Kingsbridge Branch
🏢 New York Public Library — The Bronx, New York
Kingsbridge Branch
One of the Bronx's oldest library communities — tracing its roots to 1894 and a Carnegie-funded McKim, Mead & White building opened in 1905 — the Kingsbridge Branch today operates from a state-of-the-art $17.7 million, 12,625-square-foot facility at 291 West 231st Street, complete with NYPL's first green roof.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 291 West 231st Street, The Bronx, NY 10463
Phone: 7185485656
Website: nypl.org
📖 About Kingsbridge Branch
The Kingsbridge library community dates to 1894, when the Kingsbridge Free Library opened above a drugstore. In 1905, a Carnegie-funded branch designed by McKim, Mead & White opened nearby — one of the first Carnegie branches in the Bronx — before a larger rented space at 280 West 231st Street replaced it in 1959. The current building at 291 West 231st Street, designed by Pendergast Laurel Architects and opened June 28, 2011, nearly doubled the branch's footprint to 12,625 square feet and introduced NYPL's first green roof, which captures and reuses rainwater. The two-story structure houses over 20,000 items, nearly 40 public computers, an outdoor garden, and a multipurpose community room serving the Kingsbridge neighborhood in the northwest Bronx.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- NYPL's first green roof, designed to capture and reuse rainwater sustainably
- Two-story facility with an outdoor garden and natural light throughout
- Sunday hours (1–5 pm) added through increased city funding, expanding access for working families
- Dedicated teen area and children's story hour room with age-specific programming
- Adult English conversation classes and a Teen Advisory Group for community-driven programming
📱 Free with a New York Public Library Card
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the current Kingsbridge Branch the same as the original 1905 Carnegie building?
No. The original 1905 Carnegie library designed by McKim, Mead & White — one of the smallest in the city at 3,700 square feet — was decommissioned in 1958 and today houses a preschool. The current branch at 291 West 231st Street opened June 28, 2011, replacing a 1959 rented space directly across the street.
Does Kingsbridge Branch open on Sundays?
Yes. The branch is open Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm, hours that were added through increased city funding to better serve the Kingsbridge community.
What makes the Kingsbridge Branch building environmentally notable?
The 2011 building features NYPL's first green roof, which is designed to capture a percentage of rainwater and reuse it on-site, reducing stormwater runoff and lowering the building's environmental footprint.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in October 2026.