Postcard, "Buffalo Public Library, Buffalo, N.Y.," circa 1938

Until the 20th century, most book collections were not available to everyday Americans. They were either privately owned, accessible only by paid subscription, or stored away haphazardly. This building, which opened in 1887, originally housed the private subscription library of the Young Men's Association of Buffalo, New York. It became a free public library through an agreement with the city in 1897.