Ardsley Public Library is located at 9 American Legion Drive, Ardsley, NY 10502 in Westchester County. We offer many interesting events such as:
Children's Storytimes
Preschool Storytime For children 3 1/2 to 5. The "Big Guys" will go upstairs as a group, without their caregivers, and are treated to stories, songs, flannel board stories and puppets. Registration required.
Two's Company For children 2 to 3 1/2 years old with their caregivers. Hear stories and rhymes, sing songs and join in with the Ardsley Toddler Marching Band. Registration required.
Bouncing Babies Join Nora Maher and introduce babies ages 6 months to 2 years to fun at the Library. Enjoy stories, rhymes, songs, musical instruments and other bouncing baby treats. Loads of fun for everyone. Registration required.
Book Groups
Eat some great cookies and talk about some great books! This program is for grades 3 & 4. Registration required.
Reading Rox and Pizza Too Drop in for some delicious pizza, some cold drinks and some great talk about books. This program is for grades 5 and 6. Registration is required.
Kids Craft Club Take a break from school and get ready for the weekend by finding the artist within you. A different project each session will get those creative juices flowing. Grades K through 2. Registration required.
Points of Interest Wireless Internet is available at the library. Bring your wireless devices - including but not limited to wireless lap tops and palm pilots and take advantage of this new service.
Press "Blue Button" for library hours, event schedules, and more about the Ardsley Public Library.
The Armonk Branch is located at 19 Whippoorwill Road East, Armonk NY. The North White Plains Branch is located at 10 Clove Road, North White Plains, NY 10603.
The North Castle Public Library offers many services, including:
Newspapers, Magazines and other Databases Armonk Calendar North White Plains Calendar Downloadable Audiobooks Adult Services Teen Space Children's Corner
What's New Find out what new programs we offer in the near future and new materials (books, music, movies) we've added to the collection.
Children's Ongoing Programs A list of our monthly and weekly programs.
Guide to Children's Literature and Materials Links to the important awards, acknowledgements and reviews to children's materials.
Guide to Children's Searching and Surfingls Links to great sites with homework help and tips to surf the Internet.
Internet Search Engines Recursos en Español Whippoorwill Hall
Press "Blue Button" for The North Castle Public Library and for more information.
The Armonk Branch is located at 19 Whippoorwill Road East, Armonk NY. The North White Plains Branch is located at 10 Clove Road, North White Plains, NY 10603.
The North Castle Public Library offers many services, including:
Newspapers, Magazines and other Databases Armonk Calendar North White Plains Calendar Downloadable Audiobooks Adult Services Teen Space Children's Corner
What's New Find out what new programs we offer in the near future and new materials (books, music, movies) we've added to the collection.
Children's Ongoing Programs A list of our monthly and weekly programs.
Guide to Children's Literature and Materials Links to the important awards, acknowledgements and reviews to children's materials.
Guide to Children's Searching and Surfingls Links to great sites with homework help and tips to surf the Internet.
Internet Search Engines Recursos en Español Whippoorwill Hall
Press "Blue Button" for The North Castle Public Library and for more information.
The Bedford Free Library is located at 40 Village Green, Bedford, NY 10506. The town of Bedford has three libraries located in the hamlets of Katonah, Bedford Hills, and Bedford Village.
The building in which the Bedford Free Library is located - is a historic landmark celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2007. This historic building, circa 1807, was once a school. It became the library in 1903. Until 1902, it was the Bedford Academy, one of Westchester's first classical schools. The Corporation of Bedford Academy gave the building to the Historical Society in 1972. It is currently leased for $1 a year to the Bedford Free Library who is responsible for its maintenance.
Storytimes for Children
Thursday 11.15 a.m. - Storytime for preschoolers with adult Monday 4:00 p.m. - Storytime for 4 - 8 year olds No registration is necessary
Call the Children's Room at 234-3570 with any questions and for information about special programs and storytimes
Press "Blue Button" for Library Hours, Adult Section, Children's Room, Audios, Young Adult and more about the Bedford Free Library in Bedford Village.
The Briarcliff Manor Public Library is located at One Library Road (off Pleasantville Road in Law Park) Briarcliff Manor, New York 10510. The mission of the Briarcliff Manor Public Library is to provide state-of-the-art facilities, programs, collections, and information services in a community environment in which residents can meet and interact. The Library emphasizes:
Stimulating and supporting children's and young adults' appreciation of reading and learning
Meeting the varied interest and intellectual demands of adults
Press "Blue Button" to access library information including: Helpful Hints, Online Research, Search Other Local Catalogs, Computer Classes, and Book Discussion Groups.
The Bronxville Public Library is located at 201 Pondfield Road at the intersection of Midland Avenue and Pondfield Road in Bronxville. The Bronxville Public Library proudly serves the Bronxville community and its surrounding neighbors. We offer services ranging from simply borrowing books, videos and CDs to using our computers to access Westchester Library's site and for surfing the Internet.
The Children's Room of the Bronxville Public Library serves the community by providing books, materials and programs for children from birth through grade six. From board books to chapter books; from picture books to non-fiction, the Children's Room collection is constantly expanding and seeks to meet the needs of all young library users. All our programs except for movies require registration one week prior to the program date in person. You may sign up at the Library in the Children's Room. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Children's Room, Children's Programs, Teen Territory, Events Schedule, Friends of the Library, History of the Library, Search the Library Catalog, Room Reservations, Downloadable Audiobooks and more.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
The Chappaqua Public Library is located at 195 South Greeley Ave., Chappaqua, NY 10514. The Chappaqua Library aspires to be a welcoming community center for human interaction, intellectual stimulation and cultural enrichment for people of all ages through books, other informational, educational and cultural materials, events and programs. Decisions about library services, equipment and facilities are based on library priorities and stringent cost-benefit analyses.
Press "Blue Button" for more information about The Chappaqua Public Library, including:
Adult Services Teen Services Children's Services Place Holds and Renewals Online Research E-Mail Reference and E-Mail Newsletter
The Chappaqua Public Library e-mail list will notify you about: Adult Programs Teen Programs Children's Programs Newly acquired books and reference materials New A.V. items And more
Downloadable Audiobooks Adult, Teen, and Programs for Children Library Catalogs
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
The Croton Free Library is located at 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. We offer many services and information about:
New To Croton Upcoming Films and Film Festival Special Events Coming Soon Book Club News Adopt A Book Ottinger Room Programs Children's Events & Programming Volunteers Needed The Library Association Introducing Newcomers to our Library
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Croton Free Library.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
The Dobbs Ferry Public Library is located at 55 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522.
Brief History about Dobbs Ferry Public Library In 1899, the Dobbs Ferry Free Library and Reading Room was organized under the " Women's Christian. Temperance Union." The small collection of books gathered by the ladies was placed in the front parlor of a home on lower Main Street. Mrs. Pearse, the wife of the owner, acted as librarian. Situated in what was then the very center of town, she kept the library open every day, and allowed books to circulate for two weeks.
In 1909 the library was granted and Association Charter by the State Board of Regents, as the Dobbs Ferry Free Library. It moved into the ground floor of 153 Main Street, which also housed the William McKinley Free Kindergarten on the top floor. Miss Louise Miller, the kindergarten teacher and her assistant ran the library during the afternoon and evening.
After Mrs. Brown's death in 1951, Col. Brown donated the building, in her memory, to the Village; at which time it was remodeled. A Children's Room was established on the second floor. It was not until 1957 that the Dobbs Ferry Free Library was re-chartered and became the Dobbs Ferry Public Library. The growing library collection soon outgrew its space.
Today, the Dobbs Ferry Free Library is located in a new building, with its distinctive Clock Tower, and is more than twice the size of the old library. It has a separate Children's Room; an Adult Reading Room; a large Meeting Room/Art Gallery; Conference Room and a terrace with Hudson River views.
