Welcome

Believing that free public libraries are essential to our communities, the Foundation for Southern Tier Libraries works to promote, fund, and support the long-term vitality of the Southern Tier Library System and its member libraries.

The Foundation supports initiatives for 48 libraries in five counties: Allegany, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Yates. These libraries welcome more than one million visits each year. Donations support important programs offered by local libraries by helping them expand services and experiment with innovation.

Right from the beginning, the Foundation awarded grants directly to libraries in the Southern Tier region. Since 2013 grants have helped fund:

  • Lap-sit programs for babies
  • New services like a seed-lending library, bike fix-it station, and 3-D printers
  • Development of programs such as fiber arts
  • Books and iPads and Legos and all sorts of library materials
  • Mobile computer classes providing technological education for all generations
  • Energy efficient lights and public-use computers