Buffalo & Erie County Public Library invites patrons to 'Escape the Algorithm'

Love Your Library Month campaign highlights public library as last truly open-ended space for discovery, in a world of curated feeds

Press release 

This April, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is inviting the public to log off and walk in.

The Library's Love Your Library Month campaign – “Escape the Algorithm” – launches today across all 37 branches. The campaign makes a simple case: At a moment when most of what people read, watch and discover is chosen for them by platforms optimizing for engagement, the library is the counterpoint. No ad trackers, no listener profiles, no data profile shaping what ends up in front of you. Thirty-seven locations, millions of items, and the freedom to find something you weren't looking for.

The timing reflects something people are already feeling: A 2025 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. parents found 8 in 10 say the harms of social media outweigh its benefits, and nearly two-thirds say they personally spend too much time on their own smartphones.

The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library has been helping patrons take a break – and connecting them with ideas – for nearly 200 years.

A public library’s purpose is built around the opposite premise: open shelves, staff who know the collection, and the genuine possibility of stumbling into the unexpected. That is not a nostalgia argument. It's an advantage that gets sharper every year, and is aligned to what library patrons desire.

Love your Library Month and National Library Week are national campaigns bringing attention to the power of public libraries.

Throughout April, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library branches across Erie County will host free programming -- as they always do – built around that premise, including hands-on workshops, curator-led exhibition tours, music and performing arts and story times. Every event is free, open to the public, and a deliberate alternative to the scroll.

A library card is free for all Erie County residents and can be obtained at any of the library’s 37 locations. Buffalo & Erie County Public Library has also launched limited-run throwback merchandise to support the system, inspired by designs found in the Library archives.

Established in 1836, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is Buffalo’s oldest cultural institution and winner of a 2026 ADDY Award. “Profoundly Public” in all we do, library locations serve more than 2.35 million visitors annually through 37 branches and mobile services. The library also houses over 3.2 million resources, extensive digital collections, and innovative programming. With a collection of international and national note, the library continues to significantly impact community education, equity and cultural enrichment. In 2025, every dollar invested returned $4.24 in community benefits, totaling over $131 million in annual value. 

Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries have more than 3.2 million materials – books, eBooks, DVDs, music. Free library cards (traditional and eLibrary) are available to Erie County residents and to those who work and/or attend school in Erie County. Follow the library on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr and on its podcast “All Booked Up!” For more, call 716-858-8900 or visit http://www.buffalolib.org.