My First Libray - Kings Highway and Ocean Avenue

This is the Library on Ocean Avenue at the corner of Kings Highway in Brooklyn, New York, where I was raised. It's also where, at the age of 5, I got my first library card. And I've had one, or more, ever since. It's the first stop my wife, Sue, and I make when we move to a new town. It's where we register to vote and gain some sense of the town. Libraries are like that, they are, in their own way, the heart of any town.

Until I thought about it today, there were several things I didn't know about the Library where I grew up. I remember that I was fascinated with the flagpole at the Northern Entrance (left side) of the Library and considered the building itself to be somewhat of a temple. The process of getting the card was very simple, and still is, but the card was delivered with a solemnity that, in retrospect, fit the occasion.

Today while browsing about and thinking of Brooklyn, I learned quite a bit about the Library from their web site at;

http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/branch_library_history.jsp?branchpageid=179

But to make things easy for you, here is some of the story. The part I found most fascinating was that the branch opened on October 12th, 1954, just 4 days after I was born! I'm glad my parents got it done in time for me to learn to read. And I'll never forget my first trip to the Library.

Branch History

In the early days of the Brooklyn Public Library, many unstaffed deposit stations were established in stores and other facilities throughout the borough. The location of the Kings Highway station was probably unique: according to a newspaper report, in 1910, the library placed a collection in the undertaking establishment of a Mr. Cornell at Kings Highway and E. 12th St. After the undertaker's, the station soon moved to a shoe store. In 1912, the Kings Highway branch opened in its own quarters. The branch's new home, a little frame shack at 1508 Kings Highway, quickly proved too small for the reading public. Several additional moves followed. Finally, in 1952, a ground-breaking ceremony took place at the current Ocean Avenue site.

The new building, designed by architects Knapp and Johnson and constructed by the Department of Public Works, was the first branch library to be erected in Brooklyn by the City of New York. The official opening ceremony was held on October 12, 1954. The busy Kings Highway branch currently serves as a Reference Center, offering a wider range of reference materials than other branches. The branch has the highest circulation rates in the BPL system, serving a community that is notable for its thirst for books and information. Resources available include specialized encyclopedias as well as collections focusing on health, business, computers and literary criticism. The branch receives over 300 magazines, and hosts weekly programs for Brooklyn Public Library's Service to the Aging department. Through these and other resources and programs the Kings Highway Branch looks forward to serving the community for generations to come.