Crown Heights Library Display Wins Brooklyn Contest

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A diorama with its own model train at the Crown Heights Library has won the Brooklyn title in a citywide contest of elaborate book displays across the five boroughs.

The Crown Heights Library —which is found just outside the neighborhood's border — was awarded first place among the Brooklyn Public Library system in the contest, which had 130 branches across the city's three library systems set up displays celebrating arts and culture.

The competition is run each year through an initiative known as Culture Pass that gives library cardholders access to cultural institutions.

The Crown Heights branch was one of 53 Brooklyn libraries in the running.

Citywide, Hudson Park Library in Greenwich Village took home the grand prize. The library will receive $1500 to use for branch programming and resources.

Clinton Hill Library was awarded the runner-up title in Brooklyn and two libraries, Bayside and Hillcrest, tied for first place in Queens.

The winners were announced this week after nearly 8,000 votes from the public were cast. The displays with the most votes went on to a panel of judges made up of local authors, artists, illustrators and philanthropists, according to organizers.

Brendan Cain, Culture Pass' program manager, said that above all the contest celebrates the work of library staff.

"Library staff around the city bring so much creativity and ingenuity to their work, day in and day out, but they don't get many chances to stand in the spotlight," he said. "We’re so excited to be able to celebrate our staff and branch communities through this contest and promote the Culture Pass program with such an incredible array of diverse and dynamic book displays,"