The history of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is really the story of two separate Institutions: the Young Men’s Association subscription library, created in 1836 for the “intellectual improvement of its members;” and the Grosvenor Library, founded when Seth Grosvenor, a successful merchant, bequeathed a large sum of money to establish a reference library in 1857.  Both of these Institutions succeeded largely through the efforts of Buffalonians from all walks of life who took pride in their local library and collected books, maps, music, and more for the benefit of the community.  Learn about some of the treasures housed in the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library’s Special Collections Department, which reflects 187 years of collecting and engagement with the community.
Ellen Carroll Hager, Lecture Committee Chair