The simple motto of Boston Public Library (BPL) - 'free to all' - has evolved beyond providing free books and public space. Michael Colford, the director of library services, emphasizes how the library addresses diverse needs, changing lives daily.
Established nearly two centuries ago, the library is the country's first large free municipal library. Its extensive research catalog, innovations in digital services, and adaptation to modern times make it a cornerstone of communities.
Here are five things you probably did not know BPL could do for you:
Your BPL card gives you access to a vast media library beyond the bookstacks. You can access a world of entertainment with 1.6 million products, which include DVDs, audiobooks, e-books, periodicals, and streaming media. BPL has more than just written words; it has everything from new music to classic film releases.
A reader services team is available to assist everyone looking for books. This service, which librarians used to do casually, is now a formalized and improved system throughout the library. Free online resources can also be accessed through the library's website.
BPL is home to one of the largest library collections in the nation - housing over 23 million items, including rare books, maps, manuscripts, and pieces of art. You can even explore digital collections featuring treasures like first-edition folios by William Shakespeare and original music scores from Mozart.
Lecture programs on family history and genealogy are also offered in the library and various branches. Specialists tackle topics on local history, fine art, and more. The demand for virtual genealogy programs has become so great that enrollment has become limited to US citizens.
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For aspiring entrepreneurs, the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center at the Central Library offers guidance to those looking to start their businesses. The space caters to business minds and media creators, innovators, job seekers, and more, providing the technology needed for research and production.
Additionally, BPL has a team to assist clients in enhancing their professional abilities and increasing their marketability, comprising adult and youth career counselors and, more recently, partnerships that facilitate the connection between companies and job seekers.
BPL is a bustling community center, not just a place for lone readers. There are numerous events at each library branch, ranging from author talks and concerts to storytime for young children. Everyone can participate in technology seminars, conversation circles, and literacy sessions that cover everything from coding languages to fundamental computer skills.
BPL provided free access to all its e-books and e-audiobooks last year. By increasing young people's and adults' access to literature across the country, this program aims to counteract censorship and book bans.
BPL has grown its social work team, emphasizing assisting those dealing with issues like hunger, addiction, and homelessness. The social work team is essential to providing people with programs like SNAP, housing aid, and mental health resources.
Recently, the Boston Public Library and the Mayor's Office of Housing planned to redevelop the West End branch into a two-story branch library and 119 income-restricted units of housing above the library. David Leonard believed mixing affordable housing with libraries benefits communities more than having them separately. This initiative not only addresses Boston's housing shortage but also plans to renovate existing branches and establish a new library in Chinatown, which has been without one since the 1950s.
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