Did you know that Brower Park Library is inside of Brooklyn Children’s Museum? That Gerritsen Beach Library overlooks the water and Greenpoint Library has a rooftop garden? Or that you can catch free, live jazz concerts at Kings Highway Library?
Browse the Branches invites New Yorkers to embark on a journey to all 62 Brooklyn Public Library branches throughout 2024, uncovering hidden treasures, exploring new neighborhoods, and winning prizes along the way!
For information about the branch, including the library's address, hours of service, and branch accessibility, click on each location's name below or visit our map of locations.
Branches marked with an asterisk (*) are temporarily closed. Please visit the nearby branch indicated below to collect the closed branch sticker.
About the Branches
 | How many libraries can say they’re housed in an old factory? In addition to its splendid view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and downtown Manhattan, Adams Street Library has something for all ages—from a Teen Tech Center for making digital creations to Tai Chi classes for older adults. |
 | Arlington Library’s beautiful, natural oak trim hails back to 1906, when it moved to its current location. Housed in a two-story classical revivalist building, the branch’s DASNY program offers free laptop computer use. A sweet selection of special storytime programs make reading irresistible to kids. |
 | Bay Ridge is home to speakers of Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Greek, Korean and English. The library offers programs that honor its patrons’ languages and cultures. For literature set in the neighborhood, check out Aisha Abdel Gawad’s Between Two Moons or Gilbert Sorrentino. |
 | BPL’s founding branch opened in 1897, eventually settling into its Franklin Avenue location in 1905. Its adult literacy classes and children’s programs are especially popular. Bedford’s dynamic staff takes care to meet the needs of unhoused patrons staying in the nearby Atlantic Armory Center shelter and looks forward to reopening to serve the community. *Bedford Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Marcy Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Borough Park is a community of serious readers. In fact, this neighborhood library has among the highest circulation rates in Brooklyn. The branch’s multilingual Brainy Babies program—offered in Russian, Spanish and English—is much loved among families in this diverse neighborhood. |
 | Every Brooklyn neighborhood has a library in its radius. But that’s not all... BPL’s Bookmobile rides across the borough, serving community events and temporarily closed branches with books, library cards, back-to-school backpack giveaways and resources. Wave hello next time you see it zoom by! |
 | Brooklyn has countless wonders, including the way its beaches and urban spaces coexist harmoniously. When you visit this branch, enjoy the sound bath of crashing waves nearby and subways clanging overhead, plus the aquarium and local restaurants that highlight the cuisines of former Soviet countries. |
 | Pineapples were once really sold on nearby Pineapple Street! The fruit is a symbol of hospitality—fitting for this welcoming branch. The modern, spacious building has plenty of room for community meet-ups, reading groups and a legendary author talk series—it’s possible your favorite writer has participated in one! |
 | Brownsville staff warmly serves all patrons, providing them with a variety of information, entertainment and resources. This library offers free laptops, Homework Help and ProjectArt programs. Did you know that Wu-Tang icon RZA and writer Hilton Als are some of Brownsville’s many artistic natives? |
 | Located on Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s ground floor, this branch is a special space for kids and families. Enjoy youth programs, an outdoor terrace and “Collections Connections,” a mobile community gallery with museum artifacts on everything from animals to music to trains—and beyond. |
 | Bushwick Library started out small (on the first floor of a church!) before moving to its current location in 1908. The branch staff dedicatedly looks out for its community members, offering kids everything from free book bags for back-to-school season to state-of-the-art technology at the Spectrum Learning Lab. |
 | Canarsie is named for the Indigenous Canarsie tribe whose land the neighborhood inhabits. This local library has its finger on the community pulse, offering English classes for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and Brooklyn Supports events with social workers who assist patrons looking for housing, food and employment. |
 | CBH collections, exhibits and programs illuminate Brooklyn’s past, present and future. Its historic building houses The Othmer Library, a treasure of Brooklyn archives and scholarship. |
 | When visiting this charming local library, take a moment to admire its ornate railings and gates! Carroll Gardens Library has been greeting patrons for over 100 years. Fun fact: In the early 20th century, its citizenship classes helped more than 10,000 patrons become United States citizens! *Carroll Gardens Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Pacific Library to collect this sticker. |
