Brooklyn, NY—Assembly Member Peter Abbate and Brooklyn Library President Linda E. Johnson cut a ceremonial ribbon yesterday to celebrate improvements made to the McKinley Park Library during the pandemic.
Patrons can enjoy new computers, an area reserved just for teens, a new floor layout and the addition of wired furniture throughout the branch. This renovation tripled the number of public computers and installed over a dozen new outlets for patrons to use for tablets, laptops and other devices.
Assemblyman Abbate allocated $200,000 in state funding for this project. In addition, Assembly Member Abbate, as chair of the Brooklyn Delegation, allocated $100,000 on behalf of the Assembly’s Brooklyn Delegation for youth programming across all Brooklyn libraries. This funding supports early literacy programs for families with children under 5, Library Lab STEM programs for children ages 6-10, and teen games, crafting, book clubs and STEM programs.
“It was a great honor for me to cut the ceremonial ribbon to commemorate the improvements made to the McKinley Park Library, supported with State allocated funding,” said Assembly Member Peter Abbate. “I was proud to be able to give back to the library that gave me my first library card in the mid 50’s, previously located a few blocks away in a small storefront. The growth of the McKinley Park Library from that time is a testament to the beautiful growth in our community. I look forward to the learning and advancements these improvements in the library will provide to our neighborhood.”
McKinley Park Library opened in January 1959 after nearly two decades of work by a local community group to garner support for the building of the branch. But there has been library service in the area for more than 100 years in store fronts and deposit stations. Today, McKinley Park Library has some of the highest circulation numbers in the borough and boasts a wide range of programs for the community including book clubs, crafting and gaming activities for teens and young adults, and storytimes for children and toddlers.
“Thank you to Assemblyman Abbate for both his generous support of library programs throughout the borough and the funding to update McKinley Park Library. With a new layout, teen space and computers, we know patrons will enjoy this space for years to come,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library.
Brooklyn Public Library has invested in narrowing a capital needs gap and updating aging infrastructure system-wide. The result of that work is that over a third of the community libraries in the BPL system are either in process of or slated for necessary revitalization.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. As a leader in developing modern 21st century libraries, we provide resources to support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.7 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We provide nearly 60,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.