Hey, there! Log in / Register

BPL

By adamg - 12/13/23 - 4:03 pm
New West End library and apartments proposal

Between Charles River Plaza and the Otis House: 12 stories including 2 stories of library space.

A non-profit housing group and its investment partner have won preliminary city approval to replace the current West End BPL branch at 151 Cambridge St. with 119 affordable apartments atop a new two-story library branch. Read more.

By adamg - 12/4/23 - 10:32 am

Jamaica Plain News reports on the overdue record - which BPL no longer had in its database, since it no longer lends out LPs. But, phew, no fine, since BPL no longer charges late fees.

By adamg - 9/29/23 - 11:05 am

BPL announced yesterday it's expanding access to its growing online catalog of ebooks and audio nationwide, joining libraries in Brooklyn and Seattle in an effort to fight censorship and let people between 13 and 26 read and listen to books that offend their elders in power. Read more.

By adamg - 9/19/23 - 1:09 pm
Proposed new life-sciences tower on Boylston Street

Rendering by Elkus Manfredi from kitty corner across Boylston Street.

The company that wants to replace the Star Market and the defunct gas station next to it on Boylston Street in the Fenway with a life-sciences building today filed modified plans that call for a new stand-alone Boston Public Library on the 2 1/2-acre site. Read more.

By adamg - 8/11/23 - 11:35 am

Mayor Wu today announced a pilot program to stock the restrooms at BPL branches with dispensers offering free pads and tampons. Read more.

By adamg - 6/21/23 - 5:04 pm

The East Boston Times-Free Press reports on the BPL's plans for the money left it by Howard Cooper, who died in 2022 in San Francisco but who grew up in Dorchester, went to BPS schools and was a regular visitor to the Copley Square central library as a teenager.

By adamg - 5/23/23 - 6:08 pm
John Davidson with a guitar on Boylston Street outside the BPL

Joe Curnane caught a performance by John Davidson on Boylston Street outside the BPL today.

Davidson, now 81, who was both an actor and a musician, and who guest hosted the Johnny Carson Show 87 times, came down from Sandwich, NH, where he runs a summertime music venue.

By adamg - 5/11/23 - 11:43 am
QR coded bus book delivery at Ashmont

QR coded bus book delivery at Ashmont.

The BPL and the MBTA have launched a QR-coded digital-content service that will let people boarding buses at 20 Boston stops quickly access digital versions of books, newspapers and magazines to go. Read more.

By adamg - 3/20/23 - 12:27 pm

Boston is currently seeking handy volunteers who can help residents get small appliances and other items to working again, rather than simply tossing them in the trash. Read more.

By adamg - 1/19/23 - 11:15 am

The BPDA board this afternoon will vote on spending $100,000 for a consultant to recommend ways to turn Dartmouth Street between the BPL main library and the Copley Square park into a permanent mall for pedestrians and bicyclists - with space set aside for a lane for emergency vehicles. Read more.

By adamg - 8/25/22 - 10:24 pm
Rendering of R1 proposal

Early rendering by Stantec.

The Asian Community Development Corp. says it will soon file detailed plans for a 12-story building with 66 moderate-income apartments, 44 income-restricted condos and a two-floor BPL branch, on what is now a BPDA-owned parking lot bordered by Tyler and Hudson streets between Kneeland and Harvard streets in Chinatown. Read more.

By adamg - 6/10/22 - 10:54 pm
Copley Square watch party

At 10:38 p.m., Frank Solensky posted a photo of hundreds of people watching the Celtics play on a wicked big screen in Copley Square. Read more.

By adamg - 5/7/22 - 10:31 am
Statue of Art holding a sign reading: Defend Roe

Emulsion Mike was walking through Copley Square last night when he noticed that the statue of Art outside the main library had a new sign (with several similar signs at her base).

By adamg - 2/18/22 - 9:16 am

WFXT reports BPL librarians are planning a "unity gathering" to support children's librarians at the Copley Square and Hyde Park libraries who have had to deal with wide-mouthed adults who insist they and their spawn have the right to breathe at other patrons in the children's room.

By adamg - 2/5/22 - 3:30 pm

And they videoed themselves giving no shits whatsoever about kids or parents who might have reasons not to want to be exposed to their breath in the middle of a pandemic. Read more.

By adamg - 12/21/21 - 10:18 am
People lined up for test kits in Brighton

Update: All gone in about 15 minutes.

There aren't normally lines outside BPL branches, but Jonathan Kamens reports the line outside the Brighton BPL branch just before 10 a.m. stretched past the neighboring courthouse and down Chestnut Hill Avenue this morning, as people lined up for a chance to get one of those free rapid test kits the city announced yesterday it would be distributing through select libraries and community centers.

By adamg - 12/20/21 - 8:19 pm
Test kits

Shamus got his test kits today.

Update: Reports coming in that the libraries are already out.

The Boston Public Health Service has started distributing the test kits - which have two tests apiece - at several BPL branches and community centers. Complete list.

By adamg - 12/4/21 - 4:07 pm
Inside the Roslindale Boston Public Library branch

After two years of extensive renovations, the round Roslindale Square BPL branch re-opened today. