Temporary library in Red Hook offers new home for reading and learning

Red Hook residents celebrated the opening of a new interim library on Van Brunt Street, which will provide library services to the community while their main library is being renovated, with the renovation set to be completed in 2025.

RED HOOK, Brooklyn (PIX11) -- Red Hook residents celebrate a new interim library while theirs is being renovated.

The opening of the Red Hook Interim Library on Van Brunt Street on Tuesday marks a significant moment for residents, particularly for residents like Noah Landes and his young daughter, Joanna.

Located just two blocks from their apartment, the temporary library is set to become a cornerstone of their daily routine.

"I was really excited about it 'cause it's about two blocks from my apartment. My daughter's excited too," Landes said.

For Landes, who's lived in the neighborhood for 14 years, the library's proximity is more than just a convenience. He said it's an opportunity to foster his daughter's love for reading.

"She gets tired of books very quickly, so the library's a great resource to get new books for her. It's kind of more important for me to get her different books so she can read different things and stay interested," he said.

Since the main library closed for renovations in 2023, he says his family has had to travel to Park Slope or Brooklyn Heights for library services, a 15-minute journey that often deters frequent visits.

"Having the library close will get us going to the library more," Landes said.

The renovation addresses damage from past natural disasters, like Superstorm Sandy and aims to create a more modern and spacious library facility.

Nick Higgins is the chief librarian of the Brooklyn Public Library.

"It's a day that this neighborhood has been waiting for, for a long time," Higgins said.

He highlighted the crucial role libraries play in fostering community well-being.

"This neighborhood realizes that the library is the center of the sort of like the cultural and educational recreational kind of activity of the neighborhood," Higgins said.

The interim library has quickly become a central part of the Landes family's daily activities as a nearby haven of learning, discovery, and father-daughter bonding.

"We'll probably be here every few days," Landes said.

Looking ahead, Higgins confirmed that the renovation and expansion of the permanent Red Hook library is on track to be completed in 2025.