Library Official Blames Heat, Faulty A/C For Clinton Hill Branch Closure

The reopening of the of the Brooklyn Public Library on Monday after a three-day unexpected closure was good news for bibliophiles, parents of small children and older adults looking to beat the summer heat.

Now for the bad news: According to one library official, the Washington Avenue facility looks to be at the mercy of Mother Nature for the near future.

"There may be more unexpected closures as the summer progresses," Brooklyn Public Library spokesman Jason Carey told Patch on Monday.

The culprit behind last week's shutdown was the structure's HVAC system that keeps the library cool in the summers and toasty warm in the winter, according to Carey.

That system is currently set to be repaired in a costly process not expected to be complete until the beginning of next year's "cooling season," Carey said.

In the meantime, the library is being chilled by several movable floor units—which weren't able to keep up last week's string of 90 degree-plus weather.

"The heat was so severe and so swift," Carey said. "We got hit really hard."

The closure—first reported by The Local New York Times blog—forced residents looking to beat the heat to other cooling centers such as .

Heat also forced the closure of the Brooklyn Heights branch on Cadman Plaza last week.

Clinton Hill library will get some needed relief this week in the form of more seasonable summer weather with highs in the mid-80s expected for the rest of the week.

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