Press "Blue Button" for more information about The Dobbs Ferry Public Library, including:
Downloadable Audiobooks Library Gallery Adult / YA Programs Children's Programs Library Policies / Booking Info Wireless Westchester Library System Homepage Library Catalogs
The Eastchester Public Library is located at 11 Oakridge Place, Eastchester, New York 10709. The Eastchester Public Library opened in May, 1967 at its current location. The library serves the residents of the unincorporated area of the Town of Eastchester as well as all residents of Westchester County. The Eastchester Public Library is a member of the Westchester Library System.
The Children's Room at the Eastchester Public Library is a popular place for children and their parents to read and learn together. The Eastchester Public Library offers a variety of programs for children; including arts and crafts, story time, reading groups, and other fun activities. Press "Blue Button" for information about The Eastchester Public Library.
The Greenburgh Public Library is located at 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 in Westchester County. The Greenburgh Public Library was granted its charter on August 24, 1962, and began library service to Greenburgh residents that month in rented rooms in a Dobbs Ferry Road Building. In 1969, the Library moved into an 18,900 square-foot building in a central location on Tarrytown Road to better serve the public. At that time, we served a population of about 18,500 people. Presently, we serve a population of approximately 44,000 people, who reside in 10 separate school district areas of the unincorporated portions of the Town of Greenburgh. The Library has a collection of 186,000 items, including books, periodicals, DVDs, videos, CDs and audio books. Greenburgh Library is the fifth largest member of the Westchester Library System, and in 2005 had the second highest circulation in the county.
In early 2007, the Library began a renovation and expansion project, which will result in doubling the building size and increasing the services we offer. During the renovation and expansion, which is expected to take two years to complete, we are providing full library services in satellite locations throughout Greenburgh, including the Town Hall and the Multipurpose Center. Press "Blue Button" for library hours, event schedules, and more about the Greenburgh Public Library.
Points of Interest
Chartered = 1962 as the Greenburgh Public Library Type of Library = Special Library District created by the State of New York Population Served = 44,000. The Greenburgh Library is chartered to serve the residents of unincorporated Greenburgh, which includes portions of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings, Irvington and Tarrytown. Cardholders = 22,000
Downtown (Main) Library Bruce Avenue Harrison, NY 10528
West Harrison Branch 2 Madison Street West Harrison, NY 10604
Library History The Library known today as the Harrison Public Library has provided service to Harrison and Westchester County residents for over 100 years. Founded in 1905 as the Harrison Free Reading Room, the Library was chartered as the Harrison Public Library in 1955. In 1967, the official merger of the Harrison Public Library with the Silver Lake Free Library resulted in the incorporation of what we know today as the Harrison Public Library and its West Harrison Branch.
In 1985, the downtown main Bruce Avenue Library was renovated and expanded, with the Community Room added at that time. In 1989 the Library became the pilot library for the WESTLYNX integrated automated system. The Library has been providing Internet service to the public since 1996, and in 2005 wireless internet service was provided at both Library buildings. In 1999 the New York State Library recognized the Harrison Public Library as an Advanced Electronic Doorway Library.
Press "Blue Button" for information about:
Calendar of Events Catalogs Downloadable Audiobooks Friends of the Library Hours & Directions Newspaper, Magazine and other Databases TumbleBook Library - e-books for e-kids
Our TumblePlayer now allows you to create play lists of your favorite TumbleBooks and play them in succession. Great for Story Time in both school and library - Wonderful for children.
The Hastings Library is located at 7 Maple Avenue Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706. The Hastings Library's majestic river view is due to its location in Fulton Park, adjacent to the Municipal Building. In 2002 the library was renovated and expanded. Besides making the building ADA accessible, updating wiring and enlarging community rooms, a beautiful new picture book room for toddlers was added. Fulton Park, to the south, was also enhanced with new terraces, benches, tables, and landscaping.
The Library has approximately 60,000 books and periodicals, and audio visual materials. It is a repository of Village documents, including Hastings newspapers dating back to 1929. Public access computers let you search library catalogs and databases, access the Internet, use a word processor, and more.
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hastings-on-Hudson Library, including:
Library Calendar Events Programs for Children Programs for Adults Press Friends Policies Contacts
The Irvington Public Library is located at 12 South Astor Street, Irvington-on-Hudson, NY 10533. The first Irvington Public Library was established in the mid-19th century by an interested group of Irvington residents. It was located in "the little red schoolhouse." The schoolhouse library evolved into the short-lived Irvington Free Library, which later became the Atheneum.
In the late 1990s, the Library Board concluded that a new library was essential for more space, better access for those with disabilities and to support new technologies. On January 28th, 2000, the library officially opened in its new quarters at the historic Burnham Building. The new library is three times the size of the old one and is a wonderful mixture of old and new architecture.
The Irvington Public Library provides many services and information such as:
Library Catalogs & Your Account Online Resources General Information Programs & Services including:
Adult Programs Young Adult Programs Children's Programs
Wireless Internet Access Tiffany Reading Room Westchester Library System
Press "Blue Button" to view the Irvington Public Library website.
The Katonah Village Library is located at 26 Bedford Road, Katonah, NY 10536. General Informaion about the Katonah Village Library includes:
Katonah Poetry Series In 1967 the Katonah Village Library and the New York State Poets and Writers program began sponsoring three poetry readings each year, playing host to dozens of poets and many hundreds of poetry aficionados. Under the direction of poet Robert Phillips from 1967 to 1991, and under Billy Collins since then, the Poetry Series has attracted a lot of major contemporary poets. As Billy Collins said at the beginning of his tenure as Poet-in-Residence, "If you sat on the steps of the Katonah Library for the past 23 years without moving, nearly every notable American poet would walk by you."
Book Discussion Group The Library's Book Discussion Group has been meeting every three weeks since 1983. The group meets on Wednesday evenings at 8 PM and talks informally about plot, character, motivation, language, and anything else that comes to mind for about an hour before checking out the author's biographical facts and what critics have had to say about the book under discussion.
The Katonah Village Library offers many services and programs including: Events Calendar News Update Catalog & Reserve Books Online Databases Downloadable Audiobooks Book Comments & Reviews Childrens' Room Young Adult Newsletter History The Collection Westchester Library System
Press "Blue Button" to view the Katonah Village Library website.
The Larchmont Public Library is located at 121 Larchmont Avenue, Larchmont, NY 10538. The Larchmont Public Library offers many services including:
The Catalog - search, reserve items and check your account Downloadable Audiobooks Online Resources - newspaper, magazine and scholarly articles Suggested Web Pages Adult Programs Exhibits Programs for Children: For information about events at the Children's Room call 914-834-4666. Hours and Holidays Book Group Selections Village and Town webpages Friends of the Library
Press "Blue Button" to view the Larchmont Public Library website.
The Mamaroneck Library provides services to its community in an atmosphere that is pleasant, comfortable, and "user friendly". Those services include a lending library for popular materials; support for high school students; materials and personnel to stimulate young children's appreciation for reading and learning. The library is a learning and educational center for all residents of the community.
The Mamaroneck Library provides many services including:
Downloadable Audiobooks - Digital versions of books made available through the Internet Adult Programs - Internet Classes, e-Audiobooks, Programs The Teen Place - Internet Links, Programs, Reading Lists, Volunteering Children - Storytimes, Programs, Reading Lists, RIF (Reading is Fundamental), Babies & Books, Homework Help, Tumblebooks Teachers Section History Book Sale
Press "Blue Button" to view the Mamaroneck Library website.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
The Mount Kisco Public Library is located at 55 Maple Ave., Mt Kisco, NY 10549. Find out about the many services available at the Mount Kisco Public Library, including:
Especially for Kids
Family Storytimes Stories in the Park Creative Movement at the Mount Kisco Elementary School
Museum Passes Calendar of Events Media Selections Welcome to Wireless Just for Teens Third Thursday Theater En Espanol
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Mount Kisco Public Library.
The Mount Vernon Public Library is located at 28 South First Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. The Mount Vernon Public Library was chartered by the State of New York in March, 1896. Andrew Carnegie, the retired steel tycoon and benefactor of libraries, donated $50,000 in 1904 that allowed for the building to be constructed on its present site. The library is a neoclassical Revival style building.
