The St. Andrew’s of Albany library contains approximately 1400 volumes in 14 beautiful antique wooden bookcases that were removed from the old St. Andrews Hall and relocated to the Rooms at 150 Washington Avenue during it’s renovation for the St. Andrew’s Society home in the late 1920’s.
The collection was made possible in part by a generous grant from Andrew Carnegie at the beginning of the 20th century. The primary focus of the collection is all things Scottish. Scottish poetry and history are prevalent. However, the collection also includes many volumes on local and NYS history. The library also includes early editions of the complete works of authors like Robert Louis Stevenson, Washington Irving, and Thomas Carlyle. Many of the volumes are quite old, some dating to the early 1700’s. Many are leather bound and include decorative book binding and marbling that make them visually appealing.
The Officers of the Society includes a Librarian/ Historian who maintains the collection and serves as the contact person should outside individuals wish to use the library for research. The Library itself includes a reading nook with a working fireplace and comfortable seating where members might relax and discuss some of the fascinating volumes in the Library collection.
Anyone interested in using the library for research can get in contact with the Librarian/Historian. Visit our Contact Page for information.
