There’s a new bookworm in charge at the Brooklyn Public Library.
Longtime BPL employee Edwin B. Maxwell stepped into the role of Chief Librarian on Wednesday, where he’ll oversee the library’s many public services.
Maxwell has worked at BPL in a variety of roles for nearly 20 years, and has created and overseen a number of programs and expansions.
In his first role as youth services librarian, he started the Growing Dollars and Sense Teen Virtual Investment Club, which connected young people with financial professionals to prepare for their financial futures.
Later, Maxwell served as the manager of the New Lots Library branch — during which time the library was awarded the Revson Award for outstanding community service — and most recently worked as BPL’s Senior Director of Neighborhood Services.
In that role, he oversaw nearly 700 employees, ran operations for 60 BPL branches and the library’s satellite services division – including its bookmobiles — and managed several large projects. Maxwell managed the expansion of Satellite Services, launched the Teen Tech Center network, and worked to embrace and deepen BPL’s environmental and civic engagement.
“Brooklyn Public Library is one of New York City’s most powerful civic institutions, and it has been my home for almost two decades,” Maxwell said in a statement. “I’ve seen firsthand how our branches transform lives. I am humbled to take on this role and to advance our mission of ensuring Brooklyn has a library system that reflects its people, meets their needs, and opens new possibilities.”
He takes over the role from former Chief Librarian Nick Higgins, who, after nearly two decades at BPL, departed to embrace new challenges, a BPL spokesperson said.
Higgins launched BPL’s “Books Unbanned” program, which offered library cards to readers in states facing book bans, and was named to the TIME100 Next list in 2023.
