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$3,250,000 Grant to Create the Leon Levy Information Commons at Central Library

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) has received a $3,250,000 grant from the Leon Levy Foundation to establish a new kind of learning hub known as an "information commons." It is the first resource of its kind in any of New York City's three library systems. The Leon Levy Information Commons will be a flexible, technology-rich center for learning, research and training, with a strong emphasis on BPL's wide range of online resources. This gift represents the largest private donation ever bestowed upon BPL.

To learn more about this extraordinary gift, read the official press release.

Information Commons Features

A rendering of the future Leon Levy Information Commons by the award-winning firm Toshiko Mori Architect.

The Leon Levy Information Commons marks the next step in BPL's ongoing mission to foster lifelong learning. Among its amenities will be:

• A 30-seat training center that will host hundreds of classes and workshops every year.
• Seven meeting rooms available to the public for group study and collaborative projects.
• Seating and outlets for more than 60 laptop users with access to free wifi.
• Desktop computers with professional design and multimedia software.
• Research and technical assistance from library staff.

Students and researchers will have access to BPL’s suite of subscription databases, and the ideal space in which to use them. Small groups will have access to meeting rooms in which to think, work and create collaboratively. Jobseekers and lifelong learners will find the classes and training they need to pursue their goals. And freelancers, writers and creators of all kinds will discover an inspiring and energetic space in which to plug in their laptops and get to work.

Acknowledgments

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.