The Poughkeepsie Day School library is housed in Gilkeson Center and serves grades pre-k-12. Lower school students have weekly library classes, which provide them with various age-appropriate activities. For the youngest students this may include being read to, learning to find books on their own and borrowing books. Older lower school students begin to develop library skills, such as using the automated catalog, identifying different sections of the book collection and learning how to find books by gaining familiarity with the Dewey Decimal System. Introductions to different genres, like folktales and biography, are also part of the lower school program. All students are made aware of the borrowing rules and how to take care of library materials.

Middle and upper school students are encouraged to use the library within the context of their academic classes. As assignments and research projects arise, classroom teachers and the head librarian work together to identify both print and non-print resources for the students' needs.

The non-print resources include two online periodical databases, World Book online, and several other research-related databases. The library's web page has subject links for each division to give students a starting point for reviewed Internet sites related to the curriculum. There are also links to area libraries, which include the Mid-Hudson Library System and local colleges and universities.

The library's circulation system is automated. Students may borrow books for three weeks at a time with the option to renew them. Overdue notices are printed once a month and sent home with the students. Parents are encouraged to help students return their materials on time and in good condition.