Temporary Dumbo Library Opens While BPL Builds New Branch

DUMBO, BROOKLYN — The new Dumbo library branch — the Brooklyn Public Library's first new branch in 35 years, might not open for another year — but residents won't have to wait that long to get their library services close to home, officials announced.

The Brooklyn Public Library and Brooklyn Bridge Park have teamed up to put together a temporary library for those waiting for a new library on Adams Street, which will open next fall.

The temporary library, called The Annex, will set up a collection of books and other library services in a 1,600-square-foot space at 1 John St., a building the park owns just north of its waterfront grounds.

Library and park officials said the annex, which most recently was home to the Brooklyn Children's Museum, will be a way for residents from multiple neighborhoods to get access to library services while their new branch is being built.

“We are opening a library annex for our neighbors in DUMBO, Vinegar Hill and the Farragut Houses as construction gets under way on our permanent home in the neighborhood,” Library President Linda Johnson said. “Thanks to our partners at Brooklyn Bridge Park for welcoming us to John Street and helping us take a step towards opening the first new library in Brooklyn in over 40 years. We can’t wait to get started.”

The annex will be outfitted with its own small collection of books and several programs, including a laptop-loan option. It will also be available for residents to pick up books that they put on hold.

More programs, like storyline and crafts for kids, homework help, gaming workshops and teen council meetings, will start on Nov. 5. Next spring, the temporary outpost will start offering resume and interview help workshops, author talks and adult learning classes, officials said.

“Brooklyn Public Library will be providing a great range of educational and cultural programming for kids and adults," park President Eric Landau said. "We’re really excited to have another amazing Brooklyn institution partner with us in the Park."

Park officials hope to fill the space at 1 John St. after the temporary library is closed with a permanent educational and cultural programming tenant. They will start the process for finding that long-term tenant later this year, officials said.

The eventual permanent Dumbo library, named the Adams Street branch, is Brooklyn's first new branch since 1983. It will be built in an old factory building at 135 Plymouth Street and is the 60th public library location for the borough. Library officials released a sneak peek of the design for the library over the summer.

The new library branch is being paid for with city money and, in part, by profits from the Brooklyn Heights library redevelopment. The new branch was part of the deal the library made with developers who took over the Brooklyn Heights branch and rebuilt it, along with a condo building.