Gowanda Free Library

The Gowanda Free Library started out as an idea that took nearly thirty years to come to life. In 1873 the Ladies Social Society (what would later become the Monday Evening Literary Club) was formed in Gowanda. This group of local women would meet for tea, quilting and other social functions. During these social gatherings they would discuss what books they were reading and lend them back and fort

h amongst the group (there were not many books readily available at this time and therefor the same books were re-read many times). This unofficial book club must have given birth to the idea of the library as the Ladies Social Society would become the Ladies Library Association in 1877. The goal of the Ladies Library Association would be to raise enough funds to open a library in the town of Gowanda. Funds were raised with oyster suppers, strawberry festivals, and dime socials, one oyster supper even raised $29.99 which was a substantial amount for the time. Somewhere between 1884 and 1896 The Ladies library Association along with new members became the Monday Evening Literary Club. The ladies of the Monday Evening Literary Club petitioned for a library charter with New York State in 1900 and received a trial charter for 5 years. Hose Company for those provisional years and in 1905 –after being granted a permanent charter– Mr. Jared Sydney Torrance, of Pasadena California, generously purchased a building on West Main Street in Gowanda to be used as the library board felt appropriate. In 1936 the original building was sold and moved to Torrance place, where it still stands today, and the first half of our current building was built. The new building was opened to the public for inspection on September 11th and 12th in 1936 and remained relatively unchanged for the next 50 years. In 1947 the Gowanda Free Library joined the Buffalo and Erie County Library System, and would remain a member for 50 years. The library continued to grow over the next several decades until it needed an addition which was constructed in 1987 and the library became the building it is today. The Gowanda Free Library joined the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System in 1997 and is still currently a member. In 2005 The library celebrated its centennial, and is looking forward to serving the community for the next 100 years.