Skip to main content

Isaías González-Soto Branch Library

Isaías González-Soto Branch Library
    Library Info

    280 Porter Ave
    Buffalo, NY 14201
    United States

    Christine Webb, Branch Manager

    Located on the corner of Porter Ave. and Prospect Ave. Parking Lot on Prospect Ave with 2 accessible spaces and 17 other spaces.

    Facebook Icon  Facebook Icon 

    NFTA Bus Route: 5 & 22
    NFTA Trip Planner

    Computers, Printing & Faxing: 

    • Free Public Wifi
      • Network - BECPL2
      • Password - librarywifi
    • 19 Public Access Computers
    • 2 Scanners
    • 4 Children's Computers
    • 1 Online Catalog Computer
    • Microsoft Office Applications
    • Printing, including Mobile Printing:
      • 10 cents per page Black & White
      • 25 cents per page Color
      • Cash Only
    • Copier (Black & White only)
      • Copier (Black & White only)
      • 15 cents per side - Letter (8.5 x 11 inches)
      • 30 centers per side - Legal (8.5 x 14 inches)
      • Cash Only
    • Fax Machine
      • $1.75 for the 1st page + $1.00 for each additional page.
      • 20 page maximum per fax
      • Cash or Card

    "What can I do at a Public Access Computer?"
     

    Meeting and Study Rooms: 

    • Study Room
      • Capacity 9
      • 2 hour reservations
      • Call 716-882-1537 or Sign up in person, no application needed
    • Auditorium, accessible stage
      • Capacity 92
      • Requires application/reservation (see below)
    • Small Meeting Room
      • Capacity 27
      • Requires application/reservation (see below)

    Download the policies associated with using our Auditorium and Meeting Room:

    Facility Use Policy
    This document must be read by everyone planning to use a space in a library for a meeting.

    Rules of Conduct (pdf)
    This document must be read by everyone planning to use a space in a library for a meeting.

    Application and Fee Structure (pdf)


    What's Special About the Isaias Gonzalez-Soto Library?

    • Outlets and free wifi throughout building
    • Open floor plan with plenty of natural light
    • Indoor mural by Angelee Vargas
    • Auditorium with accessible stage, meeting room, and study room
    • Located next to Prospect Park
    • Spanish language materials
    • Language kits, including English as a Second Language (ESL), Spanish, French, Arabic, and Somali.
    • Isaías González-Soto Branch Library

      The Isaías González-Soto Branch Library is temporarily closed
      for complete air conditioner replacement.

      Public Meeting (within Board of Trusees Meeting)
      for the purpose of input regarding naming auditorium after Dr. Tamara Alsace
      Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
      Joseph B. Rounds Conference Room at Central Library
      1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203

      Public notice: The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York, Inc. has submitted a request to the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library to name the auditorium at the Isaías González-Soto Branch Library located at 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, after Dr. Tamara Alsace.

      Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Board of Trustees will host a Public Meeting for the purpose of input regarding the request to name the auditorium at the Isaías González-Soto Branch Library after Dr. Tamara Alsace.

      The Public Meeting will be held during the the Library System Board Meeting on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in the Joseph B. Rounds Conference Room at the Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203.

      Renaming Library Buildings, Spaces and Programs Policy & Guidelines and Procedures for Naming Spaces withing City of Buffalo Libraries available here: buffalolib.org/policies/becpl-policies

       

      Mural showing six cartoon portraits by artist Angelee Vargas. A middle-grade girl of Asian descent holds up a peace sign. A woman with an afro smiles. An elderly man with a long beard, glasses, and a head covering smiles. A woman with blond hair waves. A man with a fedora and tie smiles. A man with glasses and blue eyes waves.

      Please visit your improved Isaías González-Soto Branch Library located at 280 Porter Avenue in Buffalo, NY.
      There is a parking lot available next to the library (enter the lot via Prospect Avenue).

      Upcoming Events

      Individuals in need of an accommodation may contact the ADA Coordinator at access@buffalolib.org within 7 days of the program

      A group of children ages 6-12 years old pose at one of 2nd Generation Theatre Academy's free kid's theatre classes.

