Altamont Library Notes for Thursday, April 30, 2020
Altamont Free Library remains closed indefinitely due to the coronavirus epidemic. We look forward to reopening as soon as it is safe to do so.
Donations
Normally, the library staff would be very busy this week in preparing for our annual book sale. Unfortunately, the village-wide garage sale has been cancelled for this year, and so the book sale has been cancelled as well.
All year long, we ask our friends to hold their book donations until this week, so that we can include them in the sale, but we’re going to have to ask you all to hold onto those donations for a little longer. We’re hoping that circumstances will allow us to hold a smaller book sale later on this year, once life goes back to something closer to normal.
Hoopla
Need a new book, audiobook, or movie while the library is closed? We all do!
That’s why we’re introducing a new digital service called Hoopla! The Hoopla app can be downloaded onto any smart device, and gives you access to a tremendous catalog on ebook, digital audiobooks, streaming music, movies and TV shows for free with your library card.
Even better, there’s never a waitlist for anything you check out. If you have a card from any of the libraries in Albany or Rensselaer Counties, you can borrow up to five items a month. For more information, check out HooplaDigital.com or AltamontFreeLibrary.org and start streaming today.
If you’d like to use Hoopla or any of our other digital services, but can’t find your library card, send me an email at or call the library at 518-861-7239 and leave a message with your name and phone number, and I’ll get you your card number within the hour.
2020 Census
Altamont is kicking butt on the census! As far as we can tell, our local response rate here in the village is running well ahead of the county, state, and national response rates, so let’s keep it going!
If you haven’t responded yet by internet or phone, it’s about to get way easier to respond as paper questionnaires arrive in your mailbox. Take 15 minutes (or less) and fill out your census today. 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.
Just about everyone should have received mailings from the Census Department at this point. The Census Department cannot send mailings to post office boxes, which poses an unusual challenge for the village. The post-office employees are doing their best to get census information to all residents.
But, even if you haven’t received a mailing from the Census Department yet, 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.
Video Story Times
There are dozens and dozens of things I miss about the library as I’m working from home for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, but the thing I probably miss more than anything else is getting to see our youngest library patrons every week at Story Time.
If you and your young ones have been missing weekly Story Times as much as we have, the library staff has been working on something to tide you over until we can see each other in person again. Head over YouTube.com and search for “Altamont Free Library.”
There you’ll find video storytimes we’ve been putting together, with new ones appearing every Tuesday and Friday. You can also like us on Facebook and find them there. Each new edition is chock full of stories, songs, crafts, movement activities, and bubbles presented by staff members Meg Seinberg-Hughes, Erika Peterson, Jo Ann Mulligan, Ann Gainer and me. Please enjoy!
In addition to video story times, there are tons of other online resources you have access to with your library card. Go to https://www.altamontfreelibrary.org/online-services to find a full and constantly updated list.