Library History
1876- The mansion part of the library was built by Andrew Little on behalf of Franklin Bramer, the inventor of the "Young Warrior Mower" and owner of the Warrior Mower Company. Bramer had the first telephone in the city installed in the mansion and it was a direct line between the house and his office on Loomis Island, situated on the Mohawk River.
1888- The house is inherited by Franklin Bramer's daughter Nellie Bramer Smith and her husband Judge Rollin H. Smith.
1910 - Judge Smith bequeaths the residence to the city of Little Falls for the express purpose of being used as a library. His only stipulation was that the front parlor and reading room would stay as they were forever. We have honored his request as best as we can.
In addition to the building, Judge Smith also donated his personal library, his late wife's Anglo-American china collection, an extensive art collection, all furnishings, and any surplus money to help fund the library.
1912 - The Little Falls Public Library is opened at its permanent location at 10 Waverly Place, where it stands today. Miss Mabel E. Richards was the sole librarian, with a salary of $37.50 per month.
1982- A two-story addition was completed on the building, which blended with the original architecture of the main building. This addition allowed for nearly the entire library collection to be housed in the same general area, with the adult fiction and children's resources on the first floor, and the non-fiction and biographies on the second floor, accessible via the newly added elevator. The first floor was designed with open space for donated collections to be displayed, such as the Hurley Diamond Collection and Edward Terry Butterfly Collection.
2020 - The Theresa Carrig Children's Center was dedicated. We have custom furniture to serve as hiding spaces for reading and storage of books. This area is for children to explore their imaginations, play and connect with others, and read to their heart's content!
2025- New Elevator
This year, our library is looking to expand our available public spaces to include the third floor, with elevator access available to every floor as well. Thanks to the wonderful drive and dedication of our board members, we have been able to keep the process running smoothly. We would also like to thank our wonderful donors who have contributed to the project via our MV Gives campaign and our continuous donation box for the elevator project. We thank all of you for helping us make the library a more accessible and welcoming space!