The library began life in 1905 as a free association library--the Geneva
Free Library--with the leadership and support of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Established in a community of 10,000 a century ago, the Geneva Public Library has grown to be one of the largest public libraries in the area and now serves a significantly larger and more diverse community.

The Geneva Public Library took one of its first great strides when
it moved to the former 1836 Congregationalist Church in 1920 and
dedicated the library as the Soldier and Sailors Memorial Library.
Still bearing this name, the brick Greek-style former church is now
part of a much larger facility and home to the library's reading and
community rooms.

The library added to the Soldier and Sailor's Memorial Library
building in 1962 and then significantly expanded facilities in the
early 1990s following its designation as the Pioneer Library System's
Central library.

Since 1990, the Geneva Public Library has received additional state
aid to provide collections and support to the member libraries of the
Pioneer Library System, the public libraries in Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming
and Livingston counties.

The library was rechartered by the Board of Regents of the State of
New York on February 14, 2006 and the Geneva Free Association Library
was dissolved. The library board of seven members is now elected by the
voters of the Geneva Public Library and increases of the library's
budget must be presented to the voters.