Williamsburgh Library

🏢 Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn, New York

Williamsburgh Library

Brooklyn's first Carnegie library, Williamsburgh opened in 1905 with a distinctive Y-shaped floor plan meant to evoke an open book — a NYC Individual Landmark at 26,000 square feet, it remains one of the largest Carnegie libraries ever built in New York City.

📖 About Williamsburgh Library

<p>Williamsburgh Library holds a singular place in Brooklyn's history: its cornerstone was laid in November 1903, making it the first of 21 Brooklyn branch libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie's $1.6 million gift to the borough. Architect Richard A. Walker designed the building in a Beaux-Arts Classical Revival style, with two wings radiating from a central entrance in a Y-shaped configuration meant to suggest an open book. At 26,000 square feet on three levels, it was the largest Carnegie library in New York City at the time of its opening on April 14, 1905. The branch features a basement auditorium with a stage and proscenium arch, a twin-story semicircular stack room with a metal mezzanine, and original wood wainscoting, copper lanterns, and Tuscan columns that remain intact. The building was designated a New York City Individual Landmark in 2006.</p>

⭐ What makes this branch special

• First of Brooklyn's 21 Carnegie branches — cornerstone laid November 1903, opened 1905
• Designed by Richard A. Walker; Y-shaped plan meant to evoke an open book
• New York City Individual Landmark since 2006
• At 26,000 sq ft across three levels, the largest Carnegie library in NYC at opening
• Basement auditorium with stage and proscenium arch; original wood wainscoting and copper lanterns preserved

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in October 2026.