Libraries are a necessity for a community. We have learned how true this is in the past few weeks with the shut down of all the public libraries in New York due to the coronavirus outbreak. Libraries are an essential service. They providing education as well as a safe space for many individuals. Plus they are especially important for low income families, because they providing resources that are otherwise economically unattainable. Without libraries the already wide gap in education levels would be even wider. Along with their services to education, they also function as community centers They create events and safe spaces in which people can gather. The public libraries in Brooklyn are a necessary part of its culture. Where else would hipsters get poetry books to take edgy pictures in cafes?
list of all the public libraries in Brooklyn
- Arlington Library
- Bay Ridge Library
- Bedford Library
- Borough Park Library
- Brighton Beach Library
- Brooklyn Heights Library
- Brower Park Library
- Brownsville Library
- Bushwick Library
- Canarsie Library
- Carroll Gardens Library
- Clarendon Library
- Clinton Hill Library
- Coney Island Library
- Cortelyou Library
- Crown Heights Library
- Cypress Hills Library
- DeKalb Library
- Dyker Library
- East Flatbush Library
- Eastern Parkway Library
- Flatbush Library
- Flatlands Library
- Fort Hamilton Library
- Gerritsen Beach Library
- Gravesend Library
- Greenpoint Library
- Highlawn Library
- Homecrest Library
- Jamaica Bay Library
- Kensington Library
- Kings Bay Library
- King Highway Library
- Leonard Library
- Macon Library
- Mapleton Library
- Marcy Library
- McKinley Park Library
- Midwood Library
- Mill Basin Library
- New Lots Library
- New Utrecht Library
- Pacific Library
- Paerdegat Library
- Park Slope Library
- Red Hook Library
- Rugby Library
- Ryder Library
- Saratoga Library
- Sheepshead Library
- Spring Creek Library
- Stone Avenue Library
- Sunset Park Library
- Ulmer Park Library
- Walt Whitman Library
- Washington Irving Library
- Williamsburgh Library
- Windsor Terrace Library
Why Learn?
Although we are sad right now because of the temporary shut down of libraries, that does not mean we should forget them. Now is the best time to learn about all the libraries in Brooklyn. So when they reopen you will know where to go for your local community. In learning about where libraries are, and which one’s are closest to you, it is also important to know how the library system works. Because without the current library system we would not have anything.
Central Library
You may have guessed from its name, but this library is the main branch of all Brooklyn libraries. This well known and beautiful location was declared a national landmark in 1997. And the Central Library not only has books, but it has spaces for business meetings, there are classes on programming, and it has the world’s largest archive on information about Brooklyn. This location has also been under construction since 2019, and was not originally scheduled to be finished until 2021. But with the world currently at a halt who knows? It is sure to be an amazing place to visit, both when all libraries reopen, and when the building itself is fully renovated.
Business & Career Library
While education and community are extremely important aspects of libraries, they also provide important career services. Located in Brooklyn Heights, the Business & Career Library specializes in exactly what it is named. They provide help with writing resumes and cover letters, as well as job training and placement. And given the mass lay offs currently happening, the resources provided by this library are more important than ever. Even while all public libraries in Brooklyn are closed, this branch has plenty of online resources for those who are out of work. Checking out their online website is a great way to try and get a jump start on your next career.
For more on careers, check out these tips on making a career change.
Other Branches
In addition to the Central and Business & Career libraries, there are 58 other public libraries in Brooklyn. No matter where you live there will probably be one close to where you live. Though the libraries are closed at the moment, the Brooklyn library system has tons of online resources. This includes reading, learning, keeping up to date on news, and much more. Supporting our public library system is more important now than ever.
Go Explore
Patronizing local libraries will help them and help you. Go find your next job or learn something new. Or if you are financially stable during this crisis, go learn a new language or a new skill from the library’s online resources. And try to donate if you can. After all libraries need money to keep providing resources for so many individuals and communities.
