Things you may not know about E.H. Butler Library
The E.H. Butler Library is known as an academic hub of Buffalo State University’s campus, but it does more than house impressive collections—it serves as a community center designed to meet the diverse needs of students and faculty.
“We view the library as the heart of the campus,” said Julie Setele, User Experience and Outreach Librarian. "We offer a wide range of opportunities for the campus community to study, play, and learn together.”
Here are five things you may not know about the E.H. Butler Library.
It is home to massive collections, archives, and rotating displays
Butler Library’s second and third floors are home to 552,464 physical items, including academic literature, recreational reading materials, and a large children’s and young adult section located on the second floor Curriculum Materials Lab.
Thanks to a new program with the Northern New York Library Network, the library has expanded to include recreational reading books such as romance, mysteries, and other popular genre fiction. The library also features a new collection of zines—handmade, DIY magazines—including zines by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and local creators, as well as zines focused on social justice.
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Buffalo State’s Archives & Special Collection Department, which maintains a growing collection of rare and significant source materials of local, national, and regional interest dating back to 1860. Archives include various student publications, scrapbooks, speeches, memorabilia, photographs, reports, and more.
Buffalo State’s library is also home to the region’s largest LGBTQ+ collection—the Dr. Madeline Davis LGBTQ Archive of WNY—which contains materials that document the LGBTQ communities of Western New York and Southern Ontario dating back to the 1920s.
Also located in the archives is the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center, an expanding collection of historically significant documents pertaining to the Western New York community.
In addition to its collections and archives, Buffalo State’s librarians curate rotating monthly displays in celebration of heritage or cultural events. (April displays include Arab American Heritage Month and LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.) Displays are located on the first floor across from the Ask Us desk.
It offers year-round programming
Beyond research and study, the library offers a range of programming for members of the campus community. Some of this semester’s examples include:
- Social Justice Book Club, where students and faculty meet biweekly to have meaningful conversations about challenging topics. This spring, the club is reading essays from Gender Euphoria: Stories of Joy from Trans, Non-Binary, and Intersex Writers.
- April 21, the Anne Frank Project presents The Boy in the Jaguar, followed by a discussion on the theme, “forgiveness is messy,” where students and faculty can engage with the performance.
- Zine Scene, April 24 and 25, consists of several zine-related workshops (Healing Through Zines, Zines as Resistance, and Zine as Memoir, Archive, and Diary) where attendees can learn how to draft their own zines while enjoying a zine exhibit and reception.
In addition to the library’s programs, various student clubs like Crochet Club, Chess Club, and Bengals Passionate Education, regularly use Butler Library for meetings.
To learn more about these programs, check out the Buffalo State events website.
It’s a place to work hard and unwind
Butler Library accommodates all kinds of activity. The Academic Commons, centrally located on the first floor, offers help with tutoring, advisement, technical support, and research.
In addition to the Academic Commons, there are multiple spaces for students to set up camp: private study nooks, group meeting rooms, large computer labs, quiet reading rooms, and recreation areas—because sometimes hard work calls for a break!
Students can find private work desks and various lounge spaces on the third floor among the stacks of books, along with a Lego table and graphic novel nook. Games are also available for check-out and various quads offer coloring sheets and puzzles.
It offers technical resources and equipment loans
The first floor of Butler Library hosts the largest open computer labs on campus.
Nearly 150 PCs and a handful of Macs are equipped with standard campus software and various printers, scanners, and copiers are available for use, along with an Assistive Technology Lab with equipment and software designed for patrons with disabilities.
In addition to the standard campus software, StudyQuad PCs #29-42 are equipped with even more programs including Visual Studio Software, ArcGIS, and AutoCAD.
Need to work on something outside of the library? Students and faculty can loan equipment such as PC Laptops, Chromebooks, projectors, and Apple iPad video recording kits on a biweekly basis. Equipment loan reservations are limited and must be made in advance.
The library wants to hear from you!
Butler Library’s staff is committed to responding to the evolving needs and desires of the campus community.
“We are always eager to learn how we can improve our services,” Setele said. “We invite you to reach out with any suggestions or feedback.”
This openness ensures that whether you're seeking academic resources, technical support, a quiet place to study, a creative outlet, or a cup of coffee, Butler Library has something for everyone.
Visit the E.H. Butler Library today, and discover all it has to offer—or share what you’d like to see next.
Photos by Jesse Steffan-Colucci, Buffalo State photographer.
