Lake Placid Public Library
🏢 Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System · Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid Public Library
Perched between Mirror Lake and Main Street in the Adirondacks since 1886, Lake Placid Public Library preserves an extraordinary collection of Olympic history, local archives and Adirondack art — all just steps from one of New York's most celebrated mountain villages.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 2471 Main Street, Lake Placid, NY 12946
Phone: (518) 523-3200
Website: lakeplacidlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87P872Q7+MX (Lake Placid, NY)
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📖 About Lake Placid Public Library
The Lake Placid Public Library traces its roots to January 1884, when 18 residents gathered at the Adirondack Baptist Church and formed the Library Association of North Elba — paying architect James L. Breeze nothing for his plans and contractor R.W. Clifford just $1,200 for the build. The library opened in July 1886 with Lydia Wood as its first librarian at $1 a week, on a plot of land the church charged a symbolic $1 annual rent (then donated back). Today it is governed by a Board of Trustees elected by Lake Placid School District voters and is a member of the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System (CEFLS), sharing a catalog of over 300,000 titles across 30 member libraries in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties. A major 2000 renovation added a three-story extension, an adjacent property, a connector building, and an elevator — doubling the library's footprint while preserving its lakeside setting. The library's local history archives include files of the Lake Placid Club, Olympic-related materials spanning the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games, and the Gettman Collection, making it the foremost public repository for North Elba and Lake Placid history.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Local history archives spanning the 1932 and 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, the Lake Placid Club files, and the Gettman Collection — the deepest public record of North Elba and Lake Placid
- Guy Brewster Hughes Art Gallery, established after the watercolorist's 1992 death to fulfill his vision: a free rotating exhibition space for Adirondack artists, drawing 200+ daily visitors in summer
- Library of Things, museum passes, and a full suite of digital lending through Libby, Kanopy, and ComicsPlus — all with a CEFLS card
- Over 27,000 physical volumes plus nearly 5,000 DVDs, audiobooks, and music CDs, with interlibrary loan access to the full CEFLS system of 300,000+ titles
- Free parking for Lake Placid residents before 11am and after 6pm, and four public-use computers with Wi-Fi printing and scanning on site
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Lake Placid cardholders can borrow, stream and research free through the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System's digital offerings:
📚 Services
- Borrowing from 300,000+ titles via the CEFLS shared catalog
- Library of Things lending collection
- Museum passes for local attractions
- Interlibrary loan for titles not held locally
- Four public computers with Wi-Fi, printing and scanning
- Tax assistance
- Meeting room rentals for community groups
- Guy Brewster Hughes Art Gallery (free, rotating Adirondack artist exhibitions)
- Local history and genealogy archives
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth programs
- Teen programming
- Summer reading program
- Book clubs
- Wellness and fitness classes
- Craft activities and community events with guest speakers
- Gallery exhibition openings
📍 Other New York Libraries in Our Directory
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Lake Placid · Browse all New York libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Lake Placid Public Library hold Olympic archives?
Yes. The library maintains one of the most comprehensive public collections of Lake Placid Olympic history, including materials related to the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games, files of the Lake Placid Club, the records of North Elba Town and Village Historians Mary MacKenzie and Beverley Reid, and the Gettman Collection of historical photos, postcards and newspaper clippings. Researchers can contact the library at (518) 523-3200 to arrange access.
What is the Guy Brewster Hughes Art Gallery, and is it free?
The Guy Brewster Hughes Art Gallery is a free rotating exhibition space inside the library, established after the death of local watercolorist Guy Brewster Hughes in 1992 to fulfill his wish that the library he loved would one day have a public space for Adirondack artists. Exhibitions change regularly and feature photography, painting, fiber arts, sculpture and student work; artists may sell work directly. Admission is always free, and the gallery draws over 200 visitors a day during summer months.
What are the library's hours, and is it open on Sundays?
The Lake Placid Public Library is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed on Sundays. Note that the computer lab closes 30 minutes before the library itself closes each day.
Which library system does Lake Placid belong to, and can I use my card at other libraries?
Lake Placid Public Library is a member of the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System (CEFLS), a cooperative of 30 libraries spanning Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties in New York's North Country and Adirondack region. A CEFLS card lets you borrow from any member library and access the shared catalog of over 300,000 titles, as well as digital services including Libby, Kanopy and ComicsPlus.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.