New Brower Park Library Opens Inside Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Hey Brooklyn bookworms, there’s a new library in town! It’s the new Brower Park Library, which celebrated its grand opening on Thursday, and it’s located right inside the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Crown Heights.
Part of the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), the new branch is set to delight museum goers and readers of all ages.
“I think we’ll see a lot of readers. One thing that is important to know is that it is a library for the whole family,” Fritzi Bodenheimer, press officer at BPL, said. “So, even though it’s in the children’s museum and we have this wonderful and delightful children’s section, there are books there for adults and laptops you can check out.”
The recently opened branch is a full-service, 6,000-square-foot library. It’s located on the first floor of the museum, and visitors can enter from the outside, on Brooklyn Avenue.
There’s a bit of history to the new branch, too. The original Brower Park Library opened in 1963, was located close to the museum, but was also in need of costly repairs.
Instead of pursuing a costly and prolonged process of purchasing and repairing the building, the library partnered with the Brooklyn Children’s Museum to provide the community with a similarly sized, but far more modern and comfortable space for readers.
“When Brooklyn Children’s Museum was founded in 1899, it was envisioned as a place where a public library would be an integral part of our campus,” Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, president and CEO of the museum, said. “We are delighted to partner with the Brooklyn Public Library as we transform this century-old dream into a vibrant reality. Together, we are committed to preserving an invaluable resource for education and information within our community for generations to come.”
What to Expect at the Brower Park Library in Brooklyn
Readers will love browsing approximately 11,000 covers from many different genres. The page-turning book selection is a must-see on its own, but the actual design of the library, which was done by architecture firm Tsao & McKown, is equally impressive.
Visitors enter the main reading room from Brooklyn Avenue, and there’s even a delightful outdoor component that provides shade on especially sunny days.
“One of the nice things about this new library is there is a little bit of outdoor space—a patio,” Bodenheimer said. “We have a bench that’s built in, and I think we’ll eventually put out some tables.”
Adjacent is a community room that can host 50 people for meetings and programs. It includes a movable partition, ample storage, modern AV equipment and a sink for arts and crafts.
Beyond the main reading room, patrons enter the children’s room through a colorful threshold. The space here features multiple ceiling heights, lowered book stacks, nooks for reading and researching, group tables, and a theater proscenium for impromptu storytelling and play.
The backdrop of the theater proscenium is a 12-foot window overlooking museum exhibit space.
There’s also a small meeting room for the community to utilize.
Upcoming Programs
Get ready to plan some fun outings to the library, because the branch has a variety of programs planned, including:
- Story times both on site at the library and nearby Brower Park
- Computer classes
- Craft workshops
- A hip hop music production course for teens
The museum-library collaboration is branching out in a fun way throughout the borough, too.
Through a program titled Collections Connections, community galleries are being displayed in 10 libraries throughout Brooklyn, allowing library-goers to see objects and artifacts from the museum’s collections that explore animals and nature, transportation, world cultures and more.
“For more than 100 years, both Brooklyn Public Library and Brooklyn Children’s Museum have served the borough with books, education, and programming,” Linda Johnson, president and CEO of BPL, said. “Now we begin a new chapter. We are thrilled to open Brower Park Library on the first floor of the museum, providing the next generation the opportunity to read, learn and explore the world around them.”
The project cost $6 million, and funding was provided by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Mayor’s Office, the Office of the Borough President, and the City Council, including funds from former Council Member Robert Cornegy, a grant from former Assembly Member Diana Richardson, and a gift from the Blumberg Family in memory of Rhoda Blumberg.
What You Need to Know About Visiting the Brower Park Library in Brooklyn
Where is the Brower Park Library located?
The Brower Park Library is located inside the Brooklyn Children’s Museum on Brooklyn Avenue in Crown Heights.
What are the library’s hours of operation?
Hours are: Monday, 10am-6pm; Tuesday, 1-8pm; Wednesday, 10am-6pm; Thursday, 10-8pm; Friday, 10am-6pm; Saturday, 10am-5pm. It’s closed on Sundays.
Is the library free to use?
Yes!
Who is the branch manager?
Alicia Pritchard.
For more information about the Brower Park Library, visit bklynlibrary.org.
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