The Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC) is a not-for-profit consortium of libraries and library systems serving six counties: Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Orleans.
The Council was chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in 1966. Member libraries include academic, corporate, hospital and other special types of libraries. Library systems include public and school libraries.

The Western New York Genealogical Society, Inc. [501(c)(3)] was founded in 1974 to help preserve and encourage interest in the area's rich genealogical heritage. Our work focuses on the eight counties of Western New York - Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Orleans, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany - specifically those areas that were originally part of the Holland Land Company Purchase.
The Society's Objectives:
• To collect and preserve all available records of early settlers in the eight Western New York counties.
• To make these records available for research.
• To further genealogical knowledge and research.
• To foster record preservation by government agencies, organizations, and individuals.
Our Library:
Named for the Society’s founder, the June Partridge Zintz Memorial Library is located in the Grosvenor Room (Special Collections Department) of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library - Central Branch. The Society provides library volunteers to assist with collection maintenance and patron support.
WNYGS maintains a growing reference library that serves as a repository of genealogical information pertaining to Western New York and its early settlers. The primary focus is the eight counties of Western New York. However, the collection also contains information on New York State, New England, as well as other states and foreign countries. The library includes more than 3,000 books and 700 rolls of microfilm in addition to a collection of periodicals, family histories, ancestor charts, bible records, and an early settler index of more than 120,000 cards (compiled from 75 key sources of birth, death, & marriage information).

The Robert Bacon Memorial Library opened its doors on June 24, 1924. It was a gift to the community by the Bacon family in memory of Colonel Robert Bacon, the Secretary of State and Ambassador to France under President Theodore Roosevelt. After Colonel Bacon’s death in 1919, his widow, Martha, wanted to pay tribute to her husband. In keeping with his desire to be, “an inspiration and to awaken big ambition” in young people, Mrs. Bacon decided to build a memorial dedicated to children.
Mrs. Bacon hired local architect Julian Peabody to design the library and used Col. Bacon’s library at Old Acres, the Bacon estate in Old Westbury, as a model. The fireplace and mantel are replicas of one in the French Embassy in Paris. Inscribed in gold letters on the mantel is the French motto Colonel Bacon often repeated to his family: “Cherchez la ligne du beau.” (Seek the line of the beautiful). The bust of Bacon which sits atop the mantel was by Malvina Hoffman who was widely recognized for her work at the Field Museum for Natural History in Chicago. On top of the library sits a family of five metal owls. They are perched on the gilded weathervane of the building’s white belfry.
As well as the building, Mrs. Bacon donated gifts of art to the children’s library. On permanent display is a collection of rare wooden birds carved by Elmer Crowell. Other valuable objects include an original letter by Beatrix Potter and paintings by Kate Greenaway, Leslie Brook, Arthur Rackham and Newel C. Wyeth. Muralist Stewart Travis was commissioned by Mrs. Bacon to paint two maps that continue to hang on either side of the front door. One is a map of Long Island showing the native birds, animals, and wild flowers and the other depicts the voyage of the pilgrims.
In planning the library, Mrs. Bacon consulted Anne Carroll Moore, Supervisor of Children’s Services at the New York Public Library. Together they selected the books in the collection, drawing from American and English titles. The library still houses several of these first edition titles. A month before the library first opened its doors, Mrs. Bacon hired librarian Jacqueline Overton to organize the collection and prepare the library for opening. Ms. Overton initially planned on staying with the library for only 6 months, but ended up working there for over 25 years. She lived in the librarian’s house at the back of the library which is now home to a historical collection.
The Library was originally privately endowed and operated as an independent institution for 40 years. In 1965, the Children’s Library became incorporated with the Westbury Memorial Public Library through a school district vote. The library was renovated in 2005 and now includes a mural by Sal and Nancy Moccia that reflects folktales of the cultural background of the children of Westbury.

The West Monroe Historical Society in West Monroe, NY is located in the old West Monroe Grange Hall. The West Monroe Historical Society sells a variety of historical publications, maintains a collection of locally relevant historical artifacts, and hosts museum displays in the Grange Hall building. The Society hosts various historical events during the year, creates award-winning displays for the annual Oswego County Fair, and sells hand-made wreaths at Christmas time.

The West Hempstead Public Library and the West Hempstead Historical and Preservation Society work together to bring the area’s history to the public.

