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: September 5 - September 13, 2026
Saturday, September 5 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Chess Clinic and Club. Central Meeting Room
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM The Teapot Legacy Walk: Take a Stroll Among the Teapots. Collections Gallery
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 3D Printer Certification Class. West Room *
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Dungeons & Dragons. Collections Gallery Conference Room * (registrations fully booked)
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM AP Gorny: Different from the Rest Curator's Tour. Meet @ Rare Book Room
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
2:30 PM - 4:45 PM Street Crier Karaoke. Launch Pad MakerSpace
Sunday, September 6 Library closed. Sunday hours resume September 13.
Monday, September 7 Library closed in recognition of Labor Day.
Tuesday, September 8 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 *
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Afternoon Teen Crafts. Teen Space
4:30 PM - 5:50 PM ISUPK Meeting. West Room
Wednesday, September 9 Library open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Every Bottom Covered Diaper Pick-up. Children's Room *
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Walk-up Tech Help. Information Services Desk or Computer Desk
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Afternoon Teen Crafts. Teen Space
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Movie Matinee: The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025). Ring of Knowledge
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Citizens' Climate Lobby Monthly Meeting. Collections Gallery Conference Room
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Name Changes and Advanced Planning for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. Central Meeting Room
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Strong Towns Buffalo Book Club Inaugural Meeting. West Room
Thursday, September 10 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 or Computer Desk
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Afternoon Teen Crafts. Teen Space
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Library Board of Trustees Executive Committee Meeting. Joseph B. Rounds Board Room
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Every Bottom Covered Diaper Pick-up. Children's Room *
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Meet & Greet with Library Director Christine Schonhart. Collections Gallery
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Game Night at the Central Library. West Room
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM The Grant Lady Grant Writing Workshop. Central Meeting Room
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Buffalo Music of Hall of Fame Business of Music Workshop. Ring of Knowledge
Friday, September 11 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo Walk-in Legal Clinic. Study Rooms
12:00 PM - 2:30 PM Himalayan Institute Book Group Discussion: Mark Twain and Percival Everett. West Room
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Afternoon Teen Crafts. Teen Space
Saturday, September 12 Library open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Literacy Buffalo Niagara Tutor Training. Central Meeting Room *
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Central Library Tour. Meet @ Café
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM AP Gorny: Different from the Rest Curator's Tour. Meet @ Rare Book Room
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 3D Printer Certification Class. West Room *
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Buffalo History Channel presents: The Apollo Theatre. Ring of Knowledge
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Tori Einher presents "The Meltembra Experience." Auditorium
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Virtual Saturdays. Teen Space
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Teen Jewelry Making. Teen Space
2:00 PM - 4:45 PM Buffalo Writers' Critique Group. West Room
2:30 PM - 4:45 PM Street Crier Karaoke. Launch Pad MakerSpace
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Write Around Now. Collections Gallery Conference Room
Sunday, September 13 Library open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Exhibits & Displays: Open during regular Library hours.
The Dr. Catherine Collins Victorian Tea Exhibition. 2nd floor Collections Gallery, opens September 1
Buffalo's Vitascope Theatre & Edisonia Hall Display. 2nd floor, opens September 3
AP Gorny: Different from the Rest. Rare Book Room
We the People: Commemorating 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence. Ring of Knowledge
Roosevelt and the Teddy Bear. 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