Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch

2008 | Best (and Least Likely) New Noisy Venue

Typically, a librarian's response to clamor is a vigorous "Shhh!," but now those bespectacled professionals might respond by clapping, cheering, and perhaps even waving a cigarette lighter. The Central Branch of the Brooklyn Library has taken to sponsoring a series of free outdoor concerts on its newly refurbished stone steps. The first incarnation featured a clever mix of artists like Ladybug Transistors, the Mariachi Academy of New York, and DJ Kool Herc. Book 'em! More »