The West Hempstead Public Library was founded in 1956 by a group of public-spirited citizens. Its first location was in a small storefront on Hempstead Avenue, near Poplar Street. A provisional Charter was approved on Sept. 30, 1960, and the official Charter was granted on June 23, 1967. The library serves the West Hempstead Union Free School District.

Since then, the library has resided in several locations. Its first location in 1956 was in an old Victorian home found at 251 Woodlawn Avenue. The second was 323 Hempstead Avenue. Later in the 1960s, the library moved next to the Mutual Engraving Building on Hempstead Avenue. By 1982, the library had expanded and was relocated to the first floor of 252 Chestnut Street, which had housed the Chestnut Street School. On October 21, 2007, a new library building opened to the public at its current location, 500 Hempstead Avenue.

The West Hempstead Historical and Preservation Society was founded in 1983 as a non-profit. Its mission is to collect and to preserve historical materials relevant to our community and to use them to educate the public about its rich history. Currently, there are 25 members and over 1,200 Facebook followers.

The Society possesses over 500 original photos dating from 1900 to the present. Copies of photos from various sources total in the thousands. Artifacts from different time periods (books, typewriters, phones, washboards, toys, tools, etc.) and memorabilia specific to West Hempstead history (old programs, diplomas, report cards, tickets, bank account records, bills, ration tickets, newspapers and the like) number in the hundreds. It also possesses a collection of West Hempstead High School yearbooks spanning from 1954-2021. Society meetings are held at the local Riesterer’s Bakery or the West Hempstead Public Library.

The library is home to a permanent display of 40 archived photos in the Board Room, and a main floor display which highlights a different historical topic quarterly. The main floor also features a photo collection celebrating the library’s 50th Anniversary. This exhibit, uniquely displayed on original shelving from the 1956 library building, showcases each former location of the library and a write-up of its history.

Wells College was established in 1868 by Henry Wells, who also founded the Wells Fargo and American Express Companies. Wells College is a nationally recognized liberal arts college located in the village of Aurora in the Finger Lakes region of central New York. In 2004, after 136 years of leadership in women’s education, the college opened its doors to students of all genders.

In May of 2024, Wells College announced its immediate closure.  

Webb Institute is a small, undergraduate, full-scholarship college and the only college in the United States dedicated solely to the study of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. The “Braes,” the former summer residence of Herbert L. Pratt and family, became the home of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture in 1947. Prior to 1947, Webb’s Academy and Home for Shipbuilders was located on a hill in Fordham Heights in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River. In 1920, reflecting this academic mission, the school’s name was changed to Webb Institute of Naval Architecture.

The Watervliet Public Library endeavors to be a "communi-library:" a library that enriches the lives of people of all ages in our community through creative programming, access to innovative technology, and growing a modern collection of educational, informational, recreational and cultural materials.

The Watervliet Public Library was founded in May 1953 under the auspices of the Watervliet Civic Chest, Inc. From the beginning we have had tremendous support from the community. The original Library holdings consisted solely of donations from the public and the original work force consisted solely of volunteers. Financial support came primarily from the Chest, although important donations also came from the Watervliet Rotary Club, the Watervliet Lodge of Elks, and the Knights of Columbus.

In 1965 the Library received a provisional charter from the New York State Board of Regents, thus officially becoming the Watervliet Public Library. The permanent charter and Certificate of Registration were granted nine years later, in 1974. In February 1980, the Library moved into its present location in the Senior Citizen Complex.

The local history collection contains materials on Watervliet, Troy, and selected materials on Albany County. It includes town histories and a vertical file of published materials, clippings, and other materials dealing with the Town of Watervliet. The vertical file also contains a History of Watervliet by Florence Service, 1902 (manuscript); and unpublished Watervliet histories by various authors (1980s through 1996). City Directories for Troy and Watervliet can be found at the Watervliet Historical Society Museum located just across the parking lot from the Library. The Museum's phone number is (518) 272-0715. Its hours are Wed.-Sat.11:00AM - 4:00PM.

The Waterville Public Library was founded in 1874. The library is in a beautiful new building at 206 White Street. The History of Waterville Collection shows some of the local history collection available at the library, including old yearsbooks and memoirs.

The Wantagh Preservation Society is a non-profit organization based in Wantagh, Long Island. It maintains the Wantagh Museum and engages in other activities to improve the historical values of the community. The Wantagh Preservation Society was founded in 1965, in order to save Wantagh’s 1885 Victorian Railroad Station from demolition, when plans for an elevated railroad crossing called for its removal. The restored railroad station now houses the Wantagh museum.