On May 13, 2025, residents of the Dansville Central School District voted to approve a $15,261.00 increase in the tax levy to support Dansville Public Library. The proposition passed with a final vote tally of 47 to 12.

The approved budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year totals $672,720.00, with $609,000.00 to be raised through the tax levy. For a home assessed at $100,000 within the Dansville Central School District, this translates to an estimated additional cost of $0.89 to $1.06 for the library in the next year.

The budget approval allows the library to address rising operational and contractual costs while continuing to maintain and expand its collections, programs, technology services, and facilities.

Voters also elected one member to the Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees. Rachele Sick was elected to serve a five-year term beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2030. We welcome her continued commitment to serving our community.

The Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees and staff extend their heartfelt thanks to the community for its ongoing support.

Click  here for additional budget information.

UPDATE 05/13/25 @ 4:50p: Due to potential rain and storm conditions, we will postpone the showcase until Thursday, May 15 at 6:00p.

The Library is hosting a special Youth Kite Showcase for this year’s Dogwood Festival! In a callback to earlier years in Dansville, young patrons are invited to build their own kites and fly them at Babcock Park for the chance to earn glory and an award.

Kite flyers must complete an entry form prior to the showcase. They will be available at the Library from May 1-May 12, or on the youth football field at Babcock on May 13 from 5:00p-6:00p.

Please be sure to read the complete showcase guidelines prior to entering. If you have any questions, please contact the Youth Coordinator, Megan Clement.

Whether you do it for fame or glory, be sure to do it for fun!

The Library is sponsoring a coloring contest for youth up through age 18!

• Coloring sheets can be downloaded from this post, picked up at the Library, or picked up from any of the DCS Main Offices.
• They are available May 1 through May 14, and must be returned to DPL in person by 8:00p on May 14.
• Awards will be presented on the Library lawn at 4:45p on May 17 before the parade.
• Be sure to read the full contest rules to understand the entry categories and awards. Please contact the Youth Coordinator, Megan Clement, if you have any questions.

 

 

Do you love your library? Are you looking for a great way to serve your community? You could be our next Board Member!

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, qualified voters of the Dansville Central School District will elect one individual to fill one trustee seat on the Dansville Public Library’s Board of Trustees. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall serve on the Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees for a five-year term, commencing on July 1, 2025.

Prospective candidates may request nominating petitions at the Dansville Public Library main desk, 200 Main St. Dansville, NY 14437.

Nominating petitions must be signed by at least 25 qualified district voters and must be received by the Library Director not later than 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Prospective Library Trustee Information Packet

December is upon us, and Dansville Public Library has holiday-inspired events for all ages to look forward to all month long! Check out our Online Calendar for details on individual events and to register:  bit.ly/DansvilleLibraryCalendar.

We hope to see you at the Library!

**The Library is no longer accepting applications for this position.**

The Dansville Public Library has an opening for a full-time Library Clerk.

Dansville Public Library is seeking an organized and detail-oriented person to serve the public at the circulation desk and assist with collection development and processing library acquisitions. The work of a Library Clerk involves the performance of routine library clerical duties necessary for the proper organization and distribution of library materials. Prospective candidates should enjoy a team-oriented work environment, as well as interacting with the public to deliver high quality customer service with tact, courtesy, and professionalism.

The Dansville Public Library, as a school district public library, is part of Livingston County Civil Service. The Library Clerk position is a competitive civil service position. The successful candidate must take the next Library Clerk examination offered by Livingston County Civil Service and be named to the eligible candidates list.

For more information, please see the Library Clerk Position Description

 

We are fast approaching the final events celebrating the Library’s Bi-Sesqui-Centennial!

Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 1:00pm – Commemorative Oak Tree Planting 

A commemorative oak tree will be planted on the Library’s lawn, symbolizing our commitment to providing resources and opportunities that educate, enrich, and inspire as we continue to serve our community. We will have a brief ceremony on our front lawn, followed by light refreshments in the Holden Room. This occasion is open to the public; registration is not required.

Friday, October 25, 2025 at 6:00pm – Night in the Stacks Speakeasy

Step out like it’s 1924! Join us after hours in the Library for a 1920s-themed celebration! Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, live music, a book-based scavenger hunt, and more. All food, beverages, and activities at this event are free of charge, however registration is required. Additional Details are available on the Library Calendar. Please note: this is an adult-only event. All attendees must be 21 years of age or older; IDs will be checked upon entrance. There is a limit of two adult beverages per attendee.

 

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What do we mean by Bi-Sesqui-Centennial?

To list out each of the significant milestones that 2024 marks for the Library would be quite long – bicentennial, sesquicentennial, and centennial – so we’ve taken the liberty of shortening it to just bi-sesqui-centennial. This year’s noteworthy anniversaries are:

• Bicentennial – Building of the Shepard homestead, the original iteration of our current building, was completed in 1824 by Joshua Shepard.
• Sesquicentennial – The first library room in Dansville was opened on the second floor of the Maxwell Block on July 18, 1874.
• Centennial – The Shepard Memorial Library, the older section of our current location, was officially opened on July 18, 1924.

Dansville Public Library to Present Smithsonian Poster Exhibit/
Public Program Encouraging Dialogue on Positive Social Change

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead (1901-1978), anthropologist

As the world has become more interconnected, it is more important than ever to inspire people of all ages to create positive social change. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) has partnered with the educational organization Facing History and Ourselves to dramatically increase access to the themes and content presented in its national initiative “Choosing to Participate” with poster exhibition designed to encourage dialogue, engagement, respect, and participation in classrooms and communities.

The posters will be on view at Dansville Public Library’s Shepard Foyer from October 1 through November 5.

Developed for middle school and high school students, the posters are intended to inspire people of all ages to create positive social change. The posters present the experiences of individuals and communities, explore the impact of cultural differences, and encourage viewers to consider the consequences of everyday choices—to discover how “little things are big”—and to make a difference in their own communities.

These graphically compelling colorful posters are being distributed at no cost to schools, libraries, museums, and community organizations through partnerships including Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Library Association.

Founded in 1976, Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational and professional development nonprofit organization whose mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice, and antisemitism in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry. By studying the historical development of the Holocaust and other examples of genocide, students make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their own lives. For more information, visit www.facinghistory.org.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 70 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science, and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition descriptions and tour schedules, visit www.sites.si.edu.

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The Choosing to Participate poster exhibition at the Dansville Public Library was made possible through the support of the Dansville Women’s Civic Club.