Community Calendar

The Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program (WHJESP) is proud to announce its Summer 2025 youth programming, continuing a legacy of providing free, high-quality educational and athletic opportunities to children across Buffalo and Lackawanna. Open to youth ages 6 to 16, this summer’s offerings include sports clinics, competitive leagues, and special events—all focused on healthy lifestyles, character development, and fun.

Now in its 41st year, WHJESP will introduce a modest $20 non-refundable registration fee per child, which grants access to all summer clinics and activities. This fee helps offset rising operational costs while preserving the accessibility that has defined the program for over four decades.
“We’ve built this program on the belief that every child—regardless of income—deserves a safe and inspiring place to grow during the summer,” said Willie Hutch Jones, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of WHJESP. “With help from our incredible sponsors and volunteers, we’ve kept that promise. This small fee ensures we can keep doing it, bigger and better, for years to come.”
Clinic and event spaces are limited, and early registration is strongly encouraged. Once capacity is reached, registration for each program will close. Registration is available online via sport-specific links at www.whjesp.org.

What Does It All Mean?: Exploring the Dictionary
On view now until September 30, 2025

Rare Book Room
Central Library in Downtown Buffalo
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
See https://www.buffalolib.org/locations-hours/central-downtown-buffalo for hours

The influence of dictionaries is everywhere—whether one knows it or not. More than historic artifacts, dictionaries have transcended beyond the printed book as living documents that help us understand the world around us and establish shared meaning together. The current Rare Book Room exhibition, What Does It All Mean?: Exploring the Dictionary, delves into our relationship with dictionaries in the past, present, and future. Curated in collaboration with members of the Dictionary Society of North America, this exhibition highlights notable English lexicographers of the English language and explores many different types of dictionaries.

Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy
On view now until January 15, 2026

Ring of Knowledge
Central Library in Downtown Buffalo
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
See https://www.buffalolib.org/locations-hours/central-downtown-buffalo for hours

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal with Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy, a new exhibition exploring the rich history of our city's social and economic growth as the Western terminus of the Erie Canal. Discover the work, travel, trade, and development of our region's local waterways and in canalside neighborhoods dating back from the early 19th through the early 21st century.

Join us on June 5 from 6:00pm–7:15pm for the exhibition opening, featuring a live musical performance by Buffalo-based folk duo Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell.

The Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program (WHJESP) is proud to announce its Summer 2025 youth programming, continuing a legacy of providing free, high-quality educational and athletic opportunities to children across Buffalo and Lackawanna. Open to youth ages 6 to 16, this summer’s offerings include sports clinics, competitive leagues, and special events—all focused on healthy lifestyles, character development, and fun.

Now in its 41st year, WHJESP will introduce a modest $20 non-refundable registration fee per child, which grants access to all summer clinics and activities. This fee helps offset rising operational costs while preserving the accessibility that has defined the program for over four decades.
“We’ve built this program on the belief that every child—regardless of income—deserves a safe and inspiring place to grow during the summer,” said Willie Hutch Jones, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of WHJESP. “With help from our incredible sponsors and volunteers, we’ve kept that promise. This small fee ensures we can keep doing it, bigger and better, for years to come.”
Clinic and event spaces are limited, and early registration is strongly encouraged. Once capacity is reached, registration for each program will close. Registration is available online via sport-specific links at www.whjesp.org.

If you've ever wanted to be part of a book club, but can't find time to do the homework, join us! We'll check in at the beginning, then read aloud from writings on care and community we've found meaningful. Some will volunteer to read while others are invited to continue doing life while listening- washing dishes, walking, fixing dinner, caretaking on mute, and then joining for discussion after the reading is complete. Afterwards, we'll ask: what did we learn? How does it fit into our actual lives? Our goal is to let the reading be in conversation with life, and make a book club more accessible for folks who don't have time or ability to read independently.

Join us on Zoom here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83552951102

What Does It All Mean?: Exploring the Dictionary
On view now until September 30, 2025

Rare Book Room
Central Library in Downtown Buffalo
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
See https://www.buffalolib.org/locations-hours/central-downtown-buffalo for hours

The influence of dictionaries is everywhere—whether one knows it or not. More than historic artifacts, dictionaries have transcended beyond the printed book as living documents that help us understand the world around us and establish shared meaning together. The current Rare Book Room exhibition, What Does It All Mean?: Exploring the Dictionary, delves into our relationship with dictionaries in the past, present, and future. Curated in collaboration with members of the Dictionary Society of North America, this exhibition highlights notable English lexicographers of the English language and explores many different types of dictionaries.

Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy
On view now until January 15, 2026

Ring of Knowledge
Central Library in Downtown Buffalo
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
See https://www.buffalolib.org/locations-hours/central-downtown-buffalo for hours

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal with Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy, a new exhibition exploring the rich history of our city's social and economic growth as the Western terminus of the Erie Canal. Discover the work, travel, trade, and development of our region's local waterways and in canalside neighborhoods dating back from the early 19th through the early 21st century.

Join us on June 5 from 6:00pm–7:15pm for the exhibition opening, featuring a live musical performance by Buffalo-based folk duo Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell.

The Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program (WHJESP) is proud to announce its Summer 2025 youth programming, continuing a legacy of providing free, high-quality educational and athletic opportunities to children across Buffalo and Lackawanna. Open to youth ages 6 to 16, this summer’s offerings include sports clinics, competitive leagues, and special events—all focused on healthy lifestyles, character development, and fun.

Now in its 41st year, WHJESP will introduce a modest $20 non-refundable registration fee per child, which grants access to all summer clinics and activities. This fee helps offset rising operational costs while preserving the accessibility that has defined the program for over four decades.
“We’ve built this program on the belief that every child—regardless of income—deserves a safe and inspiring place to grow during the summer,” said Willie Hutch Jones, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of WHJESP. “With help from our incredible sponsors and volunteers, we’ve kept that promise. This small fee ensures we can keep doing it, bigger and better, for years to come.”
Clinic and event spaces are limited, and early registration is strongly encouraged. Once capacity is reached, registration for each program will close. Registration is available online via sport-specific links at www.whjesp.org.

What Does It All Mean?: Exploring the Dictionary
On view now until September 30, 2025

Rare Book Room
Central Library in Downtown Buffalo
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
See https://www.buffalolib.org/locations-hours/central-downtown-buffalo for hours

The influence of dictionaries is everywhere—whether one knows it or not. More than historic artifacts, dictionaries have transcended beyond the printed book as living documents that help us understand the world around us and establish shared meaning together. The current Rare Book Room exhibition, What Does It All Mean?: Exploring the Dictionary, delves into our relationship with dictionaries in the past, present, and future. Curated in collaboration with members of the Dictionary Society of North America, this exhibition highlights notable English lexicographers of the English language and explores many different types of dictionaries.

Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy
On view now until January 15, 2026

Ring of Knowledge
Central Library in Downtown Buffalo
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
See https://www.buffalolib.org/locations-hours/central-downtown-buffalo for hours

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal with Buffalo & the Erie Canal: An Enduring Legacy, a new exhibition exploring the rich history of our city's social and economic growth as the Western terminus of the Erie Canal. Discover the work, travel, trade, and development of our region's local waterways and in canalside neighborhoods dating back from the early 19th through the early 21st century.

Join us on June 5 from 6:00pm–7:15pm for the exhibition opening, featuring a live musical performance by Buffalo-based folk duo Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell.