Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
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| Country | USA |
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| Established | 1835 |
| Location | 1 Lafayette Square Buffalo, New York 14203 |
| Coordinates | 42°53′08″N 78°52′21″W / 42.885503°N 78.87262°WCoordinates: 42°53′08″N 78°52′21″W / 42.885503°N 78.87262°W |
| Branches | 37 |
| Website | www |
The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is located on Lafayette Square, Buffalo, New York. The current facility, designed by Robert L. Ketter and built in 1963, replaced the original Cyrus Eidlitz Buffalo Public Library Building dedicated in February 1887. The first Buffalo Public Library, in turn, replaced the Erie County, New York courthouse, which occupied the parcel from 1816-1876.
Founded ca. 1835 as the Young Men's Association (not to be confused with the Young Men's Christian Association), prominent members included Samuel Clemens, who was the editor of the Buffalo Express from 1869-1871. The Young Men's Association was a private subscription library, meaning that paid membership was required in order to borrow books. In 1883, the Association began a fund-raising campaign for a new building and held an architectural competition, which culminated in Eidlitz's 1887 design. Upon completion, the Association turned over its collections to the citizens of Buffalo and the Buffalo Public Library was born, with no requirement for dues or membership.
Significant Library collections include the original, hand-written manuscript of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which Twain donated to the library in 1885; and the Milestones of Science, a collection of first editions announcing major advancements in Western science.
The Institutional Services Division provides library services in three Erie County institutions.
Home Branch Library
First begun in 1956 with only a few books, this library at the Erie County Home has evolved dramatically. Users can now enjoy typical branch services as well as use the program room for coffee hour, old-time radio programs, read-alouds and travel club programs. Magnifying bars, book supports, tape-players, slides, slideviewers and electronic magnifiers are available for those needing special accommodations. Collections such as large print, video and audio cassettes create a warm place to find information or just sit and talk to a friend. For those unable to come to this library, room-to-room cart service to residents is provided.
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