 | It’s no wonder that BPL’s home base is a registered NYC Landmark. Central’s majestic architecture and extraordinary collections (with books, vinyl records, telescopes and musical instruments) draw over 1.2 million visits yearly! Its countless offerings include an Info Commons tech lab, the annual Night in the Library, passport services and art exhibits. |
 | Clarendon Library first opened in 1913 within Markland’s Drug Store before becoming a full-service BPL branch at its current location. The space now boasts a majestic front gate, a sky-lit reading room and recreational courtyard for quiet reading and thinking in the fresh air. *Clarendon Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Rugby Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Fun fact: Clinton Hill was the childhood library of Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace. In tribute, the branch’s collection includes a memorial bookcase filled with hip-hop, jazz and blues-related materials. Up until 2021, Clinton Hill Library also had its very own fluffy black branch cat! |
 | Hurricane Sandy hit Coney Island hard; the branch reopened in 2013 with beautifully decorated walls, new technology and more. Locals enjoy the branch’s expert art curation and gallery events. Librarians frequently welcome class visits, introducing students to researching techniques and informational treasure hunts. |
 | In addition to its tower, outdoor pavilion and eye-catching displays, Crown Heights draws crowds to its literacy, tech and art programs. Did you know the former Ebbets Field, where the Brooklyn Dodgers played, is nearby? Learn more in Linda Sue Park’s middle grade book, Keeping Score. |
 | Cortelyou Library announces itself to the community with an outdoor mural of bright blue triangles. This branch showcases Pakistani music, Bengali fiction, Russian poetry, West Indian novels and much more to reflect its community, as well as the “Libraries Bring Us Together” Incubator project. |
 | Cypress Hills Library’s musical storytimes for children and knitting programs are much loved by patrons. This branch originally opened in the Cypress Hill Houses in 1955; a new branch was constructed in 1995 featuring entrance gates by artist Rolando Briseno, a sky-lit atrium and a metal-clad roof. |
 | DeKalb’s brick and limestone building, built in 1905 in Bushwick, is known for festive seasonal displays. Enjoy the cool shade of the tree just outside the branch—then head inside to look way up high at the building’s spacious, tall ceilings and behold the feeling of wonder they inspire. |
 | This branch reopened in 2023 with refreshed, light-filled windows to inspire reading, learning and daydreaming. Interested in reading books set in this community-centered Caribbean neighborhood? Check out Haitian American writer Edwidge Danticat’s novels. |
 | A blue-green glazed brick exterior gives the building a modern, vibrant feel—appropriate for a neighborhood known to light up for the holidays. The branch’s mahjong and book discussion groups have a dedicated following. Another special offering: rehearsal space for the Dyker Singers, a community-based choir. |
 | Did you know that artist Jean-Michel Basquiat used to frequent this library? J’Ouvert and the West Indian American Day Carnival march by the branch every year. Check out Jamaica Kinkaid’s essay “West Indian Weekend” in her book Talk Stories; it features a reverent, joyful description of the parade from 1974! |
 | Community gardens and public libraries go well together. They’re both safe, communal spaces for the neighborhood where people can enjoy peaceful quiet. Flatbush Library’s open garden hours are a free ticket to strengthening your green thumb—whether you're growing herbs or Scotch Bonnet peppers—and a delightful way to spend time outdoors. |
 | Flatlands hosts accessible programming for youth of all abilities through age 22. The branch offers folks with limited mobility various switch adapted toys to play with. There are also dolls with common mobility aids (like wheelchairs or canes) so patrons can play with dolls who move through the world like they do. |
 | Visit the nearby Verrazano Narrows Bridge, Fort Hamilton Army Base and nearby lighthouse. Fort Hamilton Library’s popular programs include yoga, ESOL classes and storytimes for families. Legend has it that there is a treasure or time capsule buried under the building! |
 | You’ll hear many languages spoken at this dynamic branch, where programs range from Toddler Time to an older adult Talking Circle. This neighborhood, one of Brooklyn’s six original English townships, was founded by Lady Deborah Moody, whose house is a landmark some believe to be haunted! |
