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Turning the page: Clarendon Library in East Flatbush reopens after renovations

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Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library (middle left), Council Member Farah Louis (middle), and Wes Jackson President of BRIC (middle right) with students, celebrating the reopening of Clarendon Library.
Photo by John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit

The award-winning Clarendon Library in East Flatbush officially reopened Monday after extensive renovations.

An unveiling ceremony drew a crowd of local elected officials, library leaders and smiling students from P.S. 361 East Flatbush Early Childhood School to celebrate the library’s 100-year history and the upgrades, which were finished ahead of schedule.

Library-goers can now enjoy an updated information desk and check-out area, and new furniture perfect for getting lost in a book. The institution’s updated exterior also touts new planting beds, lighting and seating. A new custom wood book drop has also been added, allowing bookworms to return borrowed items at any hour of the day.

The new information desk at the Clarendon Library. Photo courtesy of Gregg Richards.
Clarendon Library. Photo courtesy of NYC Department of Design and Construction. 

Council Member Farah N. Louis, chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity, led the Jan. 27 ceremony, acknowledging the community’s patience during the renovations and the new opportunities the updated space will provide. 

“The journey to this day has not been easy. For far too long, families in our district were without access to this library — a lifeline for literacy programs, educational workshops, and a safe space for growth,” she said. “As the only library within walking distance for many in my district, the closure of the Clarendon Library was a loss of opportunity for learning, connection, and empowerment.” 

Louis, who represents Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Flatlands and Marine Park, said that “with modernized facilities and enhanced resources,” the Clarendon Library “will continue to inspire creativity, learning, and growth for generations to come.”

State Sen. Kevin Parker showed his continuous support for the public space by helping to secure the funding for this round of renovations. In 2020, Parker funded other modernization efforts in the form of a $250,000 grant which added new flooring, bookshelves, storage cabinets and a fresh coat of paint. 

 

Clarendon Library’s updated outdoor space features new seating and plant boxes. Photo courtesy of NYC Department of Design and Construction. 
Library-goers enjoying the updated space. Photo by John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit

“The reopening of Clarendon Library represents a new chapter for our community, one where access to knowledge, resources, and opportunity is available to all,” said Jacinta Osborne, a spokesperson for Parker. “It is my firm belief that when we invest in our libraries, we invest in our future.”

The library has long been part of the East Flatbush community. It opened in 1913 as an unstaffed deposit station in Markland’s Drug Store on Clarendon Road. In 1954, at its current location at 2305 Nostrand Ave., the book room officially became part of the Brooklyn Public Library system.

Clarendon Library has also resumed its free public programming. For more information, or to see what’s upcoming at the branch, check out the online events calendar. For more on the Brooklyn Public Library, visit bklynlibrary.org.