In 1958, the library became the Central Library of the newly formed Westchester Library System. It is the largest Library in Westchester County and the sixth largest in New York State. Starting with about 5,000 books in 1896, the Library's collection houses over more than 500,000 volumes and subscribes to approximately 800 current magazines, journals and newspapers.
The Children's Room houses over 80,000 volumes. Contemporary literature as well as retrospective titles are available. The collection features growing multi-cultural, parenting and foreign books sections. The Anne Izard Storytelling Collection is housed here.
The newly formed Computer Center provides access to the Kid's Catalog and the Internet. Educational computer games can be played on the MacIntosh.
Videos, cassettes, and recorded books form the audio visual collection. Parenting videos are the latest addition to the non-print arena. Family friendly programs and special events are held throughout the week. Many Programs are available, including:
Mount Vernon Public Library Book Club The Mount Vernon Public Library Book Club cordially invites you to join a gathering of your friends and neighbors to explore and discuss books of interest to our community.
Cyber Corner & Computer Training The Gates Computer Training Lab is open for scheduled workshops and lab practice sessions only. Workshop schedules and registration forms are available at the Library's Circulation desk.
The Literacy Center at Mount Vernon Public Library The Mount Vernon Public Library has since 1972 provided free, confidential, one-to-one tutoring in Basic Literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to the Mount Vernon community as well as surrounding communities. It is the first public library, in the United States, to house and support a literacy program.
Press "Blue Button" for Adult and Children's Calendar of Events and more information about the Mount Vernon Public Library.
The Huguenot Children’s Library, a branch of the New Rochelle Public Library, is located at 794 North Avenue, New Rochelle, New York 10804.
The Huguenot Children’s Library is Westchester County ’s first and only children’s library. The library which opened in 1997 is entirely dedicated to children and their families, with books, computers, and activities just for kids, plus a community meeting space that can be used for special events. Outside, the library grounds include a plaza with seating for parents and caregivers adjacent to a state of the art playground.
The Huguenot Children’s Library is the result of an unprecedented community effort spearheaded by a non-profit, non-partisan citizen’s group, the Partnership for the Huguenot Children’s Library. Formed in 1993, this group took a branch library that was closed in 1992, reinvented it as a family destination and raised the funding needed to renovate and operate the library.
Press "Blue Button" for information about:
Storytimes and Special Programs Homework Help Book Connection Teachers Just for Fun Internet Sites School and Family Programs
The New Rochelle Public Library is located at One Library Plaza, New Rochelle, New York 10802. The New Rochelle Public Library offers many services including:
Children's Services & Programs
Storytimes and Special Programs Homework Help Book Connection Teachers Just for Fun Internet Sites School and Family Programs
Teen Services & Programs Adult Services & Programs The Huguenot Children’s Library Local History & Photo Collection Reference Services Electronic Reference Business Opportunity Center Book Clubs Book Sales Renting Library Space
Press "Blue Button" for the New Rochelle Library Calendar of Events, Special Programs, and more information about Using the Library and the many services offered.
The Ruth Keeler Memorial Library is located at 276 Titicus Road, North Salem, NY 10560. The North Salem Free Library, now called Ruth Keeler Memorial Library, was started in 1932 in two rooms on the main floor of the Town House, with 1600 books contributed by the Universalist Church. In 2005 the library was renamed "Ruth Keeler Memorial Library" in recognition of the major contribution from the Ruth Keeler Charitable Trust.
The Ruth Keeler Memorial Library offers many services including:
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) As part of the Westchester Library System the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library is connected to a borrowing network which includes public and academic libraries in the county and libraries in the NY metro area, NY state and beyond. If you want a book, AV item or magazine article not on our shelves, we'll be happy to send out a request for it. You can also order books and AV titles located at other Westchester public libraries online (Search Library Catalogs) from your home computer and have them delivered to the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library.
Children's Programs In addition to weekly storytimes for children, there are regular craft programs, a summer reading game, pajama storytimes and special programs throughout the year.
Online Databases A large array of online databases is available on the Westchester Library System website. These databases can be accessed in the Library and also remotely from any computer with Internet access.
Internet When you need help navigating the confusing maze of the Web, click on the "Reference & Research Guides." The public librarians in Westchester have chosen the most useful web sites and organized them into categories. "Just For Kids" (OWLS) is a good place for children to begin their exploration of the Internet.
Other Services - Downloadable Audiobooks - Community Room - Group Visits - Public Fax and Photocopier - Federal and State Tax Forms - Homebound Service - Monthly Art Exhibits - Reference Assistance - Depository for off-hours return (all library material accepted) - Computers for Word Processing - Annual Booksale (Saturday of Mother's Day weekend)
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the The Ruth Keeler Memorial Library.
The Armonk Branch is located at 19 Whippoorwill Road East, Armonk NY. The North White Plains Branch is located at 10 Clove Road, North White Plains, NY 10603.
The North Castle Public Library offers many services, including:
Newspapers, Magazines and other Databases Armonk Calendar North White Plains Calendar Downloadable Audiobooks Adult Services Teen Space Children's Corner
What's New Find out what new programs we offer in the near future and new materials (books, music, movies) we've added to the collection.
Children's Ongoing Programs A list of our monthly and weekly programs.
Guide to Children's Literature and Materials Links to the important awards, acknowledgements and reviews to children's materials.
Guide to Children's Searching and Surfingls Links to great sites with homework help and tips to surf the Internet.
Internet Search Engines Recursos en Español Whippoorwill Hall
Press "Blue Button" for The North Castle Public Library and for more information.
The Ossining Public Library is located at 53 Croton Ave, Ossining, NY 10562. The Ossining Public Library is 47,000 sq. feet. The library is a “green” building, powered by geothermal energy, and landscaped with drought and pest-resistant native plants. The library construction is following the U.S. Green Buildings Council’s procedures for accreditation as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building. It will be only the second LEED building in Westchester.
The Ossining Public Library offers many services including:
Online Services Card Catalog Research Guides View Your Account Reserve or Renew Material Reserve a Room Ask a Reference Question Databases Westchester Library System Science Reference Center Reference USA Business Directory The Place for Teens The Junior Room The John Cheever Reading Room The New Building Ossining Websites Reserve a Room
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Ossining Public Library.
The Field Library, located several blocks from the Hudson River at 4 Nelson Avenue, is Peekskill's major information resource. As a full scale public library serving a population of approximately 22,000 Peekskill residents and 35,000 Town of Cortlandt residents, The Field Library boasts a collection of 80,000 books, over 300 different magazine and newspaper titles, and a wide variety of audiocassettes, compact discs and videocassettes.
Children's Activities The Children's Department, for babies through sixth graders, is a library room stocked with books, puzzles, learning games, audio and video cassettes, records, and a multi-media center. There are also state-of-the-art computers providing free Internet access to children's databases and other homework and research sites over high-speed, fiber-optic lines. Weekly events include story hours and storytelling, arts and crafts, music and programs for the whole family to enjoy. You may reach the Children's Library by calling (914) 737-0847.
Press "Blue Button" for information about Hours, Materials & Services, Kid's Corner, Bookstore, Events, Gifts, Local History, Obituary Index and more.
The Pelham Public Library is located at 530 Colonial Avenue, Pelham, NY 10803. The Town of Pelham Public Library serves the people of Pelham and Westchester County by providing books, materials, information and library services to meet their interests and needs. The Library strives to provide excellent library services and programs which work in concert with other cultural and educational institutions in the Town of Pelham.
The Pelham Public Library offers many programs and services including:
The Mount Pleasant Public Library has two locations:
The Main Library is located at 350 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY 10570. The Branch Library is located at 125 Lozza Drive, Valhalla, NY 10595.
The Mount Pleasant Library offers many services, including:
Books Over 127,000 books are available to you. These include outstanding fiction as well as non-fiction materials in both the adult and children's areas. In addition, we have a comprehensive collection of reference materials.
Audio-books We have a large collection of Audio-books on Cassette and we increasing the size of our Audio-book on CD collection. Both collections contain fiction and non-fiction.
