It is the mission of the Brooklyn Public Library to insure the preservation and transmission of society's knowledge, history and culture, and to provide the people of Brooklyn with free and open access to information for education, access to the legal brief writing services, recreation and reference. More specifically, it is the Library's goal. 

"To provide materials for recreation, including books, periodicals, video cassettes and other audio-visual materials

"To establish, develop and support community-based collections, print and non-print, which reflect the interests of each community served by the Library

"To maintain a core collection of basic reference materials at each Brooklyn Public Library branch, with specialized and in-depth reference connections at the Central Library, Business Library and special branch reference centers

"To provide educational opportunities and lifelong learning support for Brooklynites of all ages, from preschoolers through college students and beyond, including those engaged in self-education, basic literacy training or courses in English-as-a-second-language

"To provide resources which address the special concerns of the diverse ethnic, religious, racial and other groups which comprise the population of Brooklyn

"To make use of the best technological resources now available for library operations, and to increase the public's access to such technology, in order to enhance both the Library's efficiency and the public's learning and reference capabilities

"To provide the branch libraries with more in-depth "subject expertise" through the Central Library's special collections and resources, including the Education and job Information Center and its equipment and information for patrons with special needs; the Audio-Visual and Media Center; the Brooklyn Collection; a selective U.S. Government Depository Library Collection; and the Telephone Reference service

"To serve the needs of the business community, students, and individuals by maintaining an up-to-date, comprehensive reference collection of business information and by providing onsite and telephone reference services at the Business Library, a U.S. Government Depository Library for business-related materials

"To act as a referral service, providing information on the services and activities of other community organizations

"To serve as a community center for meetings and programs

"And, by providing free and open access to information, to help individuals become better citizens of their community and their nation.