Lackawanna Public Library

Lackawanna Public Library
Library Info

560 Ridge Rd.
Lackawanna, NY 14218
United States

716-823-0630
Fax: 716-827-1997
Pamela Edholm, Director

Located on Ridge Road between Route 5 and South Park Avenue. Wheelchair accessible. Parking lot available.

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Take a look at our Virtual Tour of the Library

Public Access Computers: 16 computers, networked (printing 10 cents B&W per page, 25 cents color per page, now with Mobile Printing) Microsoft Office Applications, Internet Access, Misc. "What can I do at a Public Access Computer?"

Meeting Room. Study Room. Copy machine, copies 15 cents each. Radio receiver for the visually impaired.

What's Special About the Lackawanna Library

The Lackawanna Public Library is a beautiful colonial style building with magnificent oak woodwork throughout the interior. Located on Ridge Road between Route 5 and South Park Avenue, the library was built in 1922 with money donated by Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie was a 19th Century steel tycoon who became one of the 20th Century’s most famous national philanthropists. The Lackawanna Library was one of the last Carnegie Libraries ever constructed.

The Lackawanna Public Library also houses a Local History museum on our ground floor. Our collections cover maps, photographs, and artifacts from Bethlehem Steel as well as Lackawanna itself.  If you would like more information please call or stop on in and we will be happy to point you in the right direction.

Lackawanna is rich in local history and just a short walk from the library you will find several local landmarks including Our Lady of Victory Basilica and Shrine and the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The Library itself was built on a potter’s field and in 1994 a monument was added to honor the unknown buried there. In 2018 the PRONE Group (Paranormal Researchers of Niagara and Erie County) found evidence of paranormal activity at the Lackawanna Library and this "patron" is now affectionately known as Charlie.

The Lackawanna Library provides something for every age group. Each month the library has story times, crafts, movie nights, book clubs, bingo, computer classes and much more. All of these programs are provided free of charge. The Staff at the Lackawanna Public Library kindly invite you to visit soon and experience everything the library has to offer.

Kid relaxing on floor

a boy wearing fancy mask

Lackawanna Public Library Policies

System-Wide Policies

The Lackawanna Public Library is a member of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System.

  • Lackawanna Public Library


    The Library is CLOSED on Thursday, July 4th 

    in honor of Independence Day

    Hula Hoop Adventure Club with Benjamin Berry

    Starting Wednesday, July 3rd, 2:00-3:00 PM

    Join us for Hula Hoop Adventure Club and learn the art of hoop dance with Benjamin Berry! This series will teach you some tricks to impress your family and friends and keep your mind and body engaged over summer break. This series takes place on Wednesdays in July from 2-3 PM. Dates are: July 3, 10, 17, and 24. Registration is required. Best for ages 6-14. Limit of 25 participants. Please call 716-823-0630 for more information.  

    Coloring Club for Adults

    Wednesdays, July 10th, 17th, 24th, 6:00 PM

    Come relax and unwind. Color your worries away at our coloring club for adults. Call 716-823-0630 for more information.

    Teen Boba Tea Bash

    Thursday, July 11th, 2:00 PM

    Join us for a Teen Boba Tea Bash. Decorate your cup, sample different flavors, color, and play SushiGo! Ages 12-18. Please RSVP to let us know you're coming!

    Kid's Nature Adventure Club: Best Buds: Roots and Soil

    Friday, July 12th, 12:30 PM

    Join our friends from the Buffalo Olmsted Conservancy and learn about how plants and trees grow. Through hands-on discovery, participants will learn about the relationships between plants, soil, fungi, and invertebrates and how they work together as "friends" to create a healthy eco-system for plants to thrive. Best for ages 6-14. Registration is required. Limited to 25 participants. Please call 716-823-0630 for more information.

    Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables with FeedMore WNY

    Tuesday, July 16th, 12:00 PM

    Join FeedMore WNY for a free workshop including a recipe demonstration, tasting samples, an educational and interactive discussion as well as a free kitchen tool or utensil as a thank you to all participants. Call 716-823-6030 for more information.

    Adventure Through Music: Captain Tom & The Hooligans

    Tuesday, July 16th, 6:00-7:30 PM

    Come on an adventure through music this summer at the Lackawanna Public Library. We will be hosting a series of free converts in our big, beautiful backyard. Enjoy the modern Polish polka sounds of Captain Tom & The Hooligans. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and come enjoy! Carpooling is suggested as parking is limited. In case of rain, the event will be moved indoors with limited seating. Arrive early for first come, first served tickets.

