 the brooklyn public library (bpl) is the public library system of the borough of brooklyn in new york city. it is the fifth largest public library system in the united states. like the two other public library systems in new york city, it is an independent nonprofit organization that is funded by the new york city and state governments, the federal government, and private donors. in fiscal year 2009, brooklyn public library had the highest program attendance of any public library system in the united states. the library currently promotes itself as bklyn public library. ==history== the first free public library in brooklyn was that of the collegiate institution established in 1888, the pratt institute, founded by charles pratt. available not only for its own students and faculty, the library was also open to the general public at that early time. in 1852, several prominent citizens established the "brooklyn athenaeum and reading room" for the instruction of young men. it was as was the practice in those times, a private, subscription library for members, who were recruited and encouraged by the up-rising mercantile and business class of young men, to continue by constant reading whatever formal education they had received through a university, college, high school/private academy, or trade school. its' collections focused on the liberal arts and the humanities such as literature, history, biography, economics, philosophy, and other applications later labeled social studies. five years later, in 1857, another group of young men with businessmen, merchants, manufacturers, founded the "brooklyn mercantile library association of the city of brooklyn", with its holdings more pronounced in the fields of business, economics, mathematical, technical, commercial and scientific. the librarian-in-charge was stephen buttrick noyes, who later went to the library of congress in 1866, but returned to brooklyn three years later in 1869. he later commenced developing the extensive catalog for the collections which he completed in 1888. later the two collections were merged in 1869, and later moved to a headquarters 
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