The West Hurley Public Library was founded in 1956. The first home of the library was the West Hurley Public School and the first board of trustees was drawn from community civic and religious organizations. Used books, donated by local residents, were the core of the library’s first collection; early additions to the collection came from another library’s castoffs and the monthly purchase of two new books, funded by a $1.00 family membership fee. When the library moved to the former Hurley Town Hall, on Route 28, the hours of operation were increased from two to four.
In response to the need for a more adequate facility, the board of trustees voted in March of 1974 to launch a building program for a new library. The program received the full support of the community and was funded by local fund raising and federal revenues. The present building was dedicated on November 16, 1975.
On June 6, 1988, Governor Mario Cuomo signed a bill which established a library district in the Town of Hurley.
By the late nineties, the library had become fully automated and had its own website. In partnership with the community, it produced a video about the construction of the Ashokan Reservoir.
On March 3, 2006, the library held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 1,704-square-foot addition. With the help of volunteers and Chris Swanson’s eagle-scout project, the library was completely emptied in preparation for a remodel. Volunteers then repainted all the adult shelving. The library continued to operate on a limited basis at the West Hurley Elementary School.
With help from more volunteers and Matthew Panico’s Eagle Scout Project, the library reopened at 42 Clover St in November 2006. The new addition increased the size of the building to 3,720 square feet. The new library building featured an almost 50 percent increase in shelf space, six public computers with high-speed Internet access, wireless Internet capability, wiring at reading tables for laptops, cushy reading chairs, new kid-friendly low bookshelves in the juvenile collection, and a separate room for children’s programs, equipped with educational toys and brightly colored furniture.