New Branch Of Brooklyn Public Library On 18th Avenue
From the offices of Councilman Greenfield:
Councilman David G. Greenfield is pleased to announce that residents in Kensington, the northern part of Midwood and the eastern part of Borough Park once again have a neighborhood library branch to visit with the soft opening of the new, state-of-the-art Kensington branch of Brooklyn Public Library. Local residents have been without a nearby library branch since the old location was closed three weeks ago and the opening of the new building was delayed for two weeks due to Hurricane Sandy. Brooklyn Public Library officials are planning a formal ribbon cutting ceremony at the new branch, located at 4207 18th Avenue, in the coming weeks. In the meantime, Councilman Greenfield wanted to inform the public that the branch is now open to residents. This marks the first brand new library branch in Brooklyn in years. This new library replaces the leased temporary facility at 410 Ditmas Avenue.
“I know how important public libraries are for many residents, so I am thrilled to have worked on the completion of this great addition to our neighborhood. Libraries are an integral part of any community and serve a wide range of constituents, from book lovers to students to job seekers. This new state-of-the-art building is a great investment in our community and will be enjoyed by generations of families and residents,” said Councilman Greenfield.
The 18,500-square-foot, two-story building is handicapped accessible and features self-checkout machines, external book drops and pre-teen, teenage and adult reading areas. It also has computers for children and adults, wireless internet access and public meeting spaces. Greenfield thanked his predecessor, former Councilman Simcha Felder, for initiating the project, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz for supporting the new library. Most of the funds for the $15 million project were allocated by the New York City Council.