Carroll Gardens Library Low on Books

Are efforts to renovate the Carroll Gardens Library being invested in the right areas?

In the comments section of a story that appeared Monday about Councilmember into a children’s activity room and a community room, the focus of the proposed project was criticized, with readers stating that money should be spent on expanding the selection of books available.

"WHERE ARE ALL THE BOOKS???" wrote Jay Broni. "How 'bout spending money on more of them?"

Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library reached out to Patch in response to the comments to share the challenges that the library currently faces.

"For one, this particular process involved capital expenditures—bricks and mortar," said Tamar Smith, a representative of the FCGL, referring to the Participatory Budget project related to the library, "So books were not included in the proposal written by community members."

But FCGL defended the proposed project for a children's room.

"Many of us benefited from wonderful libraries when we were children and grew into book loving adults," Smith said. "We'd like to continue that tradition."

Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library did, however, agree that the local branch needs more and better books on the shelves.

"As a commenter mentioned, every book in the system is available to any reader through the reserve system," Smith said. "We also think that having a higher quality of books available right in the branch is important. To that end, in the past year we raised funds and donated them directly to our branch to buy new adult fiction, which was purchased by the librarian at the CG branch."

But it bears noting, these books can be requested by readers at other branches.  

Smith encouraged readers to support and publicize the Brooklyn Public Library's  or, if preferred, to designate donations directly to the Carroll Gardens branch. 

Another member of the Friends of Carroll Gardens Library, Nina Guralnick, asked to remind Patch readers who have thoughts on how to build the library into a center of neighborhood life, to join them at the monthly meetings, which occur at 6:30pm at the library on the third Wednesday of every month.