Earlier this summer, Brooklyn Public Library marked the 30th anniversary of Jay-Z’s debut album, "Reasonable Doubt," with a limited-edition library card and a curated book display at the Marcy Library in Bed-Stuy, according to Goodreader.
The new card follows BPL’s 2023 collaboration with Jay-Z and Roc Nation for The Book of HOV exhibition at Central Library. That exhibition attracted more than 600,000 visitors during its nearly five-month run and became one of the most attended exhibitions in the library’s history.
More than 36,000 library card accounts were created during the run. Those accounts contributed to a 66 percent increase in new accounts system-wide and a more than 300 percent increase at Central Library.
At the Marcy Library, located near the Marcy Houses where Jay-Z grew up, visitors can also browse and borrow books from a curated reading list featuring titles that influenced the artist’s life and career. The books were donated by Roc Nation and are displayed on a dedicated shelf at the branch.
The JAŸ-Z 30 Limited Edition Library Card became available June 25 at Brooklyn Public Library on a first-come, first-served basis. The card was created through BPL’s collaboration with Jay-Z and Roc Nation as part of a yearlong celebration of "Reasonable Doubt," which was released June 25, 1996.
The latest collaboration continues BPL’s effort to connect Brooklyn’s literary and cultural institutions with the history of one of the borough’s best-known artists.
The Marcy Library display adds a neighborhood connection by highlighting books that helped shape Jay-Z’s perspective and career.
