Public Comment Draft

The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is our community’s oldest cultural institution, and has been fundamental to Western New York’s literary and cultural development throughout our nearly 200-year history. The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is proud to be Profoundly Public. Our 37 libraries are welcoming spaces for everyone. 

The downtown Central Library serves as the cornerstone of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. In our ongoing commitment to better serve the residents of Erie County, the Library, with enthusiastic support of the Board of Trustees, has engaged the architecture, planning, and design firm of Bostwick Design Partnership to conduct a Space Utilization Study of the Central Library. 

This study includes design options and cost estimations for the interior reimagining and reconfiguration of the 400,000 square foot building, in both public and employee spaces, along with proposed layouts for public and rare book collections. The goal is to create flexible spaces conducive to enhancing the Library’s commitment to intellectual freedom and free access while realizing our vision to be a vibrant destination. 

After months of site visits, staff and patron surveys, and community conversations, we are excited to share our consultant’s findings and recommendations in this draft Central Library Space Utilization Study. We invite you to review this public draft. Your feedback will be invaluable as we move forward. 

The final findings of the study will guide us in making informed decisions about needed improvements and renovations. We will keep you updated on our progress throughout this process. Thank you for your continued support of and dedication to the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Together, we can ensure that the Central Library remains deeply rooted in our community’s future.

Central Library Space Utilization Study Public Comment Draft (pdf)

Biblioteca Central Estudio Sobre la Utilizacion del Espacio Borrador de Comentarios Publicos (pdf)