In 1906, Walter Law, the founder of Briarcliff Manor, funded construction of a Putnam Line railroad station as a gift to the Village. Built in the English Tudor Revival style, it sported oriental rugs on the floor and flowers on the tables. During subsequent decades, however, railroad use declined, and the line was eventually decommissioned.
The Village of Briarcliff Manor adapted the station for use as its Library in 1959. Other than the addition of a small steel mezzanine in 1980, the Library building has remained in its original state for nearly fifty years. Over the years, borrowing has increased from 20,000 to 110,000 items per year, the collection has expanded to include movies and CDs, and the Library has squeezed computer stations, larger children's and young adult sections, and other modern facilities into this early 20th century structure.
In 2005, New York State directed the Village to expand and update its facilities to include adequate space for patrons, including meeting and program facilities, handicapped accessibility, and infrastructure to accommodate up-to-date technology. In 2006, the Village's voters authorized the borrowing of up to $4 million to fund the construction of a Library addition. Work began in summer of 2007, with completion slated for 2009. This 6,650 sq. ft., two-story building, attached to the northern side of the existing Library, will more than triple the Library's square footage. In addition, there will be a 3,000 sq. ft. basement for possible future expansion.
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