File:Frank E. Merriweather Library, Buffalo, New York - 20200410.jpg

English: As seen on an April 2020 afternoon, the Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Branch of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System stands at 1324 Jefferson Avenue (corner East Utica Street) in the Cold Spring section of Buffalo, New York. Named in honor of the longtime editor-in-chief of the Buffalo Criterion, Western New York's oldest African-American newspaper, the Merriweather Library was completed in 2005 as a replacement for the old North Jefferson Branch Library around the corner, and is the last major work of local architect Robert Traynham Coles. Here, Coles pays homage to the neighborhood's (and his own) African-American identity with a groundbreaking design, consisting of a series of interconnected circular spaces clustered together in the manner of rural African villages, each housing separate functions. African motifs also feature in the colorful masonry work on both the exterior and interior. It's one of the most visually arresting and notable works of Postmodern architecture in the local area. Aside from the requisite collections of books and media, computer labs, and community event space, the Merriweather Library also houses an African-American Resource Room and is home to the local Center for Afro-American History, both invaluable resources for those researching topics relevant to the local Black community.