Altamont Free Library History

In 2005, The Altamont Free Library purchase the the historic Railroad Station for it's new home. 

Shortly after the arrrival of the railroad through this area around 1863 and with the rapid growth of the new Village of Knowersville, a group of local citizens organized a small Knowersville Circulationg Library.  This organization lasted for approximately 15 years serving its paid membership before it was dissolved around 1880.

On May 16, 1916, a group of persons interested in establishing a public library for the village held a meeting at the home of Mrs. Robert Shannon.  Of the 30 persons present, a large majority were ladies who were also members of the Colony Club.  The Colony Club was a social and literary body active from 1906 to 1936.  This group composed a constitiution, made preparations for operating a library, and obtained the services of Mrs. Stephen Ostrander as librarian.  Mrs. Ostrander would hold that post for the next 36 years.

A village resident could become a member by payment of One Dollar each year to the Library Association.  By the end of the first year the association had 177 members and owned 482 volumes.

As with the Altamont Enterprise, The Altamont Free Library has had a long history of "new" homes.   The first location was at 109/111 Maple Avenue.  In January 1919, the Library moved next door to 113/115 Maple Avenue where it stayed for two years.  By 1921, larger quarters were needed and the Library moved again: to rooms in the former Hallenbeck Funeral Parlor on Helderberg Avenue.  In 1925, the growth of the membership and collection size required another move.   This time the rooms of the former Beebe Harness Shop at 119 Maple Avenue provided ample room and the potential for expansion and growth. 

The Library remained at 119 Maple Avenue for 25 years until 1950.  At that time, the property was sold and another move was precipitated:  to the back of the property in an adjacent building, where the Library remained until 1962.  With the completion of the new village Post Office in 1961, the Library's former location in the Lanhart Block (across the street from the Library on Maple Avenue) became available.  With assistance from the local Kiwanis Club, the rooms in the Lainhart Building were remodeled and redecorated to suit the needs of the Library.  The move was accomplished by February 1, 1962.

The Library remained in one place for the next decade.  In 1972, the new Key Bank building was constructed on Park Street.  The basement space in the bank was originally conceived as a "community room" for the use of village organizations.  Since the village already had an ample supply of public spaces, the bank offered the space for use as a Library.  Their offer was gladly accepted.  The basement level of the Key Bank building has served the needs of the Library members  well for the past 35 years.  However, by 2005, the Altamont Free Library had 1882 cardholders.  The collection of books and materials, Library programs offered to the community and the need to meet governmental regulations regarding handicap accessibility required a reassessment of space once again.

In 2005, the Library acquired the historic Altamont Train Station as its future "new" home.  The Town of Guilderland issued a $ 300,000. bond to cover the purchase price, which the Library will pay back over the coming years.  Preserving the train station will not only meet the needs of the Library as a center of the community that is accessible to all, it will also fulfill the community's commitment to restore a historically significant building.  The Library will be able to continue its role as an active information center, dedicated to promoting literacy, education and technology as well as providing community programming to its residents and patrons.

The Altamont Train Station is one of the few remaining original Victorian Delaware and Hudson passenger railway stations.  Built in 1897 to replace an earlier station, this historic building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1971. one of the first buildings New York State included.  It has been left nearly untouched since it was built.  The train station is in need of major renovation and much work needs to be done in order to house the library.  The outside passenger waiting area also needs to be perserved and renovated to be used for Library programs and community events such as the Farmers Market.

The Altamont Free Library recieves most of its funding for its operation budget from the Town of Guilderland, the Village of Altamont and the Town of Knox.  The Library is an association library and does not receive money directly from taxpayers.  In order to raise funds to purchase the train station and make the necessary renovations, the Library must raise approximately $ 1,000,000.  While this amount may seem large to a village the size of Altamont, much of the Capital Campaign's fundraising efforts will focus on state and federal grants available to libraries as well as historic structures.  Businesses and individuals have already donated over $ 100,000. for the building fund and others have pledged in-kind donations of goods and services to restore the train station. 

The concept design for the new library is by Argus Architecture & Preservation P.C.  The plan envisions preserving the historic features of the building while at the same time accommodating the new use as a library.  The new Library/train station will be approximately 2,100 square fet which includes a mezzanine that will add much needed updated technology, a dedicated children's area and a new meeting/conference room to accommodate meetings, study groups, book clubs and other community and Library events that is adjacent to Orsini Park in the heart of the Village.

On June 23 of this year, the Farmers Market opened for the season under the passenger waiting area of the train station.  To celebrate the beginning of fund-raising efforts for the Library an exhibit of memoriabilia pertaining to the history of the Library and the train station along with the proposed floor plan of the new Library was on display in the train station.  The exhibit will remain open throughout the summer.

Visit the Altamont Free Library www.uhls.org/ALTAMONT at for Library News and more information on the Altamont Free Library Capital Campaign.

Altamont history: Courtesy of Altamont Musuem and Archives