Tumble Book Library e-books for e-kids available in English, French and Spanish.
Business/Investment Table A popular part of our reference collection is our Business/Investment Table. Located in the Reference Dept. Titles subscribed to include: Morningstar Mutual Funds, Valueline Expanded Edition, and Standard & Poor's Register. Statistical information is regularly updated for investors.
Computers at the library We have PCs in our main library and in our branch library that provide access to our online catalog, the Internet and Microsoft Word.
Children's Computers Located in the children's room, these multimedia computers are open to all our patrons who are under 12 years of age. A wide range of CD-ROM titles are available, with the emphasis on educational software.
Exhibitions and Displays The library will display art exhibitions and arrange for shows.
Homebound Services For those persons in Mount Pleasant who are unable to come to the library due to physical disabilities, we will select books of their choice and deliver them.
Interlibrary Loan Service The Mount Pleasant Public Library is connected to a Westchester County-wide borrowing system, including both public and academic libraries; several million items are available to you under this cooperative program.
Job Information Center (JIC) The Job Information Center offers job finding aids like the National Job Bank, America's Top 100 Employers, resume and interview guides.
Videos and DVDs The Mount Pleasant Public Library has over 8,000 videos and DVDs. Our collection includes classic and new-release films for both adults and children.
Among the many other services the Mount Pleasant Public Library has to offer are the following:
Community Room Large print materials and magnifying equipment Magazines and Newspapers Medical Table Microfilm/Microfiche Machines Public programs for both adults and children Young Adult Department
Press "Blue Button" for more detailed information at the Mount Pleasant Public Library website.
Hiram Halle Memorial Library is located at the intersection of Routes 124 and 137 in the Hamlet of Pound Ridge. Opened in 1952, the Library now has a collection of over 60,000 items including books, magazines, CDs, talking- book cassettes and videos. The Library's collection is broad and diverse, but is particularly strong in the arts, biographies, mysteries and cookbooks. In addition, the Library offers electronic database searching and Internet access for reference and research. Through the Interlibrary Loan Program, books not owned by the Library can be provided quickly and efficiently via WESTLYNX, the computerized card catalog of Westchester's 38 public libraries and other data bases.
As the cultural center of the town, the Library offers such activities as The Adult Learning Center (TALC), art and craft exhibits, 55 Alive driving courses, films, concerts, lectures and book-discussion programs year round. The Library also sponsors a myriad of children's activities including: Winter and Spring vacation Programs for Children, Children's Story Hours, Holiday Happenings, Arts and Crafts workshops, Musical Performances, and the annual Summer Reading Program. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hiram Halle Memorial Library in Pound Ridge.
The Purchase Free Library is located at 3093 Purchase Street, Purchase, New York 10577. We offer videos, DVDs, audio books, magazines and newspapers, as well as fiction and non-fiction for adults and children.
Children's Services Materials for children include picture books, board books, I-can-read books, chapter books, nonfiction books for school assignments and the internet. In the audiovisual area we have DVDs, videos, audio books and educational CD-Roms. In the Summer, we sponsor the popular "Summer Reading Game."
Adult Services The Library offers on-line catalogs, which provide access to all Westchester Public Libraries and Westchester college libraries. It offers on-line searching for books, newspaper and magazine articles as well as internet access. Books not immediately available in the Purchase Free Library collection may be obtained quickly from home or the library through an interlibrary loan.
Press "Blue Button" for more information about The Purchase Free Library.
The Port Chester Public Library is located at Haseco and Westchester Avenues, Port Chester, New York 10573. The Port Chester Public Library was founded in 1876 by the Honorable Jared V. Peck. Fifty years later, the Library building was dedicated in its present location. The library is funded by the Villages of Port Chester and Rye Brook.
The Port Chester Public Library offers many services and programs, including:
Adult Programs Books, Videos and DVDs Books-on-Tape and CD Large Print Books Homebound Services Internet Access Microcomputers Reader's Advisory Inter-Library Loan Service On-line magazine & newspaper Online Book Club Literacy Volunteer Tutoring English as a Second Language Meeting Rooms with AV equipment Tax forms Westchester Library System Children's Services, Library Playtime and Story Times
Discover and explore our exciting collection of books, paperbacks, magazines and other materials specifically selected for children. Throughout the year, a variety of children's programs are offered. This includes story times for toddlers, preschoolers and library playtime. Special programs such as summer reading, crafts and performances by unique entertainers are held for school age children.
Young Adult Programs
A wide variety of services are available through the Young Adult Department to help students in seventh through twelfth grades meet their unique educational, informational and recreational needs. Materials, including fiction and non-fiction books, videocassettes, audiocassettes and CD-ROMs are selected specifically for Young Adults.
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the services and programs at the Port Chester Public Library.
The Scarsdale Public Library is located at 54 Olmsted Road, Scarsdale, NY, 10583. The Scarsdale Public Library was founded in 1928. It operates under a charter from the New York State Education Department and is governed by a seven member Board of Trustees. The Scarsdale Public Library is a member of the Westchester Library System, providing borrowers with access to extensive library resources throughout Westchester County.
The Scarsdale Public Library offers many services and programs for Adults, Teens, and Kids. Following is a summary of Children's Programs:
For Kids
Young Critics Club This popular program gives avid readers in grades 3 through 8 a chance to read books and get together once a month to discuss them.
Children's Films Join us for videos suitable for all ages once a month at 4:00 p.m. Featuring many well-known and beloved characters such as Clifford and Caillou, and usually featuring a seasonal theme, these videos are a perfect mid-month break for everyone.
Mother Goose Time Mother Goose Time is a program for babies from birth to age 2 ½ with an adult caregiver. This language enrichment program uses rhymes, songs and stories to stimulate listening, learning, speaking and reading skills.
PreWalkers and Walkers The program for PreWalkers focuses on short tickles, bounces and lap riding rhymes and songs that baby and parent can use at home. The program for Walkers uses slightly longer songs that stimulate baby's imagination and invite baby and caregiver to use the whole body as they stretch high, jump and walk around together in a circle.
Preschool Story Times Story Time is offered twice a week for children ages 3 to 5. No registration is required for this program that runs from September through May.
Toddler Time Toddler Time is a program of stories, music and movement for 2 ½ to 3 ½ with adult caregiver. This half-hour program requires registration and is offered twice a month from September through May.
Kiddie Kabaret The Kiddie Kabaret program uses puppets and songs, both traditional and original, to bring music and fun to toddlers ages 1 ½ to 3 ½ and their caregivers.
Press "Blue Button" for: Events Calendar, Resources, For Children, FAQ's, Find Articles, Community, Downloadable Audio, Friends of the Scarsdale Library, and more.
The Warner Library is located at 121 North Broadway, Tarrytown, New York 10591. The Warner Library services the villages of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown and offers many services and programs, including: Events and Programs for Adults, Young Adults and Kids:
Concerts / Workshops / Lectures / Authors Chamber Music Concerts Latin American Group Klezmer Music Chess Club Book Discussions Movies Gallery for Artists and Collectors
The Warner Library also offers several programs for children, including:
Bouncing Babies A lapsit program of rhymes, songs and stories for babies who are not yet walking, with caregivers.
All for Ones Stories, rhymes and songs for 12-23 months, with caregivers.
Time For Twos and Threes Stories, rhymes, and songs for toddlers 24-47 months, with caregivers.
Fun for Fours and Fives Picture books, poetry, songs and simple crafts for ages 4-5.
Press "Blue Button" for the Warner Library website.
The Somers Library is located in Reis Park on the east side of Route 139, about half-way between Route 100 and Route 202. GPS users can use the following address: 82 Primrose Street, Katonah, NY.
Somers Library Services include:
Books Magazines & Newspapers Audio Recordings Video/DVD collection Reference Service Interlibrary Loan Service Children's Programs Computer Access Caregiver Resource Center Special Collections Children's Room
Story Hour for Baby Time Toddler Story Hour & Craft Book Clubs
Kindergarten First Grade Second Grade Young Adult Book Club & Advisory Group (Grades 7+)
Collection for Parenting and Home Schooling Holocaust Collection Community Meeting Rooms Exhibits and displays Young Adult Services Other Services
Photocopy Large print materials (next to our DVD collection) Book depository for off-hours return AV equipment for use in meeting rooms by groups Public programs for both children and adults Tax forms
Press "Blue Button" for more information about The Somers Library.
