The Seward Park Branch of The New York Public Library is one of 65 branches erected with funds given to New York City by Andrew Carnegie. Its origins can be traced to 1886, when the Aguilar Free Library Society opened several libraries, including what would become the Seward Park Branch. In its early days, the Seward Park Branch served an immigrant Jewish population. Today, the community is home to a mixture of Jews, Hispanics, African Americans, and an ever-increasing Asian population. The building houses adult, young adult, and reference collections on the first floor; a children's room on the second floor; and a literacy center on the third floor.