Patterson Library

The audience was welcomed by Dr. George Washington Patterson III, vice president of the library, who presented the dedication address and introduced the speakers: Harlan L. Munson, president of the Village of Westfield, who responded and accepted the full and free use of the Patterson Library on behalf of the citizens of Westfield, and Dan George E... dgar Vincent, Ph.D., the president of Chautauqua, who also delivered a dedicatory address. Throughout the years, the library building has been superbly maintained and its beauty preserved. Visitors still delight in the splendor of the library's rotunda with its magnificent columns. The wood is as stunning as it was on dedication day. Interior painting using a custom color design has further enhanced the building's fine features. A major capital campaign with a goal of $450,000 begun in 1993 culminated in a building project in 1994 to provide access for all in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Included in the annex are automatic doors, a wheelchair lift, and new restroom facilities. An elevator was installed in the old stairwell of the existing building. In 1996, staff offices were moved to their original location in the south alcove to restore shelving in the rotunda area and make an appropriate environment for library automation. The library computerized its catalog, circulation procedures and patron records in 1997. The year 1999 witnessed the completion of a renovation to the lower level, which provided a state-of-the-art children's room named Patterson Park planned by architect David Walter of Habiterra in Jamestown and Tim Benson of Jag Teckna in Erie, PA. National recognition for the design of Patterson Park took the form of a photograph in Library Journal's December 2000 architectural issue. Due to the hard work of the library's volunteer men's group named the "Hands" led by Building Committee Chair David Correll, two archival rooms have been developed off the mezzanine to house the library's most precious and rare collections. Gone, ...Read More