Bedford Library

Bedford Library is closed for a major heating and cooling upgrade and is expected to reopen early 2025. In the meantime, Bedford Library's staff host a weekly pop-up library as well as storytimes and other programs. See all of Bedford Library programs or visit our location map for a list of nearby locations to visit and place holds. 

August 22, 2024 Update: the New York City Department of Design and Construction is providing regular updates as their teams finish modernizing the heating and cooling system throughout this 126-year-old library. Over the past two weeks, work at Bedford Library continued with completing ductwork connections, finishing key utility work and planning for inspections. Over the next several weeks, DDC expects its contractors to work on wiring for the Building Management System (a key component of the project) and installation of fire alarms and related paneling. 

Hours

Closed

Address & Contact

496 Franklin Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11238 Get Directions

Fully accessible

CS

B25B26B48B49

718.623.0012

Managing Librarian
Adeeba Rana

Amenities

For more information about laptops for use in the library, visit our laptop loan page.

To see available spaces, review BPL’s meeting room policy, and request a reservation, visit our room reservation website.

Bedford Library has served patrons from its beautiful building on Franklin Avenue since 1905. Today, patrons visit Bedford Library for many reasons, including its adult learning center on the second floor, at which adults develop literacy skills to meet their personal, educational and employment goals. Popular programs include fitness, gaming and early literacy offerings.

Friends of Bedford Library

Friends of Bedford Library is a group of organized volunteers who help our neighborhood library through advocacy, fundraising and promotion. If you are interested in becoming a Friend of Bedford Library, ask a staff member for details or email friends@bklynlibrary.org for more information.

Upcoming Events

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Oct 9 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Oct 10 11:00am
Café Calaca

Fall Festival

Sat, Oct 12 1:00pm
Bedford Library

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Oct 16 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Bookmobile @ Beulah Church

Thu, Oct 17 10:00am
Beulah Church

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Oct 17 11:00am
Café Calaca

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Oct 23 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Oct 24 11:00am
Café Calaca

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Oct 30 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Oct 31 11:00am
Café Calaca

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Nov 6 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Nov 7 11:00am
Café Calaca

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Nov 13 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Nov 14 11:00am
Café Calaca

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Nov 20 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Bookmobile @ Beulah Church

Thu, Nov 21 10:00am
Beulah Church

Pop-up Library at Café Calaca

Thu, Nov 21 11:00am
Café Calaca

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Nov 27 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Dec 4 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Storytime @ the BedStuy YMCA!

Wed, Dec 11 11:15am
Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA

Staff Picks

  • NYC Picture Books
Book jacket for The adventures of taxi dog
The adventures of taxi dog
Debra Barracca
Book jacket for The curious garden
The curious garden
Peter Brown
Book jacket for Uptown
Uptown
Bryan Collier
Book jacket for Pet of the Met
Pet of the Met
Lydia Freeman
Book jacket for The man who walked between the towers
The man who walked between the towers
Mordicai Gerstein
Book jacket for Mermaids on parade
Mermaids on parade
Melanie Hope Greenberg
Book jacket for Little Toot
Little Toot
Hardie Gramatky
Book jacket for Chinatown
Chinatown
William Low
Book jacket for Subway
Subway
Christoph Niemann
Book jacket for Twenty-one elephants and still standing
Twenty-one elephants and still standing
April Jones Prince
Book jacket for Wow! : New York City
Wow! : New York City
Puck
Book jacket for Tar Beach
Tar Beach
Faith Ringgold
Book jacket for A teeny, tiny baby
A teeny, tiny baby
Amy Schwartz
Book jacket for In the night kitchen
In the night kitchen
Maurice Sendak
Book jacket for Blackout
Blackout
John Rocco
Book jacket for Madlenka
Madlenka
Peter Sís
Book jacket for The gardener
The gardener
Sarah Stewart
Book jacket for Kay Thompson's Eloise : a book for precocious grown ups
Kay Thompson's Eloise : a book for precocious...
Kay Thompson
Book jacket for How little Lori visited Times Square
How little Lori visited Times Square
Amos Vogel
Book jacket for Lyle, Lyle, crocodile.
Lyle, Lyle, crocodile.
Bernard Waber
Book jacket for B is for Brooklyn
B is for Brooklyn
Selina Alko
Book jacket for My taxi ride
My taxi ride
Paul DuBois Jacobs
Book jacket for You can't take a balloon into the Metropolitan Museum
You can't take a balloon into the Metropolitan...
Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman
Book jacket for Knuffle Bunny : a cautionary tale
Knuffle Bunny : a cautionary tale
Mo Willems
Book jacket for Chicken and Cat
Chicken and Cat
Sara Varon
Book jacket for Me and Momma and Big John
Me and Momma and Big John
Mara Rockliff
Book jacket for Ollie : the purple elephant
Ollie : the purple elephant
Jarrett Krosoczka
Book jacket for Cool Daddy Rat
Cool Daddy Rat
Kristyn Crow
Book jacket for Down in the subway
Down in the subway
Miriam Cohen
Book jacket for A walk in New York
A walk in New York
Salvatore Rubbino
Book jacket for The lonely phonebooth
The lonely phonebooth
Peter Ackerman
Book jacket for Another night at the museum
Another night at the museum
Milan Trenc
Book jacket for Abuela
Abuela
Arthur Dorros
See Full List
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