It is located in an architecturally distinguished building, built in 1903–04 with funding support from Andrew Carnegie.

[2] The Rockland Public Library is located on the west side of Rockland's commercial downtown, at the western end of a parcel bounded by Union, White, and Beech Streets, with St. Peter's Episcopal Church next door to the south.

It is a single-story masonry structure, built out of cut granite, with a full basement and a cross-gabled roof configuration.

The original main block has Romanesque and Beaux Arts styling, including Doric columns flanking the recessed Union Street entrance, and an apsoidal southern reading area, its windows articulated by pilasters.

[3] In July 1910, President William Taft gave a speech to a large audience assembled on the library lawn.