Brooklyn Heights Library
🏢 Brooklyn Public Library · Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Heights Library
Opened June 8, 2022 inside the base of the 38-story One Clinton tower, the Gensler-designed Brooklyn Heights Library spans 26,000 square feet — Brooklyn's largest neighborhood branch — with soaring double-height ceilings, a kids makerspace, a dedicated teen floor and a 225-seat multipurpose room at the foot of Cadman Plaza West.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 1pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 286 Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 623-7100
Website: bklynlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87G8M2W5+8F (Brooklyn, NY)
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Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Brooklyn Heights Library
Brooklyn Heights Library is the showpiece neighborhood branch of Brooklyn Public Library, rebuilt from the ground up after the 1962-era building at the same address was demolished in 2015. The $52 million redevelopment, led by design architect Gensler and building architect Marvel (Jonathan Marvel, founding principal), embedded the new library into the ground floor of One Clinton, a 38-story mixed-use tower developed by Hudson Companies; the land sale generated $40 million for system-wide branch repairs across nine other BPL locations. The 26,620-square-foot interior — the second-largest in the BPL system after Grand Army Plaza — features floor-to-ceiling windows, a sunlit Reading Circle, dedicated children and teen floors, a kids makerspace, a teen gaming and graphic-novel lounge, and a 225-capacity multipurpose room with a stage. The branch preserves two limestone bas-reliefs by sculptor Clemente Spampinato from the 1962 building, integrating them into the new design as a nod to the site's deep library history — a lineage that traces back to the Brooklyn Athenaeum of 1852 and the Brooklyn Mercantile Library of 1857. A commissioned artwork, Jean Shin's 'Something Borrowed, Something New' — an inverted tree shape installed summer 2022 — marks the library's 125th anniversary and the continuity of community gathering across eras.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Largest neighborhood branch in the BPL system at 26,620 sq ft — Gensler-designed with double-height ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Cadman Plaza
- Kids makerspace (seats 30 children) plus dedicated children's area with cork flooring and stroller parking
- Teen library mezzanine with graphic-novel section, gaming area and lounge — open late Tue & Thu until 8pm
- 225-capacity multipurpose room with a stage for community events, lectures and performances
- Limestone bas-reliefs by sculptor Clemente Spampinato salvaged from the demolished 1962 library are built into the new lobby as permanent landmarks
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Brooklyn Heights cardholders access free digital collections through Brooklyn Public Library and New York State:
📚 Services
- Kids makerspace (capacity 30 children) with hands-on STEAM activities
- Teen library with graphic-novel collection, gaming area and mezzanine lounge
- 225-seat multipurpose room with stage available for community and nonprofit events
- Public meeting rooms for small groups
- Public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
- Co-working spaces and study seating throughout
- Brooklyn Public Library card (valid at all 60 BPL branches)
🎸 Programs
- Lego Building Club and STEM activities for kids
- Kids Create arts and crafts sessions
- Babies and Books storytimes
- Teen Time (Wednesdays 3:30pm) — games, crafts and socializing
- Teen Arts and Live Gaming (Mondays 4pm)
- Bingo for All Ages and other community drop-in events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Brooklyn
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the old Brooklyn Heights Library building at this address?
The original 1962 library building — a $2.5 million city-funded structure — was sold to developer Hudson Companies in 2013 and demolished in 2015. BPL operated a temporary branch at 109 Remsen Street during the gap years. The $52 million redevelopment embedded a much larger new library into the ground floor of the resulting 38-story One Clinton residential tower, which opened June 8, 2022. The land sale funded $40 million in system-wide repairs at nine other BPL branches and created 114 affordable housing units.
Is there a makerspace at Brooklyn Heights Library, and who can use it?
Yes — the branch includes a dedicated kids makerspace designed for up to 30 children at a time, with hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities. It is part of the children's floor. The teen mezzanine has its own gaming and creative area. For the city-operated 9,000 sq ft STEAM lab that is part of the One Clinton building, contact the NYC Department of Education, which runs that space separately.
Which nights is Brooklyn Heights Library open late, and what are the weekend hours?
The branch stays open until 8pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Monday, Wednesday and Friday run 10am–6pm. Saturday hours are 10am–5pm and Sunday 1pm–5pm. Hours can change around holidays — check bklynlibrary.org/locations/brooklyn-heights or call (718) 623-7100 before visiting.
What is 'Something Borrowed, Something New' in the library lobby?
'Something Borrowed, Something New' is a permanent public-art installation by Brooklyn artist Jean Shin, shaped like an inverted tree. Commissioned to mark Brooklyn Public Library's 125th anniversary, it was installed in summer 2022 and evokes the layered history of the site — from the Brooklyn Athenaeum of 1852 through the 1962 library to the current branch — while the title also nods to the carved limestone bas-reliefs by sculptor Clemente Spampinato that were rescued from the demolished building and incorporated into the new lobby.
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