Community Corner
Sachem Library Says Goodbye to Fran Altemose
Retiree honored at this month's library board of trustees meeting.
The Sachem Public Library board waved goodbye to one of its most beloved members Monday as Fran Altemose attended her final Board of Trustees meeting. Altemose, the Head of Community Services at Sachem Public Library, will officially retire June 30.
Altemose has been a valued member of the library for the last 17 years. Her dedication to the community has brought to life a wide array of innovative programs. Prior to the board's monthly meeting getting underway members said their farewells to Altemose and presented her with a retirement gift for her years of service.
"It's been fun and I've really enjoyed it," said Altemose. "I really appreciate that I was given a free reign to just do what I thought the community would like because they really have been very supportive of whatever we've done."
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Altemose developed her department from the ground up and, with the help of a dedicated staff, found her place in the community as a professional whom colleagues and community members both admire and respect. The programs she developed within the library will be continued after her retirement, but her presence will surely be missed.
Notes & Quotes
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-On the agenda for the meeting was the ongoing process of standardizing their circulation system to make things more uniform. Also the board discussed the amount of books circulated in and out of the library. Over 970,000 books were circulated last year and some members of the board expressed a desire to see that number break a million in 2010.
-The board discussed its efforts to streamline the pickup and delivery service, which in the past had been criticized for its distribution of books and media in canvas bags. Their new bins have significantly reduced the damage to materials brought on by the cumbersome bags, and Sachem was one of the first libraries on the island to implement the change. The board was pleased to mention the fact that the Sachem Public Library was among the leaders in inter-library loans in 2009, as their numbers exceeded 100 thousand books.
-Also discussed was the hacking of the library's website. There was a break-in to the security of their webpage and an anti-Israeli cartoon was posted in late May; however the issue has been resolved.
Next Up
The board's next meeting will take place Monday, July 19.
