Brooklyn Public Library in Strategic Alliance With Brooklyn Historical Society

Cleary Gottlieb represented the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) in its entrance into a strategic alliance with the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS).

BPL and BHS entered into an affiliation agreement memorializing the terms of this strategic alliance, and the transaction signed and closed on October 1, 2020. As a result of the strategic alliance, the legacy BHS organization will be known as BPL’s Center for Brooklyn History and its collection and programming will be extended throughout BPL’s 59-branch system.

BPL is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. BPL provides programs to the diverse communities of Brooklyn, with exceptional educational programs and assets, collectively all of which are historical, literary, or cultural in nature.

Founded in 1863, BHS served as a cultural hub for dialogue and community outreach and a leader in expanding the narrative of Brooklyn’s history for scholars, students, and the public. The Center for Brooklyn History will continue that mission under the auspices of BPL, a leader in redefining the role of libraries in the 21st century through groundbreaking work to address the needs and issues that are vital to the communities it serves.