I've been to 25 libraries in the B&ECL system and this is one of the most interesting! They even…read morehave a reading therapy dog! The building was once a schoolhouse which they've done a great job with re-purposing while also keeping some artifacts in place (antique water fountain, a chalkboard behind one of the bookshelves, and updates to some of the original windows). Locals who attended the schoolhouse have even come in to share stories too! Want to hear them, stop in to the library and ask! The library embraces art and creativity, which is evident by the decor, the displays, and the classes they offer (for kids and adults)! From paintings to crafts, they are likely to grab your attention as you walk throughout the library. On the upper level they have a lit showcase that displays the work from a local artist. They also have framed paintings above bookcases and book crafts placed throughout the floor. Downstairs they have been painting the walls above the bookshelves to show tree themed stories (Where the Wild Things Are, Winnie the Poo, etc). They also have asked kids to paint their favorite book onto a tile, then they are compiling the tiles to form a wall of them- how cute! Their classroom is also downstairs. Layout- the downstairs (basement) is primarily family and the classroom/meeting space. It's very kid-friendly and has a large space for kids to play in. There isn't an elevator, but there is a stairlift. Upstairs (ground level) is everything else- fiction, non-fiction, a few PCs, tables, DVDs and CDs, circulation desk, and more. Lastly, it's evident that the librarians are passionate and enthusiastic about this library, and that a lot of locals are too. One of them even donated cookies that were decorated with a drawing of the library- how cool! My fiancé and I lucked out when we visited, a librarian volunteered to give us a tour of the library and even let us pose with the therapy dog. When we mentioned we were heading to another library and then to llamafest, she gave us snacks for the road! This is a beautiful library and I look forward to coming back again, hopefully for a class!

The Concord library is medium-large, and with all the chairs, tables, and couches, it's a great…read moreplace to hangout for awhile. They even have beanbags! Bored? Stop in to help work on a puzzle. They have large collections of many types of books- such as their Young Adult section. Their non-fiction books are well organized and labeled too. They have a very small collection of local books. The DVD and CD sections are large though. They also have nice displays. The library is very kid friendly too. There are about 8 PCs to work on, as well as a work area with outlets if you bring your laptop. Staff was helpful, and library was clean.

Graycliff is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential designs and is often regarded as the bridge…read morebetween his Prairie houses of the early 1900s and later masterpieces, such as Fallingwater (I look forward to visiting one day). Designed by Wright for Isabelle and Darwin D. Martin (and unlike the Martin house, which you should also visit), the estate sits on an 8.5-acre bluff overlooking Lake Erie. It's about 25 miles southwest of Buffalo, New York. And I did not realize this important tidbit: the gardens and landscape designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman, who worked with Wright. The property was built between 1926 and 1931 as the summer home for the Martin family. Also, Graycliff is a New York State Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Importnat note: the Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House and Graycliff Conservancy are two separate nonprofits -- I did not know that before my visit. The two even have distinct missions. But they each have the common goal to preserve and share the history of the Martin family and Wright's work. I highly recommend visiting both sites. And be sure to check the schedule and tour times. Outside of the welcome center, gift shop and adjacent garden, you must sign up for a paid tour to see the rest of the buildings on site. In the central house, Wright effectively dissolved the traditional boundary between indoors and outdoors. There is local limestone, ochre stucco and cedar shingles and, if you keep a watchful eye, you will see Wright's designs at work: triangles, circles, hearts, diamond-shapes and other shapes are embedded and featured throughout the grounds and in the architecture. Graycliff was also personally significant for Wright. During the mid-1920s his career and finances were in turmoil. The Martins, longtime friends as well as clients, commissioned Graycliff at a moment when relatively few of Wright's designs were being built. Over time, many architectural historians view the project as helping sustain his practice during one of the most difficult periods of his life. And last interesting tidbit: The Martin family owned the property until after Isabelle and Darwin died. It was sold in 1951 to the Piarist Fathers, an order of Roman Catholic Priests from Hungary. They lived in and used Graycliff until 1997 (even built buildings and structures), when the property was sold. Graycliff was actual set to be demolished for condominiums -- can you imagine?! A few tips for your visit: -If you are driving a larger vehicle (large trucks, RV's, camper vans, vehicles pulling trailers, call in advance. The team will work to accommodate your vehicle. Do not miss the brand new visitor center. It has interactive educational features, an informative video and an excellent gift shop, with snacks on site. -Parking is out front at no cost. -A portion of all tours is outside, rain or shine. -Wear comfortable clothing and comfortable walking shoes. -Apparently, stiletto heels are not allowed in the main house to protect the restored floor. -Only service animals are allowed on the grounds.

