Brooklyn College Library

02/11/2026

In honor of Black History Month, let us pay tribute to Leontyne Price, one of the world's greatest operatic sopranos, who celebrates her 99th birthday today. Ms. Price broke down racial barriers for African-American opera singers in the 1950s and 60s, making her Metropolitan Opera debut as Leonora in "Il Trovatore" in 1961. The recognition of her as one of the leading performers of works by Verdi, Puccini and Mozart lent itself to a successful recording career, earning Ms. Price a total of nineteen Grammy Awards, as well as receiving several lifetime achievement awards including the the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964), the Kennedy Center Honors (1980) and the National Medal of Arts (1985). Here is a clip of Leontyne Price singing "La vergine degli angeli" from Verdi's "La forza del destino": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbyiKfpk8xw.

01/21/2026

The Iowa Board of Regents identified a list of programs that could be removed because of low enrollment numbers and a lack of long-term viability.

12/14/2025

The entire library still open 12 pm to 7:45 pm today December 14th, 2025 and you’re welcome to come.
Don’t forget about the extended hours next week…
Monday to Wednesday, December 15th - 17th, 2025, the entire library is open 8 am to 10:45 pm.
On Thursday, December 18th, 2025, the entire library will be open 8 am to 9 pm, extended hours first floor only 9 pm to 10:45 pm.
Good luck on the finals!❄️

12/03/2025

You can still donate!

Help Give to the Brooklyn College Library's fundraiser efforts for 2025

11/11/2025

Help support your library!

Help Give to the Brooklyn College Library's fundraiser efforts for 2025

03/02/2025

The Walter W. Gerboth Music Library of Brooklyn College pays tribute to the singer-songwriter and musician Roberta Flack, who passed last week at the age of 88. With a career spanning multiple generations of soul, R&B, pop music and more genres, using her voice, writing and early piano training in both gospel and classical studies to craft original melodies and reinterpretations – either in solo work or her frequent collaborations with Donny Hathaway – that have remained memorable for the last half-century. Flack's accolades, like consecutive Grammy Awards for Record of the Year (1973/74), the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) and induction into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame (2021), all speak to a lasting mark made on her industry.

Please enjoy these ten recordings:

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (from the album First Take, 1969) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqW-eO3jTVU
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” (from Quiet Fire, 1971) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k90ILIe3p_U
“Where Is the Love” (duet with Donny Hathaway) (from Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, 1972) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI7UOwOhKEs
“Killing Me Softly with His Song” (from Killing Me Softly, 1973) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEbi_YjpA-Y
“The Closer I Get to You” (duet with Donny Hathaway) (from Blue Lights in the Basement, 1977) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgZOKpDoIs0
“If Ever I See You Again” (from Roberta Flack, 1978) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QagJBN2bXII
“Oasis” (from Oasis, 1988) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU9VQujOEag
“Unforgettable” (duet with Mark Stevens) (from Set the Night to Music, 1991) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8pxrbdKU68
“Tenderly” (from Roberta, 1994) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixK5B9ZHGDQ
“Let It Be” (from Let It Be Roberta, 2012) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_9OU2uGArQ

01/28/2025

The Cultivating Archives & Institutional Memory is a three-year project to unify archival practices across CUNY’s 31 libraries and 100 cultural centers, preserving the shared narrative of CUNY and New York City. The inventory of the Brooklyn College Archives has begun, and in this video, you can see the CUNY Archivists working throughout our seven-floor archival storage area.

“Cultivating Archives & Institutional Memory” is a three-year project to unify archival practices across CUNY’s 31 libraries and 100 cultural centers, preser...

10/02/2024

On the occasion of former US president Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday today, the Walter W. Gerboth Music Library of Brooklyn College pays tribute with a recommendation for the documentary "Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President" (2020), a film currently available to stream via an HBO Max subscription or rentable through other streaming services, such as Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Mary Wharton and Bill Flanagan's entertaining film takes a look back at Carter's administration through the lens of music, appreciating the friendships he developed with such notable artists as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Gregg Allman, as well as the diversity of acts who graced the stages at fundraisers, other political events and at White House concerts across genres, from Johnny Cash and Aretha Franklin to Vladimir Horowitz and Dizzy Gillespie. Carter's deep knowledge of music is impressive, and his presidential legacy includes this passionate commitment to spotlighting the contributions of these performers to American culture and history.

This review, courtesy of RogerEbert.com, gives a good overview: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jimmy-carter-rock-and-roll-president-movie-review-2020

Wharton’s documentary is fresh water in the middle of a desert.

06/30/2024

As Pride Month winds down, with the annual parade taking place today in New York City, the Walter W. Gerboth Music Library of Brooklyn College pays tribute to singer-songwriter and LGBTQ+ activist Holly Near, who celebrated her 75th birthday this month. For the past half-century, Near has created memorable music that speaks to people from all walks of life, though the anthem “Singing for Our Lives” especially resonates with the q***r community, calling for universal understanding of our shared humanity. Near has worn many hats throughout her career – protest musician, founder of the Redwood Records label, actor, author of both a memoir and a one-woman show based on those writings – but no matter the medium, her unique voice shines through.

Please enjoy this selection of twelve songs from her catalog:
“Started Out Fine” (from A Live Album, 1974) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qhxkd6Gn0E
“It Could Have Been Me” (from A Live Album, 1974) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CadP4dRemYk
“Imagine My Surprise” (from Imagine My Surprise, 1978) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCGhLXaScBk
“Something About the Women” (from Imagine My Surprise, 1978) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3ukRUZV6Ks
“Once or Twice” (from Fire in the Rain, 1981) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_61Ns7CCoz8
“Back Off” (from Speed of Light, 1982) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL1yRlb8hsY
“Singing for Our Lives” (with Ronnie Gilbert) (from Lifeline, 1983) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8amcZCoycok
“Further to Fly” (from Edge, 2000) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi_M0CjKUv8
“I Am Willing” (from Show Up, 2006) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AkGk5maD8Q
“Swimming to the Other Side” (with Emma’s Revolution) (from We Came to Sing!, 2009) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv8sR1OOcoE
“Peace Becomes You” (from Peace Becomes You, 2012) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twRaGRvTg8I
“Nature” (from the album 2018, released the same year) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Z9O1JmgXg

02/20/2024

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12/04/2023

Don't worry about finals, we've got you covered! 📚 The library will be open extended hours during finals week to help you ace those exams. 💯

December 11-14: 8am-9:45pm
December 15: 8am-8:45pm
December 16-17: 12pm-8:45pm
December 18: 8am-9:45 pm