The South Salem Library is located at 15 Main Street, South Salem, NY 10590. The South Salem Library offers many weekly programs and special events, including:
Children's Programs
TumbleBooks - Ebooks for Kids: See your child's favorite books come to life! Music Together Tortoises and Turtles: Grades K – 5 Mother Goose Time: Songs and Stories for Newborns - 20 months old Toddler Time: Stories & activities for 20 months - 3 years old Preschool Program: Stories & Activities for children 3-6 years old Programs for Teens: Grades 6 and Up Teen Team Scrabble
The Library Catalog
Recommended Reading What Others Are Reading Hottest Title and Author and Subject
Other services, including
Book Discussion Groups Adult Programs and Services Library Calendar Review the South Salem Library Calendar for interesting events, programs, and more. New Acquisitions Westchester Library System
Press "Blue Button" for more information about services, programs, and the South Salem Library.
The Warner Library is located at 121 North Broadway, Tarrytown, New York 10591. The Warner Library services the villages of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown and offers many services and programs, including: Events and Programs for Adults, Young Adults and Kids:
Concerts / Workshops / Lectures / Authors Chamber Music Concerts Latin American Group Klezmer Music Chess Club Book Discussions Movies Gallery for Artists and Collectors
The Warner Library also offers several programs for children, including:
Bouncing Babies A lapsit program of rhymes, songs and stories for babies who are not yet walking, with caregivers.
All for Ones Stories, rhymes and songs for 12-23 months, with caregivers.
Time For Twos and Threes Stories, rhymes, and songs for toddlers 24-47 months, with caregivers.
Fun for Fours and Fives Picture books, poetry, songs and simple crafts for ages 4-5.
Press "Blue Button" for the Warner Library website.
The Mount Pleasant Public Library has two locations:
The Main Library is located at 350 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY 10570. The Branch Library is located at 125 Lozza Drive, Valhalla, NY 10595.
The Mount Pleasant Library offers many services, including:
Books Over 127,000 books are available to you. These include outstanding fiction as well as non-fiction materials in both the adult and children's areas. In addition, we have a comprehensive collection of reference materials.
Audio-books We have a large collection of Audio-books on Cassette and we increasing the size of our Audio-book on CD collection. Both collections contain fiction and non-fiction.
Tumble Book Library e-books for e-kids available in English, French and Spanish.
Business/Investment Table A popular part of our reference collection is our Business/Investment Table. Located in the Reference Dept. Titles subscribed to include: Morningstar Mutual Funds, Valueline Expanded Edition, and Standard & Poor's Register. Statistical information is regularly updated for investors.
Computers at the library We have PCs in our main library and in our branch library that provide access to our online catalog, the Internet and Microsoft Word.
Children's Computers Located in the children's room, these multimedia computers are open to all our patrons who are under 12 years of age. A wide range of CD-ROM titles are available, with the emphasis on educational software.
Exhibitions and Displays The library will display art exhibitions and arrange for shows.
Homebound Services For those persons in Mount Pleasant who are unable to come to the library due to physical disabilities, we will select books of their choice and deliver them.
Interlibrary Loan Service The Mount Pleasant Public Library is connected to a Westchester County-wide borrowing system, including both public and academic libraries; several million items are available to you under this cooperative program.
Job Information Center (JIC) The Job Information Center offers job finding aids like the National Job Bank, America's Top 100 Employers, resume and interview guides.
Videos and DVDs The Mount Pleasant Public Library has over 8,000 videos and DVDs. Our collection includes classic and new-release films for both adults and children.
Among the many other services the Mount Pleasant Public Library has to offer are the following:
Community Room Large print materials and magnifying equipment Magazines and Newspapers Medical Table Microfilm/Microfiche Machines Public programs for both adults and children Young Adult Department
Press "Blue Button" for more detailed information at the Mount Pleasant Public Library website.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
Downtown (Main) Library Bruce Avenue Harrison, NY 10528
West Harrison Branch 2 Madison Street West Harrison, NY 10604
Library History The Library known today as the Harrison Public Library has provided service to Harrison and Westchester County residents for over 100 years. Founded in 1905 as the Harrison Free Reading Room, the Library was chartered as the Harrison Public Library in 1955. In 1967, the official merger of the Harrison Public Library with the Silver Lake Free Library resulted in the incorporation of what we know today as the Harrison Public Library and its West Harrison Branch.
In 1985, the downtown main Bruce Avenue Library was renovated and expanded, with the Community Room added at that time. In 1989 the Library became the pilot library for the WESTLYNX integrated automated system. The Library has been providing Internet service to the public since 1996, and in 2005 wireless internet service was provided at both Library buildings. In 1999 the New York State Library recognized the Harrison Public Library as an Advanced Electronic Doorway Library.
Press "Blue Button" for information about:
Calendar of Events Catalogs Downloadable Audiobooks Friends of the Library Hours & Directions Newspaper, Magazine and other Databases TumbleBook Library - e-books for e-kids
Our TumblePlayer now allows you to create play lists of your favorite TumbleBooks and play them in succession. Great for Story Time in both school and library - Wonderful for children.
The White Plains Public Library is located at 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601. The White Plains Public Library is a dynamic, civic resource. "Our mission is to enable all members of our community to engage in lifelong learning, find inspiration and build citizenship by providing: free and open access to recorded knowledge, personal guidance in its use, and diverse opportunities for cultural exchange and exploration of ideas." The White Plains Public Library offers many services and programs, such as:
The Trove - A new kind of Children's Library The Trove, defined as "a collection of valuable items discovered or found," is precisely what the White Plains Public Library wants to be for our children - a fun, exciting place where they can discover just about anything.
The Trove provides an enticing, multi-media, multi-sensory learning experience that combines the traditional library with the feel of a bookstore and the stimulation of a children's museum. It serves as a model in the tri-state area.
Teen 411 Teen 411 offers many services and programs for teens, including:
Study Help Live Online Tutors Online Test Prep Match to Careers - Careers Internet Database Match to Colleges - College Catalogs Online Online study guides from biology to The Great Gatsby Computer Classes Book Discussion Series
White Plains Public Library Calendar of Events Click on the underlined event title to sign up for the event. Click on "Display Your Personal Schedule" to see the events for which you are currently signed up.
Press "Blue Button" to explore and see the many services and programs available at the White Plains Public Library and enjoy the wonderful White Plains Library website .
The Yonkers Public Library - Crestwood Branch is located at 16 Thompson Street, Yonkers, New York 10707. The Crestwood Branch of the Yonkers Public Library is a community library serving a large residential area in the northeastern section of the City. The Crestwood Branch offers best sellers and other popular titles, large print books, and an excellent collection of children’s materials. The Crestwood Branch maintains an active schedule of story hours and other children’s programs. The Crestwood Branch offers many services and programs, including:
Computers for Public Use Grants Info Center Homebound Service Homework Helper InterLibrary Loan Internet Access Job Info Center Kurzweil Reader Meeting Rooms Neighbor Learning Tutor.com Tours Wireless Internet Westchester Library System
Just for Kids Tumble Book Library Teens Parent's Place
Reading Aloud: Ten Tips from your Children's Librarians Reading Aloud: Tips from Richard Peck Helping your Child with Homework: Ten Tips from your Children's Librarians Reading Aloud to Children General Parenting Prenatal to Pre-School Health and Safety Children & Families with Special Needs Education and Schools The Internet & Computers Your Child's Reading
Storytellers Autors & Awards Great Books to Read
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Crestwood Branch of the Yonkers Public Library.
The Yonkers Library - Grinton I. Will Branch is located at 1500 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10710. In addition to the full range of modern public library services and collections, the Grinton I. Will Branch houses the Yonkers Public Library’s Fine Arts Department. The Fine Arts Department has one of the county’s best collections of reference resources and circulating books devoted to the visual and performing arts, sound recordings, and musical scores.
