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The Brooklyn Public Library and Roc Nation have partnered on the release of a JAY-Z-themed limited-edition library card celebrating the 30th anniversary of the rapper's landmark debut album, Reasonable Doubt. The card will be available at all Brooklyn Public Library locations beginning June 25 on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
The activation is part of a larger citywide campaign marking the anniversary, which officially kicks off on June 25 with immersive pop-up experiences in Lower Manhattan and DUMBO. Fans can reserve spots for the free experiences right here. The celebrations will continue throughout the year with additional activations, exclusive merchandise, music experiences and special events still to be announced.
Released on June 25, 1996, Reasonable Doubt introduced the world to Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter's vivid storytelling, razor-sharp lyricism and entrepreneurial mindset. While it wasn't an immediate commercial blockbuster, the album has since become widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop records ever made, helping redefine East Coast rap and laying the foundation for JAY-Z's rise from Brooklyn rapper to global cultural icon.
In addition to the limited-edition card, visitors to Brooklyn Public Library's Marcy branch—located at 617 DeKalb Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant and just steps from the Marcy Houses where JAY-Z grew up—will be able to browse and borrow titles from the artist's curated reading list. The books will be displayed on a dedicated shelf stocked with volumes donated by Roc Nation.
This isn't the first time Brooklyn Public Library and JAY-Z have joined forces. In 2023, the library hosted The Book of HOV, a massive exhibition celebrating the artist's life and career at its Grand Army Plaza headquarters. That activation also featured a series of limited-edition library cards commemorating each of JAY-Z's 13 solo albums, sparking long lines across Brooklyn as fans rushed to collect them. We expect the same to happen later this week, so set your alarm and get to your local library early in the morning if you want to secure yourself one of these already highly coveted limited-edition cards.