    Book a Tech Trainer

    Thursday, July 18th, 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM

    Get one-on=one help with Android basics, iPhone/iPad basics, internet basics, cloud services, Microsoft Office basics (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) organizing computer files/folders, simple digital editing online, social media, and more. Please stop by the front desk or call 716-823-0630 to reserve your 45-minute slot.

    Kid's Naure Adventure Club: CSI: Critter Signs Investigation

    Friday, July 19th, 12:30 PM

    Join our friends from the Friends of Reinstein Woods and practice your observation skills. Examine evidence left by insects, birds, and mammals. Investigate these "clues" to learn about the lifestyles of local wildlife. Best for ages 6-14. Registration is required. Limited to 20 participants. Please call 716-823-0630 for more information.

    Celebrate Moth Week at the Lackawanna Public Library

    Monday, July 22nd-Friday, July 26th

    All week long from July 22nd through July 26th, stop by the Lackawanna Library to learn how you can help scientists just by taking pictures of moths with your phone and submitting them with the iNaturalist app. Stop by the front desk for instructions and some moth-related giveaways! Please call 716-823-0630 for more information.

    Silent Reading Party

    Tuesday, July 23rd, 5:30-7:30 PM

    Introverts rejoice! We have the perfect program for you. Join us for a Silent Reading Party in our beautiful big backyard. Bring a book and a blanket or a lawn chair. See you there!

    Kid's Nature Adventure Club: CSI: Critter Signs Investigation

    Friday, July 26th, 12:30 PM

    Join our friends from Penn Dixie Fossil Park and learn about the animals that lived in Buffalo 380 million years ago! This hands-on fossil dig lets you explore the wonders of Penn Dixie right at the library. Best for ages 6-14. Registration is required. Limited to 25 participants. Please call 716-823-0630 for more information.

    Adventure Through Music: Comienzoes

    Tuesday, July 30th, 6:00-7:30 PM

    Come on an adventure through music this summer at the Lackawanna Public Library. We will be hosting a series of free converts in our big, beautiful backyard. Enjoy the world folk and pop sounds of Comienzoes. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and come enjoy! Carpooling is suggested as parking is limited. In case of rain, the event will be moved indoors with limited seating. Arrive early for first come, first served tickets.

    Left: Illustration of an owl. Middle: "Weekly Programs". Right: Illustration of two children.

    Toddler Time

    Tuesdays and Fridays 10:30-11:30 AM

    Join us on Tuesday and Friday mornings to sing songs, make crafts and have fun with Miss Lisa and Miss Patti!

    ESL Help & English Conversations for U.S. Citizenship Test

    Wednesdays 5:00-6:00 PM

    Adults can gain skills for work, everyday communication, citizenship and more. Work to reach YOUR goals!

     

    Left: Illustration of a stack of books. Middle: "Monthly Programs" Right: Illustration of a watercolor set.

    Bingo!

    Monday, July 8th at 1:00 PM

    All ages! Play for fabulous prizes!

    LEGO Club

    Monday, July 8th at 2:00 PM.

    Come for BINGO. Stay and build!

    Recommended ages 5-12. Build your masterpiece and have it on display all month in the library.

    Adult Craft Circle

    Tuesday, July 9th at 6:00 PM

    For adults. We will be making Lava Bead Bracelets. Registration strongly encourage. Call 716-823-0630.

    Community Book Club

    Wednesday, July 31st, 6:00 PM

    July's book is Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen. "Between the real and the imaginary, there are stories that take flight in extraordinary ways. Off the coast of South Carolina, sits a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe, and named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy. This is a delightful and heart-warming story of healing, letting go, forgiveness, and found family." Free and open to the public. Refreshments provided. 

    Spice Explorers

    Spice of the Month Club

    June's spice of the month is mint. 

    Stop in and take a spice packet and a brochure providing fun facts, recipes you can make at home, and cookbook recommendations to take your meals to the next level!

    Limit 1 kit per family, while supplies last.

    Teen Grab & Go Craft

    June's craft is paracord bracelets!

    For ages 12 - 18. Stop in and grab a craft kit from our Young Adult Fiction area. 1 kit per person, while supplies last. 

     

    Join the Friends of the Library

    Want to be more involved in your Lackawanna Library? Become a Friend of the Lackawanna Library. We'd love your input on various projects, events, and much more to make a difference in the Lackawanna Community. Stop by the library or call 716-823-0630 to sign up and receive more information.

    *Follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more Programming and other updates!