The Will Branch, which won an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects, is home to a 325 seat theater/auditorium and a wonderfully decorated room for children’s programs. In addition, several meeting rooms are available to the public. The Will Branch offers free parking for up to 134 vehicles. The Grinton I. Will Branch offers many services and programs, including:
Computers for Public Use Grants Info Center Homebound Service Homework Helper InterLibrary Loan Internet Access Job Info Center Kurzweil Reader Meeting Rooms Neighbor Learning Tutor.com Tours Wireless Internet Westchester Library System
Just for Kids Tumble Book Library Teens Parent's Place
Reading Aloud: Ten Tips from your Children's Librarians Reading Aloud: Tips from Richard Peck Helping your Child with Homework: Ten Tips from your Children's Librarians Reading Aloud to Children General Parenting Prenatal to Pre-School Health and Safety Children & Families with Special Needs Education and Schools The Internet & Computers Your Child's Reading
Storytellers Autors & Awards Great Books to Read
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Grinton I. Will Branch of the Yonkers Public Library.
The Yonkers Public Library - Riverfront Branch is located at Larkin Center, Yonkers, New York 10701. The Riverfront Library of the Yonkers Public Library offers the full range of modern public library services and collections. Among special collections and services are extensive business, technical, and governmental information sources in printed and electronic formats. One of the region's collections of federal government documents is housed at Larkin Center. The Riverfront Library also has available meeting rooms, and a state-of-the-art auditorium for use by the public.
The Riverfront Library offers many services and programs, including:
Computers for Public Use Grants Info Center Homebound Service Homework Helper InterLibrary Loan Internet Access Job Info Center Kurzweil Reader Meeting Rooms Neighbor Learning Tutor.com Tours Wireless Internet Westchester Library System
Just for Kids Tumble Book Library Teens Parent's Place
Reading Aloud: Ten Tips from your Children's Librarians Reading Aloud: Tips from Richard Peck Helping your Child with Homework: Ten Tips from your Children's Librarians Reading Aloud to Children General Parenting Prenatal to Pre-School Health and Safety Children & Families with Special Needs Education and Schools The Internet & Computers Your Child's Reading
Storytellers Autors & Awards Great Books to Read
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Riverfront Library of the Yonkers Public Library.
The John C. Hart Memorial Library is located at 1130 Main Street, Shrub Oak, NY 10588. The John C. Hart Memorial Library provides free public library service to all individuals in the "community we were chartered to serve:" The Town of Yorktown and The Lakeland School District area of the Town of Cortlandt.
We provide books and other materials to Adults, Young Adults and Children to "broaden educational background and experience; to provide pleasure, to satisfy informational, cultural and recreational needs; and to develop taste and the enjoyment of reading".
We reach out to non-readers through library services.
We endorse The Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association and its Freedom to Read Statement; the Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records and the Statement on Professional Ethics.
We belong to The Westchester Library System and are chartered by Education Law of New York State.
We were established in 1920 as the public library of the Town of Yorktown.
Our budget is appropriated by the Town of Yorktown and is enhanced by contract with the Town of Cortlandt.
Our policies are set and our operations overseen by a five member Board of Trustees and the Library Director. New Trustees are appointed by the Town Board (after nomination by the Library Board).
Press "Blue Button" for information about the John C. Hart Memorial Library including: A Brief History Current Calendar Exhibits Children, Teens, and Adult Programs
The New York State Library is located at Cultural Education Center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230. Since its establishment in 1818 the State Library has been a repository for the official publications of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, commissions, public authorities, and other agencies of the State government.
The New York State Library has Three Major Components
The Research Library The Research Library's collections, which include over 20 million items, support State government work and the research needs of the general public, both on-site and via interlibrary loan.
The Talking Book and Braille Library The Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) lends braille and recorded books and magazines, and related equipment to residents of the 55 upstate counties of New York State who are unable to read printed materials because of a visual or physical disability.
Division of Library Development The Division of Library Development works in partnership with 73 library systems to bring library services to the millions of people who use New York’s academic, public, school and special libraries. Library Development also administers State and Federal grant programs that provide aid for library services and programs.
Points of Interest
Catalog / Digital Collections Search the combined records of the New York State Library (including Manuscripts and Special Collections) and the New York State Archives. This option also includes the Historical Documents Inventory collections.
Electronic Resources Search the records of the New York State Library, including Manuscripts and Special Collections, and the New York State Archives. Records for the Historical Documents Inventory (collections held at other NYS institutions) are also included.
Online Request Forms Site Index Many of the services that required New York State Library (NYSL) borrowers to fill out paper forms and submit them in person can now be handled with one of the electronic forms listed below. Note: Some of these forms are limited to NYSL registered borrowers or to other libraries.
Find Your Public Library Find Your Public Library by County. To find a public library near you, click on your county of residence from the list provided in the Find Your Public Library section.
Visitor Information This section provides comprehensive information abouta the library, including: Visiting the Library Hours Directions and Parking Wireless Internet Access The many types of materials the Library offers, such as: New Books Catalog | Catalog Guide Collections Databases available on site Genealogy Manuscripts and Special Collections Talking Book and Braille Library
About Us / Friends Groups The New York State Library is part of the Office of Cultural Education, within the New York State Education Department. Since its establishment in 1818 the State Library has been a repository for the official publications of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, commissions, public authorities, and other agencies of the State government.
Ask a Librarian Ask a Librarian by telephone or email. The New York State Library Reference Desk can be reached by phone from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays at (518) 474-5355.
Ask a Librarian by E-mail - anytime. Brief requests may be e-mailed via an online form.
Contact the New York State Library: The Contact section provides information about mailing addresses, email addresses, fax and phone numbers, the Research Library Reference Desk, and other important contact information.
News / Classes This sections provides information about free programs offered by the library such as:
Where’d They Go? Finding Family Migrations in Federal Records Are you wondering where your ancestors came from or where they went? Federal records can help. From places of birth listed on census records to payment records for Federal military pensions, information on migration is readily available in Federal records, if you know where to look! Jean Nudd, Archivist with the National Archives and Records Administration in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, will discuss strategies for researching family migrations. This session will be held in the Huxley Theater of the New York State Museum on the 1st floor of the Cultural Education Center. Bring your lunch.
The State Library is part of the Office of Cultural Education within the New York State Education Department. Press "Blue Button" to learn more about the New York State Library.
The Ridgefield Library is located at 472 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. The Ridgefield Library offers many services and programs, including:
Children
Tumblebooks Children's Catalog Storytimes Nutmeg The Nutmeg Book Award encourages children in grades 4-8 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles.
Teens
Teen Programs for people in grades 6-12 Students in grades 6 – 8 are invited to become Young Adult (YA) Critics at the Ridgefield Library. YA Critics get together to snack, share books they have read and get first dibs at the newest YA books in the Ridgefield Library.
High School Critics Students in grades 9 - 12 are invited to become High School Critics. Once a month, on Saturday, the High School Critics get together at the Library to talk about what they've been reading lately and get ideas about what to read.
Adults
Programs for Adults Downloadable Audiobooks Book Club Corner Library Lines Events
Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Ridgefield Library.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Road, Montrose, New York 10548. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library covers the towns of Buchanan, Verplanck, Crugers, Montrose, and parts of Cortlandt Manor, Croton, and the City of Peekskill.
The Hendrick Hudson Free Library recently relocated to a new facility. This building is nearly three times as large as the old Library. In addition to special rooms for quiet study and personal computing, the reference section boasts six on-line computers with ready success to a variety of datatbases and the Internet. The Community Room seats 100 people and serve as a gallery space for art exhibits. The library offers many programs and learning for children.
