[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E726-E727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LACKAWANNA PUBLIC LIBRARY

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                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 2022

  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speaker. I rise today to recognize the 
100th anniversary of the Lackawanna Public Library in Western New York. 
Located minutes away from Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna City 
Hall, as well as the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, in many 
ways, the library serves as the heart of the City of Lackawanna. 
Attracting Western New York residents of all ages, the library hosts a 
variety of community activities including movie nights, book clubs, and 
computer classes.
  The Lackawanna Library is rich in local and national history. Built 
in 1922, the building was one of the last libraries commissioned and 
funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The library stands on what 
was originally a potter's field, otherwise known as a burial place of 
unknown people, which the City of Lackawanna acknowledged in 1992 with 
a monument.
  The first floor of the library houses a local history museum 
containing collections of photographs, maps, and artifacts from the 
Bethlehem Steel Company which was at one point the second largest 
producer of iron throughout the United States. The historical 
significance of the library itself can be seen in the building's 
architecture and beautiful oak woodwork.
  In the library itself, dedicated employees and volunteers work 
tirelessly to ensure that those within the local community can gather 
and find enjoyment in the versatility of the library. For the past 100 
years, staff and friends of the Lackawanna Library have sustained a 
focus on the enhancement of literacy, community, and historic 
preservation that benefits the entire community in Western New York.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the Lackawanna Public Library 
here today and I'm pleased I was able to join in the centennial 
celebration on Sunday, July 10, 2022. The Centennial Celebration 
Committee planned a celebration for the entire community which included 
notable local writers, including author of the American Girl Series 
Connie Porter and Washington Post Columnist Margaret Sullivan, as well 
as the incomparable library staff to celebrate the distinguished legacy 
of the Lackawanna Public library.

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