On May 14, 1895, the King’s Daughters Society, a very active charitable organization (also known as “The Haverstraw Ladies Home Mission Circle”) petitioned the New York State Regents for a charter to create the Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library. Melvil Dewey signed the charter, making this Library the oldest chartered public library in Rockland County. The signed charter hangs in the Main Library today.

The building was constructed with Haverstraw brick from Mr. Fowler’s brickyard (the imprint DF&S can be read on the bricks laid for the basement’s floor.) The original part of this two-story building displays both Classical and Renaissance Revival characteristics, with finely detailed cornices, prominent quoins, a raised foundation and a curved entrance bay. The interior is virtually unchanged, and features original fireplaces with glazed brick, carved mantelpiece, pillars and a central stairway with oak wainscoting banisters and newel posts capped. A fire on the second floor damaged the Library in 1956, destroying almost the entire book collection. The damage was repaired.

Over the next few decades, with an increase in population and increased demand for services, a storefront branch (Thiells) on Route 202 was opened in 1978 to serve the needs of patrons in Garnerville, Thiells and Pomona. In that same year the State granted the Library a new charter, by designating a “Special Library District,” to give residents the opportunity to vote on the annual budget and for trustees. With population expanding at a fast rate, the Thiells Branch moved to the basement of the Haverstraw Town Hall.

The Library received Federal and State (HUD) funding to construct an addition to the Fowler Building. The new wing was constructed with sensitivity to the original building’s scale and materials, preserving arches and cornices and adding a ramp for the disabled. In 1983, the new wing was dedicated to Mrs. Kay Freeman, who served the Library as its administrator for 21 years. The original portion of the building was also restored during the expansion.

The Library opened in Jenkins Hall in 1896 and moved to another location (the National Bank Building) the following year. In 1899, a prominent local brickyard owner, Denton Fowler, offered to donate half the cost of the purchase of a site and the erection of a new library building. The condition to this pledge was that his gift had to be matched. The needed $10,000 was raised, and Haverstraw Main, also known as the Fowler Building, officially opened at the foot of Main Street on May 14, 1903.

The Village library re-opened in June 18, 2007 with the interior fully restored highlighting the beauty of its woodwork, windows, fireplaces and view of the Hudson River. A formal grand opening was held on October 14, 2007 with a rededication ceremony with a brief speech from Board President Tom Casey, Library Director Joanne Sininsky and the Honorable Mayor Wassmer. The newly renovated program/study room was named in memory of Genevieve McCab, a longtime trustee who served as board president from 1978 to 1983. An artwork made by second graders from Neary Elementary School was also presented during the ceremony which now hangs in display at the program/study room.

The Main Library celebrated its fifth anniversary on May 2008. Since its construction, the adult book collection has grown by over 12,000 items, our video and DVD collection has increased from 1,200 to over 10,000, and Youth Services has added nearly 5,000 items. Our adult programming has also increased along with a wider range of teen and youth programs.

On May 2, 2010, our Local History Room at the Main Library was rededicated in honor of Thomas F.X. Casey, a long-time and much beloved Board of Trustee President and Rockland County and Haverstraw Town Historian. The Village Branch received some face-lifts in early 2011 in time for its 108th birthday in the fall and May 18, 2015 marked a greener future for the library with a solar panel ribbon cutting for the main library. In memory of Karen Weaver, a long-time Library trustee, the Children’s Room at the Main Library was named in her honor on November 18, 2017.

The library has come a long way since its formation over 100 years ago and we hope to serve the Town of Haverstraw, North Rockland School District residents and the general public for another 100 years.

by Wilma Glover-Koomson and Rio Aucena
February 7, 2002
Last Updated: June 26, 2019

In May 2022, the Haverstraw Library completed the Sustainable Library Certification Program, a multi-faceted, rigorous framework created by the Sustainable Libraries Initiative that utilizes the Triple Bottom Line definition of sustainability. We strive to make decisions that are environmentally sound, economically feasible and socially equitable with the goal of being a sustainability leader in our community and inspiring other libraries to do the same.

Our first step was to complete certification from the Green Business Partnership in 2019. We evaluated our operational practices related to environmental impact, land use, water, energy consumption, waste management and transportation.

We then undertook library-specific benchmarks related to collective impact, social cohesion, resilience planning, finances and library collections. Some changes we made include:
• Creation of a Sustainability Policy that states our organizational commitment.
• Reduction our carbon footprint with solar panels, LED lighting, recycling and waste reduction efforts;
• Prioritization of our community through strategic partnerships with local government, schools, care givers, not-for-profit organizations and others that support Haverstraw’s diversity;
• Adherence to rigorous financial controls to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer support.

Please view our final presentation for more detail on our sustainability efforts.