PRESS RELEASES
NEW 20,000 SQUARE-FOOT LIBRARY
TO OPEN ON BUFFALO 'S EAST SIDE
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Grand Opening Celebration Scheduled on April 1st -
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Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library (B&ECPL) is opening a new 20,000 square-foot library to serve the City of Buffalo's East Side, announced Director Michael C. Mahaney. The Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Library, located at 1324 Jefferson Avenue, includes an African American Resource Room, adult and youth reading rooms, a technology training lab, 150-seat auditorium, 35 parking spaces and an African motif in the block façade. Architect Robert Traynham Coles' striking circular design, with its interconnected interior spaces, is intended to suggest an African Village. The building officially opens to the community on Saturday, April 1st with a march from the old library starting at 10 am and a ribbon cutting ceremony in the new facility at 11 am . Special events are planned for the following week as well. A complete schedule is attached.
“It's been 20 years since we opened a new branch library in the City of Buffalo,” announced B&ECPL Board Chair Rebecca L. Pordum. “This is long overdue!”
The new building replaces the nearly 80-year-old North Jefferson Branch Library and has been renamed after Frank E. Merriweather, Jr., editor and publisher of The Criterion newspaper, the oldest minority newspaper in upstate New York . The project has been in the works for nearly a decade, with original designs completed in 1999. The arrival of a State control board to oversee Buffalo 's finances and various other factors extended design and construction beyond early estimates. It has been more than two years from ground breaking to ribbon cutting.
The Merriweather Library houses the Center for Afro-American History and Research collection. This unique and outstanding collection was established in 1965 by now-retired B&ECPL Assistant Deputy Director William A. Miles, and in 1975, the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier began to incorporate microfilms of primary source material on the history of African Americans in the Western New York area. In addition to the numerous books, microfilm and flat pictures, the collection has now acquired the microfiche Schomburg Clipping File, which contains more than 9,000 records that preserve and document important accomplishments in the African American experience as well as other special electronic databases for African American research . It is the largest resource center in Western New York for information on African American history.
The Library extends a special thank you to The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation for its generous support of this project. A $250,000 grant was awarded by The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation in 2002 to provide furnishings and equipment for the African American Resource Room and technology training lab. Grant monies also supported the purchase of original artwork from Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folk Tales , a collection of 32 illustrated tales, introduced and selected by Mandela.
The artwork, all specially created by contemporary African artists, will be on exhibit in the new library.
The Library also acknowledges donations from the Afro-American Police Association (A.A.P.A), the Black Firefighters' Association, Members of Color Helping All (M.O.C.H.A) and, of course, the continuing contributions of the Friends of the Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Library.
The library is open Mondays from 12 to 8 pm , Tuesdays from 10 am - 6 pm , Wednesdays from 12 - 8 pm , Fridays from 10 am to 6 pm , Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm and Sundays from 1 to 5 pm (beginning on April 30th ). The building is closed on Thursdays.
The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System is dedicated to connecting Erie County 's diverse communities with library resources that enrich, enlighten and entertain.
FRANK E. MERRIWEATHER, JR. LIBRARY
- Grand Opening Week Special Events -
Monday, April 3rd -- 6 pm
Brother Patrick Freeman, "Mighty Oba" in "Moving From Negro to Afrikan"
Presented by the African Consciousness Workshop
Tuesday, April 4th -- 1 pm
"Planning Your Family Reunion " with Mrs. Georgia Burnett, Freelance Writer
Presented by the Juneteenth Heritage Tent Committee in cooperation with the Merriweather Library
Wednesday, April 5th -- 6 pm
"Race Toward Freedom" -- a historical drama video telling the story of enslaved fugitives escaping on the Underground Railroad and the dangers they faced in their quest for freedom
Presented by Mrs. Eva Doyle
Friday, April 7th -- 10:30 - 11:30 am
Reading Right Now Project...Toddler and Parent Storytime
Stories, songs and games presented by volunteers from EPIC and LVA
Special thanks to Literacy Volunteers of Buffalo & Erie County, EPIC, Children's Foundation of Erie County, Buffalo Chapter of the Links, HSBC and Fisher-Price.
Saturday, April 8th -- 11 am - 2 pm
“Be a Super Thinker” Program
Fun workshop for 4th - 8th grade students who enjoy reading and computers. Interactive games, prizes and lunch provided. Call 858-8900.
Funding support provided by Verizon Yellow Pages.