Library holdings number over 42,000 including books, audiocassettes, videocassettes, and the popular books on tape. The Children’s Room is active with story programs. Entertaining guest speakers, and special arts programs. Adult activities include book discussion groups, craft programs, and seminars. The Library Association sponsors book sales. Press "Blue Button" for more information about the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
Libraries & Westchester Library System
The History and Resources of the New York State Library By Melinda Yates, Senior Reference Librarian, New York State Library. This article appeared in Capital Neighbors Volume 2, Number 4 and Volume 3, Number 1
Unless otherwise noted, the quotations in this article are taken from Cecil Roseberry's A History of the New York State Library (1970).
To many readers of Capital Neighbors, the State buildings in the Empire State Plaza are the antithesis of neighborhood. On the "Neighborhoods" map which appears in each issue of this publication, they are omitted - their marble mass deftly reduced to a narrow black line labeled Madison Ave.
Since 1976, the Cultural Education Center has stood on the south side of this stretch of Madison Ave.- adjacent to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, between the Mansion and the Hudson/Park neighborhoods. Though technically a part of none of the "capital" neighborhoods, the Cultural Education Center is home to three State agencies that are an invaluable and remarkably accessible resource to residents of the capital community: the State Library, the State Museum and the State Archives. Of these, the oldest is the New York State Library, which has been a capital neighbor since 1818 when it was established by an act of the New York State Legislature "for the use of the government and people of this state."
What most readily defines a "state" library, and distinguishes it from a public or university library, is its legal mandate to serve the executive, legislative and judicial branches of its state's government. Located in the state capital, it is normally the main repository for state and local history and often has extensive holdings in law and subjects related to public policy. To this extent, the New York State Library conforms to the standard definition of a state library. But in the volume, scope, quality and wide dissemination of its collections and services, it is like no other.
New York was the third state to establish a state library, preceded by Pennsylvania in 1816 and Ohio in 1817. Today, the New York State Library is the largest of the nation's state libraries (having over 19 million items) and the only one to qualify for membership in the prestigious Association of Research Libraries. How it rose to its present pre-eminence is a fascinating, suspenseful and even uplifting chapter in library and State history.
That history began with the election of Governor DeWitt Clinton in 1817. For in Clinton, New York had a governor highly disposed to the creation of a state library. A man of vision and learning, Clinton had assembled an extensive personal library of "scarce and valuable works," and while mayor of New York City had actively promoted the New York Institution, a kind of Cultural Education Center, which held various "literary, artistic, and historical societies." He believed government had a responsibility to foster cultural institutions, because "whenever such institutions appear... there will always be an intimate and immutable alliance between their advancement and the glory and prosperity of the state."
There was also the practical, and increasingly pressing, need for a repository in which to store the growing number of State laws and documents, in addition to the federal laws, journals and documents the State had been receiving from Congress since 1813. (The State Library is a full Regional Depository for U.S. government publications and patents.)
The State Library opened with the start of the 1819 Legislative session. Heated by firewood and lit by candles, the Library was located on the second floor of the original Capitol, a graceful building designed by Philip Hooker with a cupola and a portico of four Ionic columns. The building, which stood slightly to the east of the present Capitol, housed not only the Library and the Legislature but also the Governor's office, the Mayor's office and several State and municipal courts. Its first director was John Cook, who prior to his appointment had run a popular and respected reading room on lower State St. Its first trustees were Governor Clinton, Lieutenant Governor John Tayler, Chancellor James Kent and Chief Justice Smith Thompson. Its collection contained 669 volumes and 9 maps, the titles of which are listed in the Library's first annual report.
In A History of the New York State Library, an excellent and entertaining account of the State Library's first 165 years, Cecil R. Roseberry notes that "considerably less than half" of these volumes fell "under the heading of law, statute, and political economy books." The majority were works of literature, history, biography and travel. Among these early volumes were a first edition of Chaucer, Aristotle's Ethics and Politics and a recent life of Robert Fulton by Cadwallader Colden, a New York State legislator. From its beginning, just 18 years after the founding of the Library of Congress, the State Library was an institution that supported State government but also promoted "liberal learning." Indeed it has often been said that the State Library is to the State what the Library of Congress is to the nation.
Of the Library's benefactors, none was, perhaps, more visionary or magnanimous than Alexandre Vattemare, a French ventriloquist whose talent brought him world renown. Monsieur Vattemare used his fame and much of his fortune to promote a noble endeavor: the international exchange of books. He hoped in this way to forge the "intellectual union of nations."
On May 5, 1840, he presented his international exchange proposal to the New York State Senate. Four years later, the Legislature passed an "act authorizing the library trustees to "transmit to the French government, and to such other foreign governments as may have made donations to the state, in books or works of art, a duplicate copy of the Session Laws and Legislative Documents of this State." In response to this Legislative initiative, the State Library, which had been exchanging session laws and documents with neighboring Massachusetts since 1840, began broader and more formal exchanges with other states and countries. Through these exchanges, the State Library rapidly developed and increased its collections. It also gained an international reputation and much good will, which were to prove invaluable in the aftermath of the great fire that nearly destroyed the Library in 1911.
These are some of the generous gifts the State Library received through the zealous efforts of Monsieur Vattemare, who became its European agent: from the King of the Netherlands, a major work on Japan; from Pope Gregory XVI, elegant copper plate engravings of master paintings; from Prussia, the works of Frederick the Great; and from Austria, splendid works on botany and oriental literature.
Among the most coveted gifts the State Library sent to foreign libraries were the reports of the State's Natural History Survey and E.B. O'Callaghan's Documents Relative to the Colonial History of New York State. Dr. O'Callaghan, an Albany physician and historian of New Netherland, compiled his monumental work largely from colonial manuscripts transferred to the State Library from the Office of the Secretary of State.
In addition to these colonial documents, the State Library acquired other important manuscript and book collections relating to New York State and the history of the Americas. These acquisitions, coupled with a broad directive from the Board of Regents, did much to determine the State Library's policy of comprehensive collecting in New York State and local history, as did the appointment, successively, of three library directors who were themselves historians.
Of the manuscript acquisitions, the most important were the papers of Sir William Johnson in 1850 and those of George Clinton in 1853. The former was New York's most brilliant royal governor; the latter, its first State governor. With the publication of scholarly editions of the State Library's Clinton and Johnson papers, completed, respectively, in 1914 and 1926, New York State and its Library made an immense contribution to the historiography of the State. Two manuscript treasures in the State Library that are smaller in size but of vast significance are the first drafts of Washington's Farewell Address and Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
Another major acquisition, added to the State Library's holdings in 1845, was the 2,185-volume collection of David Bailie Warden, an expatriate American diplomat and author; its descriptive catalog is entitled Biblioteca Americana: Being a Choice Collection of Books Relating to North and South America and the West-Indies. Two years later, the Board of Regents urged the State Library to "accumulate, as far as possible, every work of interest or value relating to the United States." Among the State Library's most popular and important holdings at this time were its four elephant folios of Audubon's Birds of America.
There were also important and positive changes in the Library's statutory and internal governance. In 1844, the State Legislature shifted the trusteeship of the State Library to the Board of Regents. By this stroke, the Legislature insulated the State Library from political pressure, raising both the caliber and the commitment of its directors, and recognized the Library's importance as an educational institution. Thus, the New York State Library is today part of the State Education Department.
Under Alfred B. Street (1847-1862), Henry A. Homes (1862-1887) and George R. Howell (1887-1888), the State Library was led by men of admirable intellect, character and competence. Literate and learned men of letters, they exemplified an honored Victorian tradition: the library director as book man, bibliophile and antiquarian. In that regard, Howell was the compiler, with Jonathan Tenney, of the indispensable Bicentennial History of Albany and Schenectady Counties published by Munsell in 1886.
With the arrival of Melvil Dewey in 1888, the State Library entered the modern age. The inventor of the Dewey decimal system of classification, a system still in use at the State Library, Dewey has been called the "Edison of Library Science." A man of singular eccentricity and vision, Dewey started the first library school (which he moved to the State Library from Columbia College), the first state library services for the blind, the first traveling library (a forerunner of interlibrary loan) and organized the first State library association. He envisioned the State Library as a "People's University," and under his leadership the State Library introduced innovative reference services and exponentially increased the circulation of its collections. When Dewey left the State Library in 1905, it had become, in the scientific organization of its holdings, the professionalism of its staff and the high level and range of its services - a model library.
