All topics / Building Human Potential / Public Libraries
Program attendance
BPL Performance Reporting — BPL Performance Indicators
Much of BPL's climb from FY22 through FY25 reflects recovery from COVID-19 pandemic closures -- the library system's own reporting says it "resumed providing all of these [in-person] services" as pandemic restrictions eased, rebuilding program attendance from a depressed FY22 base. The apparent FY26 drop is a preliminary, partial-year figure: BPL's own reporting for the first four months of FY26 shows program attendance actually running 6% ahead of the same period in FY25, so the full-year comparison is not yet complete.
Researched July 16, 2026 — NYC Public Libraries, Fiscal 2023 Mayor's Management Report, NYC Public Libraries, Preliminary Fiscal 2026 Mayor's Management Report
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 387,494 |
| FY23 | 596,753 |
| FY24 | 816,216 |
| FY25 | 840,287 |
| FY26 (YTD) | 616,051 |
Why this is tracked
Brooklyn Public Library was established by an 1892 act of the state legislature and opened its first branch in 1897, with its founding mission to provide the people of Brooklyn free and open access to information for education, recreation, and reference. As a City-funded public system, BPL's performance is tracked through the Mayor's Management Report, which defines and reports indicators such as program attendance, active library cards, computer and wireless sessions, and branch visits. This reporting exists to give the public and City officials a factual basis for assessing whether the library, one of the largest public library systems in the country, is delivering on that founding mission.
Our History | Brooklyn Public Library, NYC Mayor's Management Report - Public Libraries Indicator Definitions
Source: BPL Govt Affairs — via NYC Open Data: Mayor's Management Report, Agency Performance Indicators
Coverage shown: FY22–FY26, reported quarterly.
Definition: Total attendance of in-person or online programs conducted by library staff for the public (e.g., early and family literacy workshops, after-school programs, financial literacy, career services and technology classes, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and civics classes, book discussions, health and wellness programs, music and arts events, and outreach and school visits).