making complex information easy to understand.

Please call us at 518-861-7239 to reserve your spot.

It’s Fair Time! Over the next week, we will welcome thousands of visitors to our village from all over the Capital District.

If you’re in from out of town, please visit us here at the Altamont Free Library. If you happen to live in Albany or Rensselaer counties, you’re welcome to borrow from our great collections of books, movies, and music!

If you’re from further afield, we’d love for you to check out our unique library building housed in the historic Altamont train station right in the center of the village. We’ve got free 24/7 wifi and computers to use as well as toys and games for children. Also, air conditioning!

In addition, we’ve got wonderful fruits and veggies on sale on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at the farmers’ market right outside the library.

Take a walk through the village and take the Museum in the Streets self-guided walking tour. We’ve got brochures inside to guide you to all of the cool, historic locations around town. So, if you need a break from the excitement of the fair, please pay us a visit.

Summer Reading Roundup

We’ve arrived at the end of another wonderful Summer Reading Program. I’m so proud of the all of the building, making, thinking and especially reading that our friends did this summer.

We dug for dinosaurs, built a volcano, decorated rocks, studied gems, met a real geologist and a bunch of wild animals, and much, much more! You also did some great sleuthing and found Rocky Raccoon Bear everywhere he hid. Good work, friends!

But just because the Summer Reading Program in finished, that doesn’t mean that it’s time to stop reading. There’s still plenty of summer left and plenty of time to discover a new author or dig back into a favorite series, to find a new role model or learn a cool new skill.

This Friday at 5 p.m., we’ll celebrate the end of the Summer Reading Program with ice cream sundaes from Stewart’s and big raffle prize giveaway. (If you’re not sure whether you’ve won or not, give us a call.)

Many thanks are due to Erika Peterson for helping to guide our activities and keeping the fun going over these past seven weeks. Thanks, everyone, for a great summer!

Book bingo for teens

Teens, are you feeling nostalgic about the Summer Reading Bingo and want in on the fun?

If so, you can participate in the library’s first-ever Teen Summer Bingo! Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes. For further questions and rules, call or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

Farmers’ market

The Altamont Farmers Market is back! This year, the market is here on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We have two excellent farms running the market this year, Fort Hunter Farms (Mondays) and Altamont Orchards (Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays).

Come on out and support local farmers while at the same time bringing home fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. It’s a win-win! Thanks to Fort Hunter Farms and Altamont Orchards for making this happen!

Fenimore and Farmers museums

Our expanding collection of borrowable museum passes has gained a new member! The Fenimore Museum and the Farmers Museum are two wonderful institutions just across the street from one another in beautiful Cooperstown, New York and we’ve got a pass that will get you into both for free!

The Fenimore houses a world-class collection of American art, with a particular focus on local folk art. (For all you Hamilton fans out there, the Fenimore also owns and displays the collection of letters between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that led to their famous duel!)

The Farmers Museum is a collection of historic buildings, including a barn, church, a general store, and a blacksmith and printers shops which give the visitor a demonstration of rural life in the 18th and 19th centuries. (They also have a carousel!)

The Farmers and Fenimore pass, like all other museums can be checked out for one week. We only have one pass, so grab it while it’s here!

Closed for Labor Day

The Altamont Free Library will be closed Saturday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 3, in observance of Labor Day.

— From Joe Burke

Wildlife rehabilitator Kelly Martin shows off an injured and recovering kestrel she brought to her presentation at the Altamont Free Library on Wednesday, Aug. 1.

Even though there’s plenty of summer left to enjoy, the Altamont Free Library Summer Concert Series will be winding down next week.

We’ve had some of the biggest crowds we’ve ever had, great luck with the weather and a ton of phenomenal music, and so we have a bunch of folks to thank. First and foremost, our Summer Concert committee chair and organizer extraordinaire, Lori McCutcheon.

Lori books all of the wonderful performers we bring to you and she’s outdone herself this year! Thanks, Lori!

Our concert series wouldn’t be possible without the support of the village of Altamont, both financial and logistical. Jeff Muller and Larry Adams and the rest of the crew at the Village Department of Public Works do a tremendous job of keeping up Orisini Park.

Most importantly, we have to thank you, the folks who come out every week. Your contributions keep this concert series going and your support gives us a reason to put in the hard work that makes it all come together every year.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed yourselves as much as we have over the past five Tuesdays and we hope to see you in the park one last time this coming Tuesday.

Final Park Concert

Loose Change is an acoustic rock band that has played all over upstate New York. The band performs covers of everything Eric Clapton, the Beatles, the Doobie Brothers, Steve Miller, and more.

All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and will be moved to Bozenkill Park pavilion in the event of rain. Mark it on your calendar and join us in the park for a beautiful night of great neighbors and great music.

Summer Reading Celebration

The annual Summer Reading Program is winding down, I’m sorry to say. There’s still time to bring in your bingo sheets to get raffle tickets for awesome prizes before we wrap up the program on Friday, Aug. 17.

Please join us at 5 p.m. on the 17th in Orsini Park for our raffle drawing, prize pickup, and to celebrate all of the reading, digging, crafting, and learning you’ve done all summer with a Stewart’s ice cream sundae. To qualify to the prize drawing, all bingo sheets must be in by 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, so get reading!

But before that: This week, Thursday and Friday, Aug. 9 and 10, we’ve got one last week of crafting to do! Drop in on Thursday and/or Friday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. We can’t wait to see what you’ll make!

YA Book Bingo

Teens, are you feeling nostalgic about the Summer Reading Bingo and want in on the fun?

If so, you can participate the library’s first-ever Teen Summer Bingo! Stop in for a bingo card, read the books on the squares to get bingo, and get entered to win cool prizes. For further questions and rules, call or stop in the library and ask a staff member. Happy reading!

Thatcher Geology Tour

For everyone who missed a great presentation last Friday by Thacher Park geologist Tom Cummings, we’ve got another opportunity for you to learn from him on his home turf.

On Friday, Aug. 10, we’ll be taking a trip up to Thacher to take a guided walk along the famous and beautiful Indian Ladder Trail to learn all about the geology that surrounds us. Meet us at the visitors’ center for what’s sure to be a fascinating one-hour walk.

History Scavenger Hunt

We’ve extended the deadline to enter the Altamont History Scavenger Hunt we announced a few weeks ago!

In this scavenger hunt, you must use the information contained in the Museum in the Streets plaques scattered around the village to answer questions. Stop into the library for a clue sheet.

When you’re done, sheets may be returned to Altamont Free Library no later than Monday, Aug. 13. Prizes will be awarded to the first three entrants to return their forms.

If all of the questions are answered correctly, you will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize. The winners will be announced at the Tuesday, Aug. 14, concert in Orsini Park at 7 p.m. Good luck and have fun!

Farmers’ market

The Altamont Farmers Market is back! This year, the market is here on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We have two excellent farms running the market this year, Fort Hunter Farms (Mondays) and Altamont Orchards (Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays).

Come on out and support local farmers while at the same time bringing home fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. It’s a win-win! Thanks to Fort Hunter Farms and Altamont Orchards for making this happen!

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