A Quick History of the Mamaroneck Public Library

Mamaroneck Public Library has been a staple in the Westchester community since the most popular car in America was a Ford Model T.

In 1922, Charles M. Baxter Jr. first proposed the idea of a library in Mamaroneck, later handing out subscription blanks with the slogan: “Mamaroneck is not a fit place to live in until it has a library.”

On January 2, 1923, the Mamaroneck Free Library officially opened its doors for the first time, with 800 volumes lining its shelves. It eventually settled into its current location, at Prospect Avenue and Elm Street (known as Library Lane), in 1927.

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During the Great Depression, the library served as a place for the community to find information about what was going on in the economy or providing a much-needed escape from it.

During the War years, the library became a central part of the community war effort. It housed the HQs for the Red Cross and Community War Fund Committee and became a collection/distribution center for supplies. The basement floor was also made into a shelter.

In 2011, the building was renovated, adding an annex that effectively doubled the space. Today, the library houses more than 124,010 items (about 83,000 of which are books) on multiple floors and remains an institution of Mamaroneck’s history.

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