      FREE Kid's Theatre Classes
      by 2nd Generation Theatre Academy
      Mondays
      4:00pm-5:00pm
      October 20 - December 15
      & February 23 - March 30

      Join professional theatre instructors for free kid's theatre classes on our very own private stage at Isaías González-Soto Branch Library.
      Please register on the following page (scroll to the bottom and choose "Sign up for Classes at Gonzalez-Soto): www.secondgenerationtheatre.com/kids-classes/

      Hispanic Heritage Council Music Academy
      Mondays
      4:00pm - 5:30pm
      during the academic year

      Join the Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY for their music academy for youth ages 12 to 17 years old in our private meeting room.
      Registration Required, visit https://hispanicheritagewny.org/music-academy.php to register.
       

      A cartoon duck holds a mug of coffee and invites you to drop into Isaías Craft Café every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 5 to 7pm. A record player, box of pocky (a Japanese cookie snack) and friendship bracelet made of embroidery floss adorn the rest of the image.

      Isaías Craft Café
      Drop-in
      2nd Wednesdays 5:00pm-7:00pm
      (beginning in November)

      Enjoy a featured world snack and our coffee/tea bar. Unwind while listening to selections from the Library's historic record collection. Make the featured nostalgic craft (think friendship bracelets, boondoggle, bead buddies, fuse beads) or bring your own project to work on!

      LEGO Club
      3rd Wednesdays
      5:30pm-7:00pm

      Children 1.5 years old and older make their very own LEGO build and display it in the library until the following month. We have Duplo Blocks suitable for ages 1.5-3 years and LEGO Bricks suitable for ages 4 and up. Adult supervision is required.
      Call 716-882-1537 or sign up online at tinyurl.com/IGS-Events.

      Aerial picture of a group of people sitting on a wooden floor around a Cluedo game board.

      Board Game Club
      4th Wednesdays
      5:30pm - 7:00pm

      All Ages - Play one of our classic games or try one out from Central’s Gaming Unplugged (available for checkout)!

      Frankenweenie is a zombie dog seated on a hill in front of a full moon in black and white in this movie poster.

      Halloween Film: Frankenweenie (2012, rated PG)
      Thursday, October 30th
      4:00pm - 5:30pm

      Join us for a viewing of Frankenweenie (2012, rated PG) for a fun spooky film right before Halloween. There will be snacks!

      "Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is a science nerd and outsider at school, but he does have one good friend: his dog, Sparky. But then, tragedy strikes, and Sparky shuffles off this mortal coil. Victor is heartbroken, but his science teacher (Martin Landau) gives him an idea of how to jolt old Sparky back to life. The experiment is successful, and all goes well, until Victor's fellow students steal his secret and use it to resurrect other dead animals -- with monstrous consequences." Description from RottenTomatoes

       

      New Take and Make Craft every Monday. Free! Drop in while supplies last.

      Take and Make Crafts
      Drop-in throughout week
      New drop every Monday

      New Take and Make crafts drop every Monday at Isaías González-Soto Branch Library.
      Find them by the holds shelf and self-checkout throughout the week until supplies run out.
      No registration needed, just stop by and take a craft!

      Join the Scavenger Hunt! Final all the pictures around the children's area to win a prize from staff

      Scavenger Hunt
      Drop-in
      New theme every month

      There is an ongoing scavenger hunt for children and tweens in the children's area.
      Stop by any time during open hours to start hunting!

      Ongoing book sale downstairs. $1.00 per bag.

      Book Sale

      There is an ongoing book sale in the lower level of the library. $0.25 per item, or $1.00 per bag of items.

    • Buffalo Branches Board Info

      Library System Information on the Board of Trustees

      The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System Board of Trustees is the governing body for the downtown Central Library, and the eight branch libraries located in the city of Buffalo. These include: Crane, Dudley, East Clinton,  Frank E. Merriweather, Jr., North Park, Elaine M. Panty Branch Library, Isaías González-Soto Branch Library, and the Leroy R. Coles, Jr. Branch Library.

      All System Board of Trustee meetings and committee meetings are open to the public

      Monthly board meeting schedules, agendas and minutes.