WINTER 2020 OFF THE SHELF A LOOK INSIDE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The next U.S. Census is just around an atmosphere of trust around the the corner, with the household census,” says Mikel. “We’re already This is a big year for Brooklyn. The 2020 self-response period beginning in reaching hard-to-count communities Census is rapidly approaching, and the mid-March 2020. Mandated by our within our branches and will partner with Library will play a critical role in counting Constitution, the U.S. Census Bureau every possible group to help amplify every Kings County resident—few if counts the entire U.S. population every census awareness.” any civic institutions are as integrated decade. This count determines each Mikel’s team is rolling out dozens of into the life of our neighborhoods as state’s allotment in the House of census-focused programs including the Library. Two branches will open Representatives, how legislative districts storytimes, community forums, public this year: Greenpoint, along with its are redrawn, and the annual distribution lectures and open house events. BPL’s Environmental Education Center, and of billions of dollars of federal state aid. Adams Street, a brand-new location on network of 1700+ computers and laptops the waterfront serving DUMBO, For the first time in history, the 2020 have been readied for the census, Vinegar Hill and Farragut. In branches Census will be primarily conducted including special tablets. Partnerships across the borough, we are excited online. Brooklyn (Kings County) is with neighborhood-based organizations to implement round six of BKLYN considered uniquely hard-to-count, due will ensure that census messaging is Incubator, an initiative focused on to the high population percentage of tailored as much as possible. Says Mikel, innovative programming and staff renters, single parents, children under “the Library has emerged as a key development. This winter issue of Off five, residents who are foreign-born and/ leader, connector and convener among the Shelf proves Brooklyn Public Library or over the age of 65, as well as those the hundreds of groups citywide is as creative and energized as the city with limited English proficiency and supporting the 2020 Census.” we serve. without internet at home. In order to increase 2020 response rates, City and State advocates have secured funding to We’re working connect with key at-risk demographics. towards achieving Linda E. Johnson Public libraries will be a major player and President & CEO Amy Mikel, Manager of Civic 100% participation Engagement, is leading the charge at BPL to ensure Brooklyn’s 2.6M residents in Brooklyn. AMY MIKEL In this Issue are counted. “Libraries are key to building Brooklyn Collection .................. 02 Feature: Capital Projects .............. 04 Donor Spotlight ...................... 06 BookMatch .......................... 07 BKLYN Incubator ..................... 08 Feature: Best Buy Teen Tech Center ..... 10 BPL Presents ......................... 11 BROOKLYN Cover: Jasmine Wilson performing with the Dream Unfinished Orchestra at BPL’s’Til Victory is Won teach-in held at Central Library in October COUNTS 2019, observing the 400th anniversary of the BROOKLYN AND BPL PREPARE FOR THE 2020 U.S. CENSUS arrival of enslaved Africans to the shores of Jamestown, Virginia. BPL Adult Education program graduates All photos, unless indicated, by Gregg Richards celebrate receiving their high school diplomas at a recent graduation ceremony at Central Library OFF THE SHELF WINTER 2020 1 BROOKLYN COLLECTION the power of those “pulps” in shaping I’ll write as I please and let Asimov’s writing that it showed up in the critics do the analyzing. nearly every obituary written about him. But a bit of digging reveals that Isaac’s ISAAC ASIMOV, 1973 story is more nuanced then that. The door to storytelling may have been opened by By the time Isaac Asimov died in 1992, he pulp stories, but the room it led to was had written or edited over 500 books and Brooklyn Public Library. hundreds of short stories over the course of his 72 years; a staggeringly prolific Asimov’s father secured him a library card career. A giant amongst the Hard Science as a tactic to keep him away from that I, ASIMOV IN Fiction genre, he was considered one of science fiction “trash,” as it was referred the “Big Three” along with Robert Heinlein to. Ironically, BPL provided even greater and Arthur C. Clarke. He won every access as well as windows into many other science fiction award available, creating worlds. According to his memoir, Asimov’s BROOKLYN canonical characters and stories. It was experiences in the library left an indelible HOW BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY SHAPED A WRITER’S MIND Asimov who coined the term “robotics” impression: “My real education, the super- and was responsible for conceiving the structure, the details, the true architecture, ground-breaking “Three Laws of Robotics” I got out of the public library. For an (from his book I, Robot) which have impoverished child whose family could not informed much of how robots have been afford to buy books, the