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Central Library

Wireless Internet Access Available

1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203-1887 Map
716-858-8900 (phone)
716-858-6211 (fax)
Bridget Quinn-Carey, Director

Directions to Central Library
Map of the Central Library

Special Hours

Fables Cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM - 3 PM and on Saturday from 8:30 AM - 2 PM (the kitchen closes 1/2 hours before closing time).

Novel Ideas/Encore Editions Gifts and Used Books is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 AM - 2 PM, on Thursday from 11 AM - 6 PM and on Saturday from 11 AM - 3 PM.

Rare Book Room: Researchers are advised to call for an appointment at 858-8900.

Extending two city blocks in length, encompassing more than 400,000 square feet of floor space and more than 58 miles of shelving, the Central Library in Lafayette Square in the heart of downtown Buffalo is headquarters of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library system. Completed in 1964, this facility houses approximately 2 million volumes, special exhibition rooms for rare and valuable materials like the Mark Twain Room, a host of centralized administrative and support operations for the 37-outlet system, and a 324-seat auditorium with a Steinway grand piano. The auditorium and meeting rooms may be reserved for events.

Black and white copies are available at 15 cents each and color copies are available at 50 cents each. Public access computers are available. Printing from public access computers is 20 cents per page. "What can I do at a Public Access Computer?"

Wireless access is also available on both the first and second floor.

Now on Display at the Central Library

Meeting Rooms at the Central Library

Specialized Databases at the Central Library

Special Collections

Grosvenor Room (Genealogy, Music, Rare Books)

Mark Twain Room

More Collections Organized by Topic

Young Scientists (Ages 6-10)
Sundays at 2:00 PM
Registration is required ... Please call the library!
We've got Chemistry!

November 22nd •
Chemistry in the Kitchen
Believe it or not, one of the best places to perform chemistry experiments is right in your own kitchen. Join us as we test acids and bases with cabbage. Learn how cooking is really just chemical reactions. Find metallic flakes in your corn flakes!

November 29th •
It's Just a Phase!

When an ice cube melts or we boil water to make steam, what's happening? It's still all water, but how can it look so different? Come investigate what really happens when a chemical changes phases. We will conduct experiments with solids, liquids, and gasses.

December 6th •
Inside-Out Chemistry
Inside our bodies, there are millions of chemicals doing many different jobs like digesting food, transmitting messages to your brain, and helping you move your muscles. But some chemicals can hurt us if they get in our bodies. Can you think of any? Come and play some fun chemistry games today!

December 13th •
Oceanic Chemistry
After looking at chemistry on a small scale, let's go HUGE. Ancient oceans had the perfect chemical blend for the first life forms to develop. But, one secret ingredient came from the sky. Can you guess what it was? Join us as we conduct some salt-water experiments!

 


Young Explorers (ages 3-5)
Tuesdays at 3:00 PM
Registration is required ... Please call the library!
Animal Crazy!

November 24th •
Adaptations Galore
Why can some animals live in the cold while others live in the desert? Join us as we examine how climate affects animals and how they adapt.

December 1st •
Hibernation Happenings

Have you ever wondered why you don't see certain animals in the winter? Some animals, like bears and frogs, can sleep all winter long. Come to learn how and why animals sleep through the winter.

December 8th •
In the Dark

Do you sometimes hear animals at night? Not all animals sleep at night like we do. Some of them sleep during the day and are awake all night. Why do you think they do this? Join us as we explore animals of the night.

December 15th •
Bird Bonanza
Have you ever noticed that different birds eat different foods? Birds have special adaptations that allow them to live in different ways. Some birds are big and some are very small. Join us as we learn all about birds and how they live.

Click here for a map!

View Events at this Library

The next scheduled holiday for this location is Thursday, November 26, 2009 (Thanksgiving Day).

Winter Hours
Mon 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tue 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wed 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thu 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Fri 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sat 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sun 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

*Summer hours run from Memorial Day Weekend UNTIL Labor Day.

Summer Hours
Mon 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tue 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wed 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thu 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Fri 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sat 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sun Closed