For images, click here.
Brooklyn, NY—Council Member Justin Brannan, Chief Librarian Nick Higgins and teens from around the borough celebrated the opening of the Bay Ridge Library Teen Tech Center yesterday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new center will give teens the opportunity to explore their passions through technology including computers, 3-D printers, cameras, digital musical instruments, microcontroller boards and much more.
“I have fought proudly to protect and deepen investments in our public libraries, and I am proud to see that paying off right here in Bay Ridge. Through access to books, technology, programming, and other resources, our libraries deliver immense opportunity to New Yorkers of all stripes, free of charge. Our new Teen Tech Center will help Bay Ridge Library deliver for our community in yet another way,” said Council Member Justin Brannan.
The new space joins the Best Buy Teen Center at Kings Highway Library which opened in 2019 and the Crowns Height Library Teen Tech Center which opened in 2022.
Two additional centers will open later this year at Saratoga Library (October 24) and Adams Street Library (November 2) and are part of a BPL initiative to provide teens with safe spaces, books and programming just for them, including Teen Takeovers, after-hours events planned by teens for teens. Bay Ridge Library will host a Teen Takeover on October 27.
“When we provide safe spaces where teens can meet their peers, sharpen their digital skills and express their creativity, we empower the next generation of entrepreneurs, scientists and artists,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “We are thrilled to open the Bay Ridge Library Teen Tech Center and can’t wait to see what our young patrons create!”
The Bay Ridge Library Teen Tech Center provides young people a safe space to come after school to both socialize with their peers, and be creative, working at their own pace on self-directed maker projects. Designed to inspire the next generation of engineers, innovators, and entrepreneurs, teens can learn valuable skills to help them with college and careers.
Funding for the teen centers was provided by Mayor Adams as part of a city-wide initiative to engage teens, including tech centers in all five boroughs. Additional funding for the Teen Takeovers is provided by google.org
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. As a leader in developing modern 21st century libraries, we provide resources to support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.