History
In July 1900, the newly organized Men’s Club of Lewiston proposed “as soon as practicable to establish public reading rooms and to take steps towards forming the nucleus of a public library.”
On New Year’s Day, 1901, the Men’s Club held a “Grand Social Festival and Library Reception” at Moss Hall. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, invited but unable to attend, sent an autographed copy of his book on Oliver Cromwell. This book is still on display in the Local History Room. When the new Library was dedicated in 1991, former U.S. Presidents Ford, Carter, Nixon, and Reagan sent autographed copies of their books to add to this collection.
According to its newsletter, the club “cordially invites all friends of education and progress to attend and bring with them each a book as a contribution to the cause.” According to a follow-up newspaper article, each person who attended brought at least one book, with many contributing up to 100 books for use at the library. Subsequently the “Lewiston Men’s Club Library” opened on Memorial Day, 1901 in the Benjamin Cornell Building at 469 Center Street with more than 2,000 volumes.
The library was reorganized as the “Lewiston Free Library” in 1902 and was chartered by the Regents of the State of New York. Support was maintained by public subscription.
In 1908, the library moved to 535 Center Street and occupied the Hotchkiss building.
In 1938, the library was almost forced to close its doors for lack of financial support. However, the Lewiston Service Guild stepped in and took over the annual membership drive, netting $150, which saved the library. The Guild also made building repairs, cleaned and painted the facility and purchased new books. The Guild continued to collect door-to-door for operating funds for many decades.
In 1961, the Library moved into the Hotchkiss Building (also known as the “Long House”) at 505 Center Street. The house was built by Judge William Hotchkiss in 1815 after his return home from the War of 1812.
The library received its provisional charter in 1976 and subsequently began to earn support through tax dollars.
In 1990, the Library moved into its new building at 305 South Eighth Street in the Village of Lewiston. The late State Senator John B. Daly became the library's main supporter in the late 1980s and 1990s. The new children's wing, added in 1999, is named in his honor.
Read more about this topic: Lewiston Public Library (Lewiston, New York)
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