 
Senate Resolution No. 2223
 
BY: Senator RITCHIE
 
        COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of the Hepburn
        Library
 
  WHEREAS,  It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities  across  the  great
State  of New York is reflective of certain exemplary institutions whose
purpose is dedicated to serving the  community  and  the  needs  of  its
citizenry; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate  the 100th Anniversary of the Hepburn Library in Madrid, New
York, to be celebrated with an Open House on Saturday, June 3, 2017; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Hepburn Library was built as a result of the generosity
of B.A. Hepburn, a nationally prominent banker,  financial  advisor  and
philanthropist, who had a deep appreciation for education, and wished to
see a library created to serve the town of Madrid; and
 
  WHEREAS,  On  February  13,  1917,  the residents of Madrid voted to
accept Mr. Hepburn's gift of a free public library and made a promise to
maintain it; and
 
  WHEREAS, Mr. Hepburn thereafter selected a  centrally  located  site
for the library and hired New York City architects, Rossiter & Muller to
design  the  library  using  a Dutch design and builders C. E. Castle of
Ogdensburg to construct it; he also  donated  the  library's  first  300
books; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  library now houses a collection of over 10,000 items,
and access to e-books, e-audio books and many digital databases; and
 
  WHEREAS, The  Hepburn  Library  has  undergone  various  renovations
throughout  its history, including new front stairs, handicapped access,
an updated roof, upgrades to its community  kitchen,  air  conditioning,
gas  inserts  in  its  upstairs  fireplaces,  and  most recently, an ADA
compliant lift; and
 
  WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings, with its  original  300  books,
the Hepburn Library has grown and now includes a Summer Reading Program,
a Battle of the Books and a Teen Tourney and many other worthy programs;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  Steeped  in a proud and distinguished history, the Hepburn
Library, under the luminous leadership of Director  Laurel  Murphy,  may
take  just  pride  in  its  purposeful  growth,  as  it looks forward to
continuing to serve the educational, cultural and intellectual needs  of
the community; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the  Hepburn  Library;  and  be  it
further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Laurel Murphy, Director,  Hepburn  Library,  Madrid,  New
York.
Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Hepburn Library

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