The library opened in 1911, part of the national “wave” of new libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie
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August 14, 2026, was a night to remember at the historic Hornell Public Library. The Carnegie building was dressed for the occasion — historic postcards of scenes from around Hornell lined the walls, floral arrangements filled every corner, and a generous spread of food and drinks welcomed guests into the main room.
The celebration itself grew out of a quiet act of generosity that few in town knew about until recently. For at least five years — likely longer — Douglas and Melody Carrier have marked every March 27th, the day the library first opened its doors in 1911, by leaving a birthday card containing a check for the building’s age. When Library Director Denise Chilson learned of the tradition late last year, she decided the library was overdue for an actual birthday party. With the building’s 115th anniversary falling in the same year as America’s 250th, the timing was too fitting to pass up.
None of it would have been possible without Andrew Carnegie’s original $25,000 donation, part of a nationwide wave of Carnegie libraries that transformed access to books, knowledge, and community services across the country. That grant became a promise to Hornell: regardless of means, anyone could walk through these doors and find something worth reading, worth learning, and worth becoming.
While preparing for the event, staff spent hours poring over decades of board minutes and old newspaper clippings — and turned up a surprising piece of history along the way. The library’s original planners had hoped to build on a site in Union Park, but the plan was scrapped when city council members deemed the signature Carnegie style “too ugly and squatty” for downtown Hornell. They likely never imagined that the park itself would one day be gone. It’s hard not to wonder what downtown Hornell might look like today if that decision had gone the other way — a library on Main Street, with Union Park’s green space still intact for story hours and Saturday strolls.
Along with a strong showing from the community, the celebration drew a number of notable guests. Mayor John Buckley delivered a proclamation on behalf of the City of Hornell. Rose Olsen made the drive from Albany to represent Governor Kathy Hochul’s office. Rich Bowra, a former Hornell Public Library librarian, joined the festivities alongside Southern Tier Library System Executive Director Brian Hildreth and Outreach Coordinator Keturah Cappadonia.
Inside the library, a series of displays traced the institution’s past, present, and future. Gary Kelleher, Secretary of the Hornell Public Library’s Board of Trustees, unveiled the newly reorganized History Room, the product of countless hours spent carefully sorting and archiving materials so they’ll be preserved for generations to come.
Chris Olix shared his research on the Civil War Monument project at Hope Cemetery, including a typed transcription he provided to the library of the handwritten Hornellsville Civil War Muster Rolls. The transcription will make the historic records far easier for researchers to read while helping protect the fragile original from further wear.
The Friends of the Hornell Public Library were also on hand, sharing information about how to join the organization and spotlighting several key projects in need of funding. Chief among them: digitizing the library’s newspaper microfilm collection, a priority Director Chilson identified shortly after joining the HPL in 2021. Once complete, the project will offer both in-person and remote access to decades of local news, while making the material far easier to search and preserving it for the future. The effort is roughly 25% funded so far, thanks to a generous donation from Penny Gray and her foundation, along with a grant from the South Central Regional Library Council. Anyone interested in helping close the gap is encouraged to reach out to the Hornell Public Library directly.
Fittingly, Library Director Denise Chilson and Program Coordinator Eba Klindt greeted guests dressed in early 1910s Gibson Girl attire — a nod to the women librarians who first opened the doors of the new Carnegie building back in 1911.
