Planning for Cortelyou Library began in 1969, but it was not until 1983, after years of patience and hard work by Flatbush residents, that construction was completed and the branch opened. In 2021, the Friends of Cortelyou Library raised over $40,000 to enhance the branch with a revised layout, new reading tables and chairs, new furniture in the children’s area and a teen area. This work happened alongside a New York State-funded project to replace the main room’s shelves, lighting and flooring.