Suffern Free Library's Centennial Celebration

The Suffern Free Library is proud to invite the community to celebrate its centennial during a special weekend of festivities beginning June 12, 2026. This landmark event honors a century of continuous service, growth, and dedication to the residents of the Suffern Central School District.

Everyone is invited and registration is not required.

The celebration kicks off on Friday, June 12, at 1:00pm! Here is the schedule of events:

1:15pm Invocation in the Adult Reference Room with Rabbi Gancz and Sacred Heart Church

1:30pm Opening remarks and speeches by Craig H. Long, President of the Suffern Free Library Board of Trustees and Elaine Salierno, President of The Woman's Club of Suffern in the Adult Reference Area

1:00-3:00pm Get your caricature drawn in the cafe area

2:00-3:00pm Tours of the Ramapo Room, which is the Library's local history room will be taking place every 15 minutes

3:00pm Dedication of the Time Capsule outside on back lawn

2:30-4:00pm Book Raffles* and Refreshments (both non-kosher and kosher) in the lower level Large Meeting Room

Participants will also get to enjoy a Scavenger Hunt throughout the building, as well as a curated timeline exhibit in the Large Meeting Room, Suffern Free Library: 100 Years.

*The book raffles are free. Adults will receive one free raffle ticket which they can put towards an autographed book. We will be raffling off over thirty autographed books by major authors such as Patterson, Colleen Hoover, Reese Witherspoon, as well as some notable children's authors including our very own staff member's, Joanne Mattern.

A Legacy of Literacy

The library’s origins date back to 1924, when the Woman’s Club of Suffern purchased a lot at Lafayette and Washington Avenue to build a clubhouse. Driven by a mission to provide free library services, the organization realized its goal through the generosity of charter members Mrs. Otis H. Cutler and Mrs. David H. McConnell, wife of the founder of Avon.

The original library room opened in 1925 with a collection of 3,000 gifted books. On June 30, 1926, Suffern Free Library officially received its certificate of registration as an Association Library, beginning an unbroken century of service.