Buffalo & Erie County Public Library's 'Changed It All' campaign shows inspiration doesn't follow formula

From classic novels and films to underground albums – free access serves as catalyst for stories of transformation with influential Buffalonians

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Press Release & Photos

Beginning this month, the transformative power of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library will be splashed across Erie County on billboards, NFTA buses and NFTA metro rail. The ads feature influential Buffalonians alongside books and other creative works that fundamentally shaped their trajectories. The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library campaign will reach thousands of people daily with a simple message: Free access to culture and information can change it all.

Most profile includes a QR code linking straight to the Library's collection – so the community can reserve that same book, watch that film, or explore what sparked someone else's transformation.

“A public library is one of the last places in our society where you don't have to buy anything to belong,” said Dorinda Darden, interim director of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.

“Every person we are featuring discovered something that opened up their world – a passion, a skill, a doorway to their future. Access to resources can change a life. We want people to know that same opportunity awaits them at the library.”

The featured voices span professions, generations and communities across, and beyond, Western New York. Their picks prove inspiration doesn't follow a formula.

"Changed It All": Darian Bryan image provided by Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

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Participants in the “Changed It All” campaign include:

• Nando Alvarez-Perez: co-founder, Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art (BICA)
• Cory Arcangel: artist, composer & curator
• Christian Benford: cornerback, The Buffalo Bills
• Wolf Blitzer: anchor, CNN
• David Boreanaz: actor
• Chef Darian Bryan: entrepreneur
• Ashleigh Carter: editor, Teen Vogue
• Dorinda Darden: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
• Ani DiFranco: Grammy-Award-winning musician
• Kate Glaser: founder, Hope Rises Network
• Paul Guminski: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
• Donny Kutzbach: co-owner, Town Ballroom
• Philip Machemer: owner, Revolver Records
• Yuki Numata Resnick: violinist & nonprofit leader
• Emily Reynolds: co-founder, Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art (BICA)
• Margaret Sullivan: journalist, The Guardian, New York Times, The Buffalo News
• Adam Zyglis: editorial cartoonist, The Buffalo News

The campaign embodies what the Library calls being “Profoundly Public”: not a passive place, but an active community resource keeping knowledge free and accessible – and partnering, wherever required, to share that message. When so much information is hidden behind paywalls or filtered by algorithms, public libraries remain one of the few places offering free and open access.

"Changed It All": David Boreanaz image provided by Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

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Founded in 1836, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is the oldest cultural institution in Buffalo. This overall campaign brings that nearly 200-year mission directly into people’s daily lives, and reiterates why it still matters: Dree access opens doors that may otherwise stay closed.

“The campaign encourages dialogue around about what a library means, and what a library stands for, beyond the page of a book or track of a record,” said Sean Piazza, marketing manager. “It also lays bare the importance of free access. Without access to that film, record or book, what could we be losing? Everything becomes possible when it’s free and open to everyone.”

The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library serves more than 2.35 million visitors annually through 37 branches and mobile services. It also houses over 3.2 million resources, extensive digital collections, and innovative programming. In 2024, every dollar invested returned $4.32 in community benefits, totaling over $128 million in annual value. To explore resources and services, visit www.BuffaloLib.org.