 | There’s something special about a library that overlooks water—you get to take in the world around you from inside a cozy, welcoming space. Gerritsen Beach’s dedicated staff draws long- standing patrons to quilting groups, film screenings and two large gardens—which have been tended by the same community groups for 65 years! *Gerritsen Beach Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Kings Bay Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Highlawn’s circular shape and bright, shiny walls draw little ones and their caregivers to its Toddler Time programs. Library staff gladly welcomes local immigrant families hailing from speakers of Chinese, Arabic, Spanish and Slavic languages. You might recognize nearby 86th Street from movies like The French Connection and John Wick 3. |
 | Climate change on your mind? Drop by Greenpoint’s environmental activism and education programs. This branch has solar panels, windows that act as sun dials and a cistern to collect rain for a rooftop garden. Staff also offers compassionate harm reduction and resources for asylum seekers. |
 | Homecrest Library’s devoted staff knows many patrons by name. The homey branch has a beloved book club and great curation of classic films, all screened for free. Popcorn is not included, though you may go home with a terrific book or two. |
 | Jamaica Bay Library’s shaded plaza offers patrons the perfect place to enjoy a book and the sound of water along Canarsie Pier. The branch is known for its vibrant variety of programs for children of all ages, including Branches in Bloom and Kids Create. |
 | Take in some Vitamin D while you enjoy this branch’s collections, programs and art gallery space! A 2012 renovation introduced BPL’s first green, eco-friendly building, with a skylight and north-facing curtain wall that bathe the entire library in delightful sunshine. |
 | Technology and creativity intersect at Kings Bay Library whenever the Robotics Team meets up. The library’s stellar team of tech-savvy young adults are known for blowing away the competition. The branch also offers older adults excellent health and exercise programs as well as live classical music and jazz performances. |
 | Kings Highway Library is known for its jazz concerts performed by well-known NYC musicians and singers. The branch’s Best Buy Teen Tech Center offers technology for imaginative digital and web design, music, animations, 3D objects, fashion creations and beyond! |
 | Leonard is the library visited by Francie in Betty Smith’s beloved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. A tree planted outside the branch honors the author’s memory. Though currently under renovation through winter 2024, you can check out books, get a library card and more at BPL’s book cart in the neighborhood! |
 | Library for Arts & Culture* Welcome to this innovative collaboration between Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Public Library, MoCADA and 651 Arts. Explore specialized materials on visual art, film, dance and so much more. *Library for Arts and Culture will open soon. Please visit nearby Clinton Hill Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Macon Library is filled to the brim with history, knowledge and charm. The Dionne Mack-Harvin Center, Macon’s African American Heritage Center, and the “Preserving Footsteps” collection are must-sees, featuring extraordinary material on Black history and culture. The branch’s original fireplaces, oak paneling and alcoves date back to 1907. *Macon Library is currently closed. Please visit Saratoga Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Mapleton is residential neighborhood, home to families with Hasidic, Italian and Asian roots. Homework Help, Story Play, Chess Club and Teen Tech Time draw young people to the branch— still, Mapleton’s paper cutting program remains its most popular! *Mapleton Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Kensington Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Marcy Library has served Bedford-Stuyvesant since 1899, when it was known as “The Tompkins Park Free Library.” Interested in literature set in this historic neighborhood? Check out Jason Reynolds’s When I Was the Greatest or Paule Marshall’s classic Brown Girl, Brownstones. |
 | McKinley Park entered the Library system in 1911 as a 20x75 foot storefront—tiny for a neighborhood with eight grade schools in the area! A full branch opened in 1959; it has some of the highest circulation in BPL and is among the busiest branches, with crafts, LEGO and gaming programs. |
 | This much-loved branch isn’t the only venerated public institution in the neighborhood; nearby Brooklyn College has been around for nearly a century. Notable alumni include writers Annie Baker, Sapphire and Paul Beatty, plus politician Shirley Chisholm. Another thing these BC alumni have in common? They all wrote books available at BPL! |
 | New Lots is a community-centered library for openhearted learners. The branch has a legendary Lego Robotics Team, cooking classes with City Harvest, and a Learning Center that offers literacy skills to adults, from born and bred New Yorkers to newcomers who have crossed oceans. |
 | As if offering books and computers weren’t enough, Mill Basin also offers sewing machines on loan! Plus, if you’re cycling to the library, get your bike tuned up at the repair station outside of the branch. Though it’s hard to imagine in present-day Brooklyn, the Canarsie-Flatlands was a quiet farming community until the end of World War I! |
