Good news! Coney Island and Gerritsen Beach libraries will reopen this fall after extensive renovations due to Hurricane Sandy. See our Hurricane Sandy Renovations page for updates.
Central Library
Shelby White and Leon Levy Information Commons
The Shelby White and Leon Levy Information Commons marks a new approach to public library space and services. Located on the first floor of Central Library, this new center consists of public meeting rooms, a training lab, and an open workspace, each equipped with technology and resources to facilitate individual and group work, learning, and creativity. General policies.
View a slideshow of the Info Commons.
The Info Commons is comprised of three sections:
- The Lab: A 36-seat training lab offers classes, workshops, and other events that foster individual learning and collaborative work. Find a full schedule of Information Commons events.
- Workspace: The open workspace area offers seating and electrical outlets for over 70 laptop users. It also houses 25 computer workstations, including 10 iMacs running advanced creative and multimedia editing software where visitors can work on individual projects. Learn more about the computer workstations and other technology.
- Meeting Rooms: Seven meeting rooms are reservable for group projects and discussions. There must be a minimum of two people using a meeting room. Each room includes a flatscreen that can be connected to a laptop, enabling presentations, webinars, or videoconferences. Meeting Room 4, the largest, features a SMART Board. Meeting Room 1 even serves as a recording studio, where visitors can work on podcasts, videos, or other multimedia projects.
Become an Info Commons Partner
The Shelby White and Leon Levy Information Commons is always open to work with individuals and organizations who want to provide classes, workshops and other training opportunities to the public. To learn about how you or your organization can get involved, contact infocommons@brooklynpubliclibrary.org.
If you would like to be considered as a workshop facilitator or instructor, please bring, mail, or email us a full proposal, including:
- A detailed description of what you’re interested in teaching or facilitating
- Any qualifications and experience you have related to the topic
- Approximately when you would like to conduct the event (month/date as well as time of day)
We will review all proposals on an ongoing basis and get back to applicants as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the Library is unable to offer financial compensation for classes and workshops conducted in the Info Commons.
Acknowledgments
The Shelby White and Leon Levy Information Commons is made possible by a generous $3.25 million grant from the Leon Levy Foundation.
The Leon Levy Foundation, founded in 2004, is a private, not-for-profit foundation created from the estate of Leon Levy, a legendary investor with a longstanding commitment to philanthropy. The Foundation’s overarching goal is to continue the tradition of humanism characteristic of Mr. Levy by supporting scholarship at the highest level, ultimately advancing knowledge and improving the lives of individuals and society at large.
We especially thank Shelby White, Founding Trustee of the Leon Levy Foundation, for her commitment to the enrichment of Central Library.
Additional funding is provided through NYC Connected Communities, a program coordinated by the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.
