Like Books? Go To Center For Fiction. Immediately.

“What’s great about the Center For Fiction,” Bookshop Director Benjamin Rybeck told us, “is it is a cultural hub and gathering place for the neighborhood. A ‘third place,’ if you will.” The third place, as Rybeck is referring, is the social environment separate from home or work, and researchers say it is incredibly important for community building. And community is a driving force behind the literary nonprofit’s bookstore / library / writing studio / event space hybrid. Located steps from BAM, the Barclays Center, Atlantic Terminal, and, of course, The Wheeler, here are five things you can do at The Center For Fiction (besides purchasing stacks and stacks of novels):

1. Become a library member. A basic membership is $150 annually and benefits include use of the members-only second floor which houses a reading room, an expansive terrace, an exclusive bar — and a discount on everything from event admission and writing workgroups to reading groups and bookstore purchases.

2. Apply to the Writers’ Studio. Rybeck is particularly excited about “the creation of fiction and the ability to showcase it” all in the same building. A quiet, clean space with plentiful natural light is an ideal monthly location for prolific writing.

3. Get lost in the Crime Library. Aptly located in the basement, with red painted floors and low lighting, the space doubles down on our society’s current true crime obsession and is very extensive.

4. Attend an event. Every day brings a new fiction happening, and the cafe/bar even creates a specialty cocktail tailored to match.

5. Do a bibliotherapy session. A 45-minute one-on-one conversation about your interests and your lifestyle results in a reading list of a dozen hand-selected novels tailored to your needs.