Central (downtown Buffalo)
Welcome to the downtown Central Library!
Central Library Regular/non-holiday/non-emergency hours
Monday & Tuesday: 8 am - 6 pm
Wednesday & Thursday: 8 am - 8 pm
Friday & Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday: 12 pm - 5 pm
The fully accessible Washington Street doors to enter/exit the building are open during all library hours. The Washington St. entrance is located across from Lafayette Square, between Broadway and Clinton Streets.
Important - the Library's Ellicott Street, underpass entrance to the building is open during limited hours: Monday-Friday.
Download This Week @ Central Schedule Here
Coming Up @ Central Library & Online: July 25-August 2, 2026
Saturday, August 1 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Create Your Own Journal Workshop. Grosvenor Room * (registrations fully booked)
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Chess Clinic and Club. Central Meeting Room
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 3D Printer Certification Class. West Room *
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Stitch Circle. Launch Pad MakerSpace
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Pint-sized Picassos. West Room
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Virtual Saturdays. Teen Space
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Teen Jewelry Making. Teen Space
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Peaceful Playtime. West Room
Sunday, August 2 Library closed. Sunday hours resume September 13.
Monday, August 3 Library open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Information Table: Pathways to Success - University at Buffalo. Near Computers
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Interactive Journaling Program Group Sessions. West Room *
4:00 PM - 5:45 PM Art Break. West Room
Tuesday, August 4 Library open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM The REAL in Business Youth Program. West Room
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM Tiny Tots Storytime. Children's Room
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM It Takes a Village Action Group. Collections Gallery Conference Room *
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Teen Crafting. Teen Space
4:30 PM - 5:45 PM ISUPK Meeting. West Room
Wednesday, August 5 Library open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Every Bottom Covered Diaper Pick-up. Children's Room *
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Cookbook Club. Central Meeting Room
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Walk-up Tech Help. Information Services Desk & Computer Desk
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Movie Matinee: How to Train Your Dragon (2025). Ring of Knowledge
Thursday, August 6 Library open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Class Visit. Central Meeting Room *
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Information Table: Pathways to Success - University at Buffalo. Near Computers
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM It Takes a Village Action Group. Collections Gallery Conference Room *
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Summer at Central: Hawk Creek Wildlife Center. Auditorium
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Walk-up Tech Help. Information Services Desk & Computer Desk
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Every Bottom Covered Diaper Pick-up. Children's Room *
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Information Table: Queen City Workers' Center. Near Computers
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Graphic Novel Book Club: Watchmen. Collections Gallery Conference Room
6:00 PM - 7:45 PM Buffalo Sewing Club. West Room
Friday, August 7 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM The REAL in Business Youth Program. West Room
3:30 PM - 4:45 PM Teen Advisory Group (TAG) Meeting. West Room
Saturday, August 8 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Compeer West, Inc. Mental Health First Aid Training. Central Meeting Room
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM Womelsdorf Family Assocation (WFA) Meeting. Auditorium
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM AP Gorny: Different from the Rest Curator's Tour. Meet at Rare Book Room
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 3D Printer Certification Class. West Room *
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Stitch Circle. Launch Pad MakerSpace
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Dungeons & Dragons. Collections Gallery Conference Room * (registrations fully booked)
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Pint-sized Picassos. Children's Room
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM Letter-Sleuth: Interactive Learning Game for Children. West Room
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Lecture: "Polish Immigration in Buffalo & Western New York." Ring of Knowledge
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Virtual Saturdays. Teen Space
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Introduction to Oral History. Grosvenor Room
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Teen Jewelry Making. Teen Space
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Peaceful Playtime. West Room
Sunday, August 9 Library closed. Sunday hours resume September 13.
Exhibits & Displays: Open during regular Library hours.
AP Gorny: Different from the Rest. Rare Book Room
We the People: Commemorating 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence. Ring of Knowledge
Council of Heritage and Arts of India, Inc. Trailblazers Exhibit. Collections Gallery
Uncle Sam, Symbol of Patriotism. Buffalo Presidential Center, open Saturdays 10 AM - 4 PM only
Programs denoted with an asterisk (*) are for pre-registered participants only.
Entering the Library:
Everyone must go through a weapon detection system to enter the Library.
The Washington St. entrance is open during all Library hours. The Ellicott St. open hours are varied. The Clinton St. entrance is only open for Auditorium programs.
Your Buffalo & Erie County Public Library card means you can receive discounts across Erie County. Learn more about the VIP program here.
We want to hear from you.
The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is exploring how future interior improvements @ the downtown Central Library can better meet the needs of Erie County residents.
Imagining Buffalo Niagara in the 21st Century, after 600 programs,
IMAGINE Buffalo ran its final program in February 2026.
The Library is thankful to program host and volunteer Dennis Galucki.
IMAGINE Buffalo was sponsored by the Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature (C-SAAHN) in conjunction with the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
Click here for an archive of past Zoom programs dating back to 2020: Archive of past IMAGINE Buffalo zoom programs
Click here for a full archive of all recordings dating back to 2009