Macon Library
🏢 Brooklyn Public Library · Brooklyn, New York
Macon Library
One of the best-preserved Carnegie libraries in New York City, the Macon Library has anchored Bedford-Stuyvesant at Lewis Avenue and Macon Street since July 1907 — its original fireplaces, oak paneling and wrought-iron railings still intact after more than a century of community service.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 1pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–6pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 361 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233
Phone: (718) 573-5606
Website: bklynlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87G8M3M8+63 (Brooklyn, NY)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Macon Library
The Macon Library is a branch of the Brooklyn Public Library serving the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of central Brooklyn. Built with a grant from Andrew Carnegie, the two-story Classical Revival building designed by Richard A. Walker of Walker & Morris opened on July 15, 1907, as Brooklyn's eleventh Carnegie library. Constructed of red brick with Indiana limestone trim on a 90-by-100-foot corner lot at Lewis Avenue and the street that gives it its name, the library cost $93,481 to build and equip. A 2006–2008 renovation by Sen Architects restored its period fixtures — replacing fluorescent lights with era-appropriate lamps, uncovering original woodwork — and added the Dionne Mack-Harvin Center, the library's African American Heritage Center, named in 2011 for Dionne Mack-Harvin, BPL's eleventh executive director and the first African-American woman to lead a major public library system in New York State. Today the Macon Library serves the Bed-Stuy community with storytime programs, teen services and the distinctive Taneya Gethers-Muhammad children's collection, honoring a beloved BPL children's librarian whose culturally empowering literacy programs drew hundreds of Brooklynites to these historic reading rooms.
⭐ What makes this library special
- One of New York City's best-preserved 1907 Carnegie libraries, designed by architect Richard A. Walker in Classical Revival style with original fireplaces, oak paneling, and wrought-iron mezzanine railings
- The Dionne Mack-Harvin Center — Macon's African American Heritage Center — offers African American history and culture materials, the 'Preserving Footsteps' genealogy collection, art exhibitions, author talks, and genealogy research workshops
- The Taneya Gethers-Muhammad children's collection, curated with a special emphasis on Black culture and works by and for the African diaspora, honoring a pioneering BPL children's librarian
- Regular neighborhood storytime programs for children birth to age 5, plus teen programming and after-school study space with public computers
- Open late until 8 pm on Tuesday and Thursday for after-work and after-school visits; convenient to the A train Utica Avenue station
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Brooklyn Public Library cardholders can read, stream and research free with these digital collections:
📚 Services
- African American Heritage Center (Dionne Mack-Harvin Center) with research and cultural collections
- Taneya Gethers-Muhammad children's book collection emphasizing African diaspora authors
- Public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
- Community meeting and auditorium space
- Digital borrowing via Libby/OverDrive, SimplyE and NOVELny
🎸 Programs
- Neighborhood Storytime (stories, songs & rhymes for children birth–5 and caregivers)
- Saturday Storytime for all ages
- Teen Time drop-in programs
- African American genealogy and archives workshops
- Art exhibitions and author talks at the Heritage Center
📍 Nearby Libraries in Brooklyn
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dionne Mack-Harvin Center at Macon Library?
The Dionne Mack-Harvin Center is Macon Library's African American Heritage Center, dedicated in 2011 to honor Dionne Mack-Harvin, Brooklyn Public Library's eleventh executive director and the first African-American woman to lead a major public library system in New York State. The center holds collections on African American history and culture, the 'Preserving Footsteps' genealogy materials, and hosts art exhibitions, author talks and genealogy research workshops throughout the year. It was the first time in BPL's 113-year history that a library facility was named for a library administrator.
How old is the Macon Library building, and is it a landmark?
The Macon Library opened on July 15, 1907, making it more than 117 years old. It was designed by architect Richard A. Walker in the Classical Revival style and financed by a Carnegie grant — it was Brooklyn's eleventh Carnegie library. The interior retains remarkable original features from opening day: decorative fireplace mantels, oak paneling, alcove reading nooks, and wrought-iron mezzanine railings. A 2006–2008 renovation by Sen Architects restored the period character by replacing fluorescent lights with lamps suited to the original design. The building has not received formal landmark designation.
Who was Taneya Gethers-Muhammad, and why is a collection named for her at Macon?
Taneya Gethers-Muhammad was a celebrated Brooklyn Public Library children's librarian who worked at the Macon branch and became known for culturally empowering literacy programs, including an early literacy series and a multi-day Henrietta Lacks commemoration that drew hundreds of Bed-Stuy residents. After she passed away in late 2017, BPL established the Taneya Gethers-Muhammad children's book collection at Macon — a curated selection emphasizing books by and for the African diaspora — to honor her legacy and continue the culturally resonant work she championed.
Which nights is Macon Library open late, and when is it closed?
Macon Library stays open until 8 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Monday, Wednesday and Friday hours are 10 am–6 pm. On Saturday the library is open 10 am–5 pm. The branch is closed on Sundays. The nearest subway stop is the A train at Utica Avenue.
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