About the Othmer Library

Founded in 1863 as the Long Island Historical Society, the Brooklyn Historical Society's (BHS) mission was to discover, procure, and preserve whatever may relate to general history, especially the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of the United States, the State of New York, and more particularly of the counties, towns, and villages of Long Island.

Through time the institution narrowed the focus of the scope of the collections and began to seek out materials specifically relating to Brooklyn and Long Island. Today, the Othmer Library is a nationally recognized research library comprised of special collections, archives and manuscripts, image and oral history collections. The library possesses a remarkable and unique collection of Brooklyn and Long Island materials that provides important insights into our nation's history and heritage.  

The Othmer Library serves the mission of the Brooklyn Historical Society by supporting research into the history of Brooklyn and Long Island and by collecting, preserving, and promoting access to our library and archival materials. The Library’s collections foster and enrich BHS' exhibits, education activities, and programming.

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