About the Collection

Founded by Debora Ott in 1975, Just Buffalo is the premier literary center in the Buffalo/Niagara region and one of the largest in the country. Following its mission "to create and strengthen communities through the literary arts," each year the organization produces and promotes a wide range of community-based literary programming including poetry and fiction readings, lectures, open mics, educational instruction and multidisciplinary school programs, and writing workshops. Originally part of the Allentown Community Center in Buffalo, New York, in 1989 the literary center incorporated as a non-profit organization. Recognized as a Primary Institution by the New York State Council on the Arts and honored with a New York State Governor’s Arts Award, Just Buffalo Literary Center has over the course of its history brought numerous nationally and internationally renowned writers and poets to Buffalo while supporting the local literary communities of Western New York.

The Just Buffalo collection contains the literary center’s artist files, business and programming records, press releases and clippings, grant applications, audio cassettes, video recordings, calendars and newsletters, event posters and other material.

There is a preliminary record prior to the processing of the collection. For now, the digital collection includes select videos from the Just Buffalo Collection.