Modern public libraries have evolved beyond their traditional role as book repositories to become community hubs offering diverse programming. This study explores how urban and rural libraries leverage their unique community capital to deliver programming that reflects their constituents, using Tompkins County, New York, as a case study. Through semi-structured interviews with librarians at the urban Tompkins County Public Library (TCPL) and the rural Newfield Public Library (NPL), alongside analysis of Public Library Survey (PLS) data, this research highlights disparities in resources and strategies. Despite these differences, both libraries adapt creatively to their contexts. Urban libraries function as cultural anchors within dense institutional networks, while rural libraries serve as all-purpose social infrastructure. This study contributes to broader conversations about the urban-rural divide, the role of public institutions in fostering social cohesion, and the urgent need to support libraries as essential democratic spaces.