[2][5] Along with hosting various permanent and temporary collections of books and media, the member libraries provide various services and activities.

Isaac Smith Osterhout willed a substantial portion of his estate for the establishment of a free public library.

Dewey recommended that the board buy the First Presbyterian Church, an edifice built in 1849, and use it for approximately 10 years until permanent arrangements could be made.

The original library collection (approximately 10,000 volumes) consisted of books from Osterhout's personal collection, part of the Atheneum (a local subscription library), and 9,500 volumes purchased from Charles Scribner and Sons.

[25] The Osterhout has an immigration resource center, partially funded by grants.