The Carroll Gardens neighborhood in Brooklyn will soon benefit from a temporary pop-up library as its historic branch continues to undergo extensive renovations. According to Gothamist, the makeshift library is expected to launch in July at a city-owned building at 250 Baltic St. that also houses Brooklyn Community Board 6.
Residents have been without a local library since the Carroll Gardens branch closed its doors for renovation in 2023. Unexpected structural issues were discovered, necessitating more intensive construction to accommodate new, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. "When libraries close, we lose more than books. We lose a culture of reading, joyful discovery, and lifelong learning," Councilmember Shahana Hanif stated, expressing the importance of the temporary location in maintaining access to library services.
Brooklyn Paper reports that the services at the temporary library will include book borrowing, library card registration, and reference assistance, which will be available Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional programs such as story times, book clubs, and technology help will be held on Wednesdays at various locations throughout the neighborhood.
Community leaders and politicians have advocated for maintaining library access during the closure. Mike Racioppo, the district manager of Community Board 6, said, "After speaking with fellow CB6 members and the Cobble Hill Association, I suggested this idea and contacted the Brooklyn Public Library and our elected officials." Racioppo told Brooklyn Paper, "I’m proud to see this becoming a reality and a reminder that government can do good things."
Funding for this initiative includes contributions from state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and local council members, while IKEA Brooklyn is set to donate furniture and supplies. The renovated Carroll Gardens library, anticipated to reopen in the summer of 2026, will feature new amenities such as a teen space, modernized elevator, fire and safety updates, and improved HVAC systems. Meanwhile, Brooklynites can look forward to the interim solution filling the gap until they can return to their beloved Carnegie library.
