Branch History
The predecessor to Paerdegat Library opened in 1950 in the abandoned laundry of the Glenwood Project. The popularity of the library-in-a-laundry made it clear that the community needed its own branch, and in the early 1960s, Paerdegat opened at its current location on East 59th Street, where it continues to serve patrons to this day.
Paerdegat (Dutch for “horse’s mouth”) is named for Paerdegat Basin, a 1.25-mile-long channel that empties into Jamaica Bay. When the branch opened, it sat on a dirt street surrounded by vacant lots. Nevertheless, the branch circulated close to 200,000 items that year, a testament to neighborhood demand for library services.
After serving generations of patrons, Paerdegat Library is more essential than ever to the life of the neighborhood, and its staff takes great pride in providing outstanding programs and resources for residents from every walk of life.
Did you know?
Children’s and young adult fiction are particularly popular at Paerdegat Library.