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.
Coming Up @ Central Library & Online: April 25 - May 3, 2026
Download This Week @ Central Schedule Here
Saturday, April 25 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
12:00 PM–1:00 PM 3D Printer Certification Class. West Room*
12:00 PM–2:00 PM Exploring the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili with Dr. James Russell. Ring of Knowledge
12:00 PM–2:15 PM Information Table: Queen City Workers' Center. Outside of Children's Room
1:00 PM–4:00 PM BTPM's Living Library & The Librarians Screening Event. Central Meeting Room
1:30 PM–2:30 PM Pint-sized Picassos. Children's Room
2:00 PM–3:00 PM Virtual Saturdays. Teen Space
2:00 PM–4:45 PM Buffalo Writers' Critique Group/JBLC. Collections Gallery Conference Room
3:00 PM–4:00 PM Peaceful Playtime. Children's Room
3:00 PM–4:00 PM Special Collections Tour. Meet @ Grosvenor Room
6:00 PM–7:30 PM Alemaedae Theater: "The Last Rehearsal" Murder Mystery Experience ($). Auditorium
Sunday, April 26 Library open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
1:00 PM–4:00 PM Intelli-Fun, Inc.: Letter-Sleuth Learning Game. West Room
1:00 PM–4:00 PM Lavender Book Reviews Program. Ring of Knowledge
Monday, April 27 Library open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
11:00 AM–1:00 PM Information Table: Cassadaga Job Corps. Near Computers
4:00 PM–5:00 PM Spectrum Health and Human Services: Spectrum Reentry (Group 2). West Room*
Tuesday, April 28 Library open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
10:30 AM–1:00 PM It Takes a Village Action Group. Collections Gallery Conference Room*
4:30 PM–6:00 PM ISUPK Meeting. Collections Gallery Conference Room
Wednesday, April 29 Library open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
10:00 AM–12:00 PM Buffalo Public Schools: National Technical Honor Society Induction. Auditorium
11:00 AM–1:00 PM Every Bottom Covered Diaper Pickup. Children's Room*
2:00 PM–4:00 PM Pathways Point Help Desk. Main Concourse – Children's Side
2:00 PM–4:00 PM Walk-up Tech Help. Information Services Desk/Computer Desk
3:00 PM–5:00 PM Movie Matinee: Tron: Ares (2025). Ring of Knowledge
5:30 PM–7:00 PM City of Buffalo Finances Town Hall. Auditorium
Thursday, April 30 Library open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
10:30 AM–1:00 PM It Takes a Village Action Group. Collections Gallery Conference Room*
2:00 PM–4:00 PM Walk-up Tech Help. Information Services Desk/Computer Desk
3:00 PM–4:00 PM Spectrum Health and Human Services: Spectrum Reentry. West Room*
4:00 PM–5:00 PM Spectrum Health and Human Services: Spectrum Reentry (Group 2). West Room*
4:00 PM–6:00 PM Every Bottom Covered Diaper Pickup. Children's Room*
5:00 PM–6:45 PM Trivia @ the Library! Central Meeting Room
Friday, May 1 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
11:00 AM–1:00 PM Pathways Point Help Desk. Main Concourse – Children's Side
3:30 PM–4:45 PM Teen Advisory Group (TAG). West Room
Saturday, May 2 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10:00 AM–12:00 PM University Express: "Death and Dying." Collections Gallery Conference Room*
11:00 AM–2:00 PM Chess Clinic and Club. Central Meeting Room
11:00 AM–3:00 PM Family History Conference. Ring of Knowledge
12:00 PM–1:00 PM 3D Printer Certification Class. West Room*
12:00 PM–2:00 PM DownRoot Fund Informational Session. Auditorium
12:00 PM–2:15 PM Information Table: Queen City Workers' Center. Outside of Children's Room
1:00 PM–4:00 PM Dungeons & Dragons at the Library. Collections Gallery Conference Room* (registrations fully booked)
1:30 PM–2:30 PM Pint-sized Picassos. Children's Room
2:00 PM–3:00 PM Virtual Saturdays. Teen Space
3:00 PM–4:00 PM Peaceful Playtime. Children's Room
Sunday, May 3 Library open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Exhibits & Displays: Open during regular Library hours.
AP Gorny: Different from the Rest. Rare Book Room
Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy. Ring of Knowledge
Lincoln’s Funeral Train. Buffalo Presidential Center, only open Saturdays 10 AM - 4 PM
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