I did a tour of Graycliff as part of the All Day All Wright tour a while ago anat that time it was…read moreinteresting but also a bit disappointing both because the renovations were ongoing and we arrived late due to traffic so the tour was cut short. Seeing online that Graycliff had just opened a new visitor center and was in full swing I decided to make a one day trip to see it again. Located about a half hour southwest of Buffalo and about an hour northeast of Erie, Graycliff sit right on the Lake Erie shore. There is a small sign at the end of the long drive that leads you to the new visitor center. The center is set up just outside the area that Wright designed. The center is very modern but it does have elements that are inspired by Wright, the horizontal lines of the building, the glass that allows you to see through the building is similar to Graycliff. Inside there is a very nice gift shop, some interesting exhibits and an unusual unisex bathroom. I had signed up for the extended tour and we had a nice group who all had some experience with Wright before, including one guy who had done extensive work in building the new visitor center. The tour starts in the visitor center with a very well made video giving some of the history of Wright, the Martins and Graycliff. After that we went through the Picking Garden which was very attractive and smelled wonderful. We then learned about the layout of the outside, including that the driveway was oriented to track the movement of the sun on the summer solstice. We were also informed about the history of the site, the local materials being used and the history of the house after the Martins had to give it up. We also were told about the water features and how the house was oriented to allow views through the house to see the lake. Although this was the 3rd project Darwin Martin had hired Wright for (the Darwin Martin House and the Larkin Company Adminstration Building were the others) here the client was Mrs. Martin and this was to be a summer house so the overall design is a bit unique. The timing of the project was also crucial as Wright had finished his Prairie Style and the Usonian style was not yet developed. Wright had also gone through a number of personal issues and public scandals so this commission was helpful in bridging a difficult period. Once inside Graycliff you realize that there are many common Wright elements, the use of natural materials, the importance of the hearth as the heart of the house and how he had opened up the common areas with a flow. Graycliff is unique in how it is oriented to the lake with huge windows on both sides. We also got to see the second floor and the second floor of the smaller second house that initially was the garage and chauffeur's quarters and later used by Martin's daughter's family. I have to compliment our docent Brian who did a great job of guiding us through the house and property while supplying information, pointing out details and just being very entertaining. Wright was a complex person, while a genius and visionary he also had personal issues and could be difficult to work with, Brian gave a nice balanced view of Wright, his relationship to the Martins and how Graycliff came to be, plus its history and restoration. On my previous visit I had enjoyed Graycliff, but also found it a bit disappointing, this visit reflects the great job that has been done on finishing the restoration and furnishing the property to best effect. While not as flashy as some of the better know Wright designs, Graycliff is well worth a visit for its historical significance to Wright and to see how he was in transition and developing new and different ideas. A great visit and I am so glad I took the time for a second visit.

Great organization that helps the local businesses of Springville. Awesome community events and a…read morewonderful local resource. Small town doesn't get any better with this organization.

This building has served many purposes in its 140 year life, and it currently houses the offices of…read morethe Town Clerk of Franklinville. In the basement and exiting from the rear, one of the two old firehalls was housed. There's graffiti from the old volunteers, like, "Smokey Joe". At the turn of the last century, it was on the Vaudeville circuit. Under the stage, in the green room, are names and dates of some of the performers who passed through, including the intriguing "Princess Buttons/Mexico City". If one climbs another two flights of stairs, there are more Vaudeville names, from performers who would make their stage entrance suspended on wires, or trapezes. (The town clerk says there are costumes still stashed in the attic, but I was unable to climb that far.) What killed Vaudeville? Cinema! The performers on celluloid never got sick, had a train delay, or told a blue joke. The evolution from Vaudeville theater to cinema theater can be seen in the foyer. On either side of the inner doors are ticket booths, and glass slots for posters.

Although at New Year's the wait was an hour, after another week, when I entered I was the next…read morecustomer! Three customer service windows keep the line moving quickly; at lunch this is reduced to two windows as the clerks take lunch breaks. The Cattaraugus County DMV web page mentions the ability to make an appointment; I can see this is a sensible option if you're in a hurry or frail. Forms are in boxes on the left as one enters, as are pens. The clerks are knowledgeable and helpful. Open daily 8a-5p Monday - Friday, excepting Federal holidays. Plenty of parking in front of the building.

Large, modern, easily accessible (ADA regulations) with Saturday hours and a "no late fees" policy…read more Large parking lot.

North Collins Library is small, very accessible (all on 1 floor no steps to get in) and a good…read morequiet place to work. There are a few tables, chairs, and couches throughout the library. There are also 8 adult PCs to work on and a few kid PCs. There's also a kids area and play space for them. The bookshelves are well labeled. The non-fiction collection is small but there's a larger fiction collection. There's a small but dedicated Young Adult section, including graphic novels and new books. There's a one room school house museum next door to the library that's open on Sundays, seasonally. There's also a pavilion beside the library too.

This is a very small town, that has an even smaller village in it. The town has under 2000…read morepermanent residents, however, both summer and winter have a tourist season. In the winter people come to ski Holiday Valley, Holimont or some other local ski areas. In the summer, they come to hike. There are many people here with vacation homes, especially from Canada, you will see many Canadian plates in the winter. Its a cute town, has one coffee shop, a few restaurants, a few ski shops, SkyHigh Adventure Park in the Summer (Holiday Valley skiing in Winter). There is an alpaca farm nearby that's open to visitors. Allegheny Park is an easy drive for some hiking. 15 miles or so from town there's a casino. You can also do cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the area. For some pampering there are a few spas in the area. There are a few shops that sell all sorts of different things, from ski clothes, to locally made artwork and more. All in all, if you are in the area, this is a nice and easy town to visit. parking is no issue. The people are friendly. Life is good here in the Southern part of New York State.