 | Patrons of all ages flock to New Utrecht for programs, ranging from Chinese brush painting to ESOL classes. The library’s auditorium and meeting rooms accommodate special programs, many of which are designed for older adults. Neighborhood highlights include the annual Feast of Santa Rosalia. |
 | Brooklyn’s first Carnegie Branch used to have a large mural created by W.P.A. workers. The writer Tanaïs’s novel Bright Lines is set among the Bengali specialty shops along neighboring Atlantic Avenue, just blocks away from the library and the iconic clock tower. |
 | Park Slope Library’s building is a 20th century marvel, featuring two fireplaces, stained glass and more design details throughout. There’s still more to discover outside— take a seat in the branch’s lovely garden and visit the Knuffle Bunny statue, created just for the branch by artist Mo Willems. |
 | Library visits often result in you leaving with a few books... In the case of Paerdegat, you may also leave with a bag of fresh, local fruits and vegetables that the branch harvests expressly for the community. Enjoy healthy, free groceries and take advantage of the branch’s programs and collections while you’re there. |
 | Known for its beautiful garden and mural, Rugby also helps patrons seek and find work opportunities. Veronica Chambers dedicated Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter to “the librarians of the Rugby branch of Brooklyn Public Library.” Chambers, a local native, describes them as truly formative figures. |
 | Red Hook is currently being rebuilt with rooftop solar panels and a native plant garden. Early bird patrons will once again sit on the bench outside the branch when it reopens. In addition to its stunning views of Manhattan, this neighborhood is the birthplace of several notable authors, including James McBride. *Red Hook Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Park Slope Library to collect this sticker. |
 | Health-boosting programs (like Tai Chi) invite patrons to take good care of themselves and their loved ones. Ryder Library’s combined circulation is one of the highest in the BPL system. Its staff looks forward to greeting patrons upon its reopening. *Ryder Library is currently closed. Please visit nearby Midwood Library to collect this sticker. |
 | In 1997, Saratoga Library became NYC’s first library with a garden designed by the Horticulture Society of New York. Enjoy the gazebo and flower beds! The branch offers plenty of indoor fun, too—from a Teen Tech Center to delightful reading and storytime programs for children. |
 | This branch is packed with creative programs, that foster a strong sense of community among patrons. There is truly something for everyone, from a Russian literature club to sewing classes, puppet shows and carnivals. Nearby maritime attractions are within walking distance of the library. |
 | Spring Creek opened in 1977, making it one of the newest additions to BPL. The East New York branch serves residents of nearby housing developments and Starrett City, one of the U.S.’s largest federally assisted rental properties. Story Play is a particularly popular program with little ones who love books and toys. |
 | Originally called Brownsville Children’s Library, Stone Avenue was the first library in the world devoted exclusively to serving children. Now it serves all ages and features a life-sized chess set, plus a “Word Wall” featuring the 1,000 words most used in reading and writing—a visual ode to literacy. |
 | Sunset Park Library is a true original; its new building is topped by 49 units of permanently affordable housing— the first combination of its kind. Wave to the Statue of Liberty next time you’re nearby—and check out neighborhood native Xochitl Gonzalez’s novel Olga Dies Dreaming (a BPL Book Prize winner!). |
 | Ulmer Park hosts swap meets for a local buy-nothing group, allowing community members to exchange gently used items for free. The library is known for its large Russian and Chinese book collection and its much-loved chess programs with chess master William DeCastillo—come play a match! |
 | Poet, Brooklynite and branch namesake Walt Whitman isn’t Fort Greene’s only literary icon. Richard Wright wrote Native Son while living on Carlton Ave. Today, this branch serves nearby public housing residents, including Stonewall Houses for LGBTQIA+ elders. |
 | Named for the writer of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” this library proudly serves one of the Brooklyn’s largest Spanish-speaking communities. Did you know that novelist Jacqueline Woodson grew up in the surrounding Bushwick neighborhood? Check out her books set there, from Another Brooklyn to Brown Girl Dreaming. |
 | Williamsburgh is home to BPL’s Justice Initiatives, which supports incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. The beautiful branch also houses a spacious art gallery. Chaim Potok’s classic novel The Chosen is set in the surrounding, historically Jewish neighborhood. |
 | Windsor Terrace patrons are devoted to the library’s Scrabble group, chair exercise programs for older adults and Board Game Library. Meanwhile, the local bird species and pollinators are devoted to the branch’s community garden and green roof! |