Leonard Library is currently closed for renovations and will reopen in late 2024.
In the meantime, you can visit Leonard staff around the neighborhood! Meet Nellie the book wagon, check out books, get a library card and more. View the events calendar or our Facebook page to find out where we'll be next.
Leonard Library is one of BPL's original Carnegie branches and is the iconic library visited by Francie in Betty Smith’s beloved book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In 2008, Brooklyn Public Library staff joined Smith’s family and the NYC Parks Department to plant a tree in the author’s memory outside of the branch. Located one block from busy Metropolitan Avenue and situated on a residential block in Williamsburg, Leonard Library fills an important niche in this lively community, offering popular children's programming such as Story Play on Tuesdays and Jump, Dance and Wiggle on Fridays.
Friends of Leonard Library
Friends of Leonard Library was founded in 2008 and reconvened in 2015. The group generally meets on the first Saturday of every month at 12pm in the downstairs meeting room of Leonard Library. For more information about activities and joining the group, visit our website.
Leonard Library Events
Staff Picks
- NYC Novels
- Diverse Children's Books
Manhattan BeachJennifer Egan
Moon palacePaul Auster
Winter's taleMark Helprin
Another countryJames Baldwin
The house of mirthEdith Wharton
The Russian debutante's handbookGary Shteyngart
Open cityTeju Cole
The beautiful and damnedF Scott (Francis Scott) Fitzgerald
Invisible manRalph Ellison
Motherless BrooklynJonathan Lethem
Can I touch your hair? : poems of race, mistakes, and friendshipIrene Latham
Game changers : the story of Venus and Serena WilliamsLesa Cline-Ransome
Charlie takes his shot : how Charlie Sifford broke the color barrier in golfNancy Churnin
Gloria's voice : the story of Gloria Steinem -- feminist, activist, leaderAura Lewis
I dissent : Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes her markDebbie Levy
A season of flowersMichael Garland
Drum dream girl : how one girl's courage changed musicMargarita Engle
Maybe something beautifulF Isabel Campoy
Quizás algo hermoso : cómo el arte transformó un barrioF Isabel Campoy
Rad girls can : stories of bold, brave, and brilliant young womenKate Schatz
The wheels on the tuk tukSurishtha Sehgal
Round is a tortilla : a book of shapesRoseanne Thong
Round is a mooncake : a book of shapesRoseanne Thong
Lola at the libraryAnna McQuinn
Leo loves baby timeAnna McQuinn
Hello helloBrendan Wenzel
Her right footDave Eggers
Stella brings the familyMiriam B Schiffer
This is how we do it : one day in the lives of seven kids from around the worldMatt Lamothe
What can a citizen do?Dave Eggers
Let the children marchMonica Clark-Robinson
Say hello!Rachel Isadora
Free as a bird : the story of MalalaLina Maslo
Malala's magic pencilMalala Yousafzai
Grandma's purseVanessa Brantley-Newton
Julián is a mermaidJessica Love
Marisol McDonald doesn't matchMonica Brown
It's okay to be differentTodd Parr
Be who you areTodd Parr
I walk with Vanessa : a story about a simple act of kindnessKerascoët
The dress and the girlCamille Andros
Mixed meTaye Diggs
I like myself!Karen Beaumont
Red : a crayon's storyMichael Hall
Mango, Abuela, and meMeg Medina
Mango, Abuela y yoMeg Medina
Not quite narwhalJessie Sima
My princess boy : a mom's story about a young boy who loves to dress upCheryl Kilodavis
GraciasPat Mora
Last stop on Market StreetMatt de la Peña
Bravo! : poems about amazing HispanicsMargarita Engle
Be a friendSalina Yoon
We're all wondersR J Palacio
OneKathryn Otoshi
SporkKyo Maclear
Strictly no elephantsLisa Mantchev
Why am I me?Paige Britt
LoveMatt de la Peña
A boy and a jaguarAlan Rabinowitz
And Tango makes threeJustin Richardson
This day in JuneGayle E Pitman
Princess hairSharee (Illustrator) Miller