MISSION STATEMENT The Southworth Library provides materials, services and programming to meet the diverse educational, informational, recreational and cultural needs of the Dryden community, supporting access to information, promoting the love of reading and furthering literacy and lifelong learning.
It is a comfortable, friendly gathering place which reaches out to community members of all ages. It is an educational and cultural center which provides free printed, electronic and audiovisual resources for the general public to inform, enlighten and entertain.
Our library is a historic focal point of the Dryden Community, supported by interest from the original 1883 endowment by Jennie McGraw Fiske, municipal funding, gifts, and generous donations from individuals and businesses. Read more about our history here.
The Southworth Library Association, managed by a local Board of Trustees is a member library with the Finger Lakes Library System, which includes 34 member libraries in Central New York. These libraries provide access to nearly a million items, including books, movies, audiobooks and downloadable audio and e-books.
Southworth Library Association By-Laws
The library has over 35,000 books, magazines, audiobooks and movies for all ages and interests. Special items include local history books, digital copies of historic area newspapers, playaways and large print books. We also provide access to downloadable audio and digital materials using the Libby app. Access the list of items in our catalog.
The library has 14 Public Computers for patron use for accessing the internet and some Office products. Patrons must read, agree to and sign the Internet Usage Policy to use computers.
Please take a look at our annual reports to the community for more information about the library