Paerdegat Library

🏢 Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn, New York

Paerdegat Library

Paerdegat Library takes its name from the Paerdegat Basin — "horse gate" in Dutch — a tidal channel along the edge of Canarsie that connects to Jamaica Bay, reflecting the neighborhood's deep Dutch colonial roots. The branch grew from a makeshift library in an abandoned housing-project laundry room in 1950 into a dedicated 7,225-square-foot community anchor that opened in 1963.

📖 About Paerdegat Library

<p>Paerdegat Library's origins are as grassroots as they come: in 1950, Canarsie residents set up a library in the abandoned laundry room of the Glenwood Houses, stocking it with a rotating collection lent by Brooklyn Public Library's Extension Department. The community's enthusiasm proved the neighborhood needed a real branch, and on July 11, 1963, a purpose-built, air-conditioned 7,225-square-foot building opened at 850 East 59th Street at Paerdegat Avenue South. The branch closed for renovations in 1986 and reopened in December 1987. Paerdegat serves the southeastern Brooklyn neighborhood of Canarsie, a community with Caribbean, Italian, and African-American roots, and is particularly noted for its popular children's and young-adult collections.</p>

⭐ What makes this branch special

• Named for Paerdegat Basin, a Dutch-named tidal channel ("horse gate") emptying into Jamaica Bay
• Branch grew from a 1950 community library in an abandoned Glenwood Houses laundry room
• Air-conditioned 7,225-square-foot building opened July 11, 1963
• Strong children's and young-adult fiction collections popular with Canarsie families
• Citizenship classes and immigrant services available at the branch

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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