Established in 1862, the library has served its New York State community for generations, expanding into its current facility in 1976 with an additional one-story wing completed in 2005. As increased borrowing, programming, and community use began to exceed the building’s capacity, SKOLNICK Architecture PLLC was commissioned to conduct a Space Needs and Feasibility Study evaluating the site, parking, building conditions, spatial organization, and building systems. Working with project consultants, the team developed recommendations for infrastructure, structural, and MEP improvements, along with a conceptual design for the library’s renovation and expansion.

As part of the Library of Congress’s $75 million visitor experience project, The Source is a new interactive youth learning space designed for children ages 8 and older, families, and teens. Led by SKOLNICK, the experience combines materials from the Library’s extensive collections with digital technology to help visitors explore research, creativity, and different perspectives. Through interactive zones focused on Sound, Image, Text, and Film, visitors can discover primary sources, meet Library experts, explore research stories created by young people, and share their own findings through digital collages and an evolving community display.