library was the portrayed in literature, film and television. open door to wonder and achievement, and I can never be sufficiently grateful that His family immigrated from Russia in 1923, I had the wit to charge through that door lived at numerous addresses in Brooklyn and make the most of it.” and owned a series of candy shops. It was in these candy shops that the soon-to- be-great writer began reading the store’s To learn more visit stockpile of science fiction pulp novels. bklynlibrary.org/blogs/ Images from Brooklyn Collection / Original cover art by Amelia S. Edwards In fact, so much emphasis is placed on brooklynology Host your next private event at Park Slope Library Weddings, B’nai Mitzvot, Engagement Parties, Corporate & Nonprofit Events Park Slope Library 431 6th Avenue 718.230.2160 Brooklyn, NY Photo by Gustavo Campus bklynlibrary.org/rentals 2 OFF THE SHELF WINTER 2020 OFF THE SHELF WINTER 2020 3 Brooklyn Public Library Greenpoint Library ADAMS STREET LIBRARY WORKac DD #3 + VIEW AT ENTRANCE FEATURE Greenpoint Library Brooklyn Public Library has always Adams Street Library Environmental striven to ensure that our resources are in easy reach of every one of Education Center Brooklyn’s 2.6 million residents. In recent years, growing communities and Entrance View residential shifts have created the need for ADAMS STREET LIBRARY WORKac DD #3 new and improved branches. As a result, VIEW AT CHILDRENS’ AREA BPL has embarked on a massive capital FIVE YEAR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PLAN HIGHLIGHTS 9 construction campaign. In the coming five years, work will begin (or has already begun) on the creation of two new branches and the renovation or rebuilding NO NEIGHBORHOOD of over a dozen other branches. First up is Greenpoint Library, which is Rendering by WORKac by Rendering being completely rebuilt to include an IS TRULY COMPLETE 11 Environmental Education Center that will Meanwhile, BPL’s flagship Central Library is transform the branch and promote already in the midst of a multi-phase WITHOUT A environmental awareness in the renovation project. We’re making much- neighborhood. Later in the year, the new needed updates to the elevators, Adams Street Library will open to serve restrooms, fire alarm systems, HVAC and LOCAL LIBRARY the DUMBO and Vinegar Hill wayfinding. The Grand Lobby is getting neighborhoods, including the Farragut restored historic oak panels, new floors, Houses, to be followed by a beautiful new lighting, HVAC and exhibition cases. The TO SERVE IT. Brooklyn Heights Library. Also, the former information, check-out and returns desks Brower Park Library in Crown Heights will are moving to Central’s new Major Owens be moved into the Brooklyn Children’s Welcome Center, named for the beloved Museum, fostering opportunities for Central librarian and former Congressman. collaborative programming between the The Popular Library is moving to a new two institutions, and a cultural commons space on the first floor to serve as a located in the BAM Cultural District will be gateway into Central’s diverse collection. opening in the next year to serve as a We’re also creating a new Civic Commons Library outpost in that vibrant cultural hub. with an entrance on Flatbush Avenue that In addition, other branches will be will house the passport office, IDNYC and undergoing complete redesigns and bring together all the community services renovations over the next several years, we offer at Central. The public computer including Sunset Park, Rugby (East center will also relocate from the third floor Flatbush), Red Hook, Brownsville and to this space. Meanwhile, the Business and Eastern Parkway (Crown Heights). Career Center will relocate to a prominent location on the second floor and be expanded to better provide important To learn more about the career and financial programming. Central Library project visit bklynlibrary.org/locations/central/ renovation Rendering by Marble Fairbanks Marble by Rendering 4 OFF THE SHELF WINTER 2020 OFF THE SHELF WINTER 2020 5 marble fairbanks DONOR SPOTLIGHT BKLYN Growing up in Dyker Heights, Michael Festa cherished his BOOKMATCH Saturday morning ritual. CIVIC Every week, rain or shine, he and his father would go bowling and then head to Bay ENGAGEMENT Ridge Library. It was there, he says, that his love of learning and voracious appetite for reading were ignited. READING Years later, Michael’s service on his LIST Community Board in Bay Ridge led him to become acquainted with Jay Filan, Fort BookMatch is a readers’ Hamilton Library’s Neighborhood Library advisory service Supervisor. “I was so impressed to learn I Was Their American Dream: Infomocracy: Book One where librarians create about all the important ways the library a Graphic Memoir of the Centenal Cycle customized reading by Malaka Gharib by Malka Older serves my community today, and I was also Photo by Jack Cavicchi recommendations based In this exploration of identity and In this future fiction novel, the reminded of how much Brooklyn Public on current events and on culture, Malaka traces her coming world operates in a “micro- Library meant to me growing up,” he says.