LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the George
F. Johnson Memorial Library

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across the great State
of New York is reflective of certain exemplary institutions whose
purpose is dedicated to serving the community and the needs of its citi-
zenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 100th Anniversary of the George F. Johnson Memorial Library;
and
WHEREAS, The Endicott Free Library was first opened on March 16, 1915,
in the Mattoon Hotel building on Washington Avenue by a group of 40
residents who raised the necessary funds to establish a free library
association; and
WHEREAS, Headed by a board of seven trustees, its first annual meeting
was held at Union-Endicott High School on January 11, 1916, and the
circulation for the first nine months of operation was 24,493 books; and
WHEREAS, During this time, many residents of Endicott's north side
were immigrants and skilled craftsmen employed in the tanneries and
factories of the Endicott-Johnson Corporation; in an effort to serve the
north side, the library started one of the Northeast's first bookmobiles
in 1916; and
WHEREAS, Under the luminous direction of its first Librarian, Margery
Quigley, the library and bookmobile earned such enthusiastic support,
the library Board of Trustees approved the construction of a new library
on the north side to serve its population; and
WHEREAS, This first library on Washington Avenue closed on September
6, 1918, when the library moved to larger quarters, the Ideal Home
Library, in the former Harlow E. Bundy residence; and
WHEREAS, The Ideal Home was donated for use as a library by George F.
Johnson, and was incorporated under the laws of New York State and
governed by a board of trustees; its first librarian was Anna Hall, and
during this time it was estimated that nearly 50 percent of the communi-
ty benefited from Endicott's two libraries; and
WHEREAS, The name of the library was changed to the Endicott Public
Library in 1938, when the village purchased both the main and branch
facilities from the Endicott-Johnson Corporation; the library remained
at the Bundy site until 1950; and
WHEREAS, The Hillside Center was built as a library and community
center for north side residents on Odell Avenue as a result of the popu-
larity of the traveling book truck instituted in 1916, from the Endicott
Free Library located on Washington Avenue; and
WHEREAS, This library was first opened on March 2, 1920, and more than
500 people attended its opening; with English, cooking and sewing class-
es, as well as both a boys and girls pre-school, a reading club, and a
Girl Scout Troop, the branch became a true community center; and
WHEREAS, The Hillside Center continued to provide valuable services to
the residents of the north side with books, records, reference service,
children's story hours, films and meeting rooms until its closing on
August 31, 1968; and
WHEREAS, In 1950, the village acquired the George F. Johnson homestead
on Park Street, built in 1903, for use as a public library; on October
9, 1951, the library was dedicated to the memory of this great industri-
alist by his daughter; and

WHEREAS, The George F. Johnson Library was under the direction of
Beatrice E. Scott, who entered into Endicott Library service on Septem-
ber 1, 1936; she was a pioneer in making film and record collections
available for patron use, and was also instrumental in the planning for
the present library building which opened in 1967; and
WHEREAS, The present library was opened to the public on September 25,
1967, and was formally dedicated on October 21, 1967; the new library
was designed to hold 50,000 volumes, doubling the capacity from the
28,464 volumes in the original homestead; and
WHEREAS, Today, housing more than 80,000 volumes, the George F. John-
son Library also offers a large magazine collection, DVDs, music on
compact disc, a large-print collection and audio-books; its expert staff
features six professionals holding Master's degrees in Library and
Information Science, and two library assistants with many years of expe-
rience; and
WHEREAS, The children's room is inviting and spacious, and holds story
hours and special programs at various times throughout the year; its
children's book collection is the largest in the Four County system, and
recent innovations include personal computers with software chosen for
children from pre-school through junior high, and additional Internet
access; and
WHEREAS, A Public Computing Center (PCC) on the second floor provides
digital literacy education to the community, and features videoconfer-
encing equipment; interactive smartboards are available in the PCC as
well as in the basement meeting room, and the Friends of the Library
book sale is held the first and third Fridays of every month; and
WHEREAS, Steeped in a proud and distinguished history, the George F.
Johnson Library may take just pride in its purposeful growth, as it
looks forward to continuing to serve the educational, cultural and
intellectual needs of the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the George F. Johnson Memorial
Library; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the George F. Johnson Library.