Mission

The Altamont Free Library, housed in the historic Altamont Train Station, serves as a hub of our community: Enriching lives, creating connections, fostering literacy and inquiry, and welcoming all.

Trustees

President: Rachel Lane

Vice President: Christine Carpenter

Secretary: Katherine Nelson

Treasurer: Tracy Mayer

Assistant Treasurer: Paul Scilipoti

Trustees: Katie Barker, Raelee Grimm, Deborah Marion-Katz, Jeff Perlee, Rebecca Stumpf

Library Staff

Library Director: Joe Burke

Library Assistants: Lauren Boudi, Erika Peterson, Meg Seinberg-Hughes

Maintenance: Claudia LeClair

Bookkeeper: Jason Cooper

Looking Back

· 2023 was AFL’s highest circulation year in our 107-year history!

· Throughout the year, AFL put on 170 programs drawing 4,186 participants

· That includes six of our best attended Orsini Park Summer Concerts in our history

· We facilitated 4,611 wifi and public computer sessions, almost 13 per day plus innumerable fax and printer uses

· Held the first I Love My Library Gala since 2020, which raised over $25,000 and introduced a new location and format for the event

· Held the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Dick & Ellen Howie Community Patio

· Organized our third annual StoryWalk in Schilling Park

· Received 1,269 visitors from other communities participating in the UHLS Library Expedition. Of all 36 locations in UHLS, we received the 7th most visits and were widely reported to be among participant’s favorite libraries.

2023 Circulation

· In 2023, Altamont Free Library lent out 25,011 physical items and 9,649 downloadable Ebooks and audiobooks for a total circulation of 34,660. This was our highest annual circulation ever, driven largely by our increasing digital circulation

· Children’s books made up a 10-year (and probably all-time) high of 29% of our total circulation

· Over-the-counter circulation was up by 9% compared to 2022, and our digital circulation increased by 16% over 2022

· Over the course of 2023, Altamont Free Library added 114 new library members

· More Altamont residents have active library cards than any other community in Albany or Rensselaer Counties but one

Looking Forward

· In April, we completed work our new Long Range Plan of Service, whose goals and objectives we will work towards fulfilling through 2026

· The LRP was developed after consultation with over 250 members of the Altamont community

· Our LRP makes commitments towards improvements in AFL’s long term sustainability, programming and communication

· We have already begun to implement many of the promises made in the LRP

· Most recently the AFL Board approved our new Mission Statement that you will find at the top of this page

Program Highlights

· AFL’s Summer Reading Buddies Program has been replicated throughout Guilderland, around the state and across the country

· In 2023, AFL participated in several community events, including marching in the Altamont Memorial Day Parade and assisting with ACT’s annual fall and winter festivals, and the Strawberry Social

· AFL welcomed 1,160 attendees to our Summer Concerts in Orsini Park and at Allied Brewing, our new rain location

· Resumed in-person Storytimes at AFL for the first time since 2020

Annual Circulation by Selected Categories, 2018 to 2023

Annual Circulation by Broad Categories, 2014 to 2023