While in Albany, Dewey lived in a large house at 315 Madison Ave and often took his staff and students, who may have had little choice in the matter, on bicycle rides. A believer in outdoor exercise, Dewey considered the bicycle the "librarian's horse." He was also an enthusiastic and practicing proponent of simplified spelling. When President Barnard of Columbia failed, in the face of strong faculty resistance, to save Dewey's library school, Dewey wrote that Barnard "gave it up as impossibl, and ill with mortification sent for his fisician."
In 1996 the State Library's Talking Book and Braille Library, which circulates, in conjunction with the Library of Congress, audio-cassettes, records and braille materials to 36,000 upstate New Yorkers, celebrated its 100th birthday. Its century of service is a lasting tribute to Dewey's proactive and progressive vision.
Under Dewey, the State Library also significantly increased its holdings in law and medicine. Today the State Library serves as the State Law Library and the State Medical Library. As such, it lends its holdings directly to members of the New York State Bar and licensed physicians resident in New York State.
The Cultural Education Center is the State Library's fifth residence in Albany. In 1855, when its collection had grown to 43,634 volumes, the Library moved to a modest building adjacent to the original Capitol; in 1883 to the present Capitol; in 1912, to the State Education Building on Washington Ave., and finally, in 1978, to the Cultural Education Center.
On March 29, 1911 the State Library was almost totally destroyed by a fire that swept through the State Capitol. Franklin D. Roosevelt was then a member of the State Senate, and one of the first to see the reading room ablaze was his dear friend, the legislative correspondent Louis M. Howe. In the fire, the State Library lost 400,000 books, 270,000 manuscripts and 1,000,000 catalog cards. Nearly a century's worth of gifts and acquisitions had turned to ashes.
Thanks to a munificent Legislative appropriation ($1,250,000), the generosity of libraries throughout the world and heartening public support, the State Library was able to rebuild its collections and become again a great research library.
Yet, before the fire, as Cecil Roseberry noted, "the average man-in-the-street... had a tendency to think of the State Library as a 'room on the third floor of the Capitol.'" It was this tragic event that awakened many of the Library's neighbors to the cultural treasure in their midst. Similarly, today, many readers of Capital Neighbors may think of the State Library as simply "the room on the seventh floor of the Cultural Education Center," forgetting, for the moment, what an invaluable resource it is for Albany.
As a matter of fact, in 1978, this modern new reading room, with its minimalist interior and eight-foot high ceiling , was something of a culture shock to local residents who had used the Library's collections in the State Education Building. Gone were the 94-foot high, Guastavino-domed ceiling, the graceful Keck chandelier, the soft allegorical murals by Will Low - depicting "Aspiration," "Veritas," "Painting" - the "skylights of painted glass," and the Rotunda laid out in the "cruciform design of a cathedral." Gone, too, was the card catalog, whose drawers had lined the walls of the Rotunda. (It had been filmed and replaced by 1,720 microfiche that could fit in a shoebox.) The new catalog was online - a primitive and glowing avatar of emerging digital and virtual worlds.
With its move to the Cultural Education Center (CEC), the State Library had, for the first time, a facility specifically designed for a modern electronic research library. The CEC is air-conditioned, secure, accessible to the handicapped, wired, and commodious. According to George Webb of the State Education Department, it is the largest building owned and operated by the State of New York. With 1.3 million square feet of usable space, it is actually larger than the Corning Tower. The State Library occupies six levels of the CEC, and its 19 million items rest on 77 miles of shelving. Consolidated within the CEC are the three main divisions of the State Library: the Research Library, the Division of Library Development and the Talking Book and Braille Library.
Twenty-five years ago, State Library had none of these modern advances in information technology and telecommunications: online catalogs, commercial databases, CD-ROMs, electronic publications, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Internet. In the Cultural Education Center, it offers public access to all of them.
In a climate of fiscal austerity, the State Library has tried to maintain the excellence of its manuscript and research collections, to support scholarly research and publications, and to preserve rare materials.
Two manuscript collections with an Albany focus acquired in recent years are the records of the Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood Association and the Parsons Child and Family Center (formerly the Albany Orphan Asylum). Judith Dulberger makes extensive use of the latter collection in "Mother Donit fore the Best" - her recently published book on the Albany Orphan Asylum.
The State Library's local history and genealogy collections are among the most heavily used. Any capital resident seeking to document the life of an individual or the history of a family, a neighborhood, a business, an organization, a house, or even an antique or artifact - will find them indispensable.
They include genealogies and biographical works; state and local histories; church and cemetery records; census records; city directories; local newspapers; probate indexes; abstracts of wills, and passenger lists.
The State Library also has an extensive collection of 18th and 19th century Albany imprints. Among these are many sermons and works printed by Joel Munsell, the Albany printer, historian and genealogist.
Through the New Netherland Project and the Research Residency Program, the State Library continues to support scholarly research and publications. Formed in 1974, under the sponsorship of the State Library and the Holland Society of New York City, the New Netherland Project is a Dutch translation program whose task is the translation, editing and publication of the records of the 17th century New Netherland Colony. It also sponsors an annual Rensselaerswijck Seminar, which focuses on various topics relating to the history of New Netherland and colonial New York.
In addition to papers from the Rensselaerswijck Seminar, the Project also publishes an English language newsletter De Nieu Nederlandse Marcurius and presents the annual Hendricks Manuscript Award for the best published or unpublished manuscript focusing on any aspect of the Dutch colonial experience in America. Since its inception, the Project has received many awards. In 1994, Dr. Charles T. Gehring, its director and translator, was made an officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Beatrix. Located in the State Library, the Project has an active friends group. For more information, call the Project at (518)474-6067.
In 1986, the State Library established a Research Residency Program to recognize and encourage individual research and to promote the use of its collections in scholarly research. In selecting its Research Residents, the State Library gives special consideration to those who submit proposals that will either use significant resources of the State Library or improve access to these holdings. For more information, contact Linda Braun at (518)474-2274.
The State Library has an outstanding collection of New York State newspapers from the 18th century to the present. Of particular interest to capital residents are its extensive holdings of Albany newspapers -- these include major daily and weekly newspapers, as well as special interest, alternative and ethnic publications. The State Library is also the statewide coordinator of the New York State Newspaper Project, which locates State newspapers and preserves them on microfilm. The Project also has an active friends group. For more information, call the Project at (518)474-7491.
The State Library is a regional depository for materials published or issued by the Foundation Center in New York City. The foundation collection contains lists and descriptions of foundations, individual grants and grant sources, private and governmental. Especially useful are the IRS returns (990 forms) of New York State foundations. Recently the Library added FC Search , a new CD-ROM product distributed by the Foundation Center. These materials are a valuable resource for local non-profit, cultural and community organizations.
In recent years, the State Library has strengthened its collections in business, economics and trade. Thus, local businesses will find many helpful resources at the State Library. Among them are STAT-USA, the National Trade and Data Bank (NTDB), commercial databases and CD-ROMs, e.g., Disclosure, Business Dateline and American Business Disk. The Library is a full depository for U.S. Patents and trademarks, and its collection of standards is the most comprehensive in the region. Of special interest to local companies is the Library's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software which displays data geospatially. The State Library has recently begun a program of direct interlibrary loan for the business community. For more information, call (518)474-5383.
Recently, Joseph Shubert, who guided the State Library during its years in the Cultural Education Center, retired after 19 years of service as State Librarian. To many, Mr. Shubert has been the Dewey of his era. In an interview with Paul Grondahl of the Times Union, Mr. Shubert observed: "Even as technology is changing, it's important not to lose sight that a library holds a special place in the community."
For its capital neighbors - writers, scholars, architects, lawyers, doctors, students, genealogists, artists, inventors, retired persons, business owners, community groups - the New York State Library continues to be an invaluable and accessible resource.
The State Library's excellence - its ability to maintain and introduce quality collections and services - depends more than ever on the informed knowledge and support of the people and the government its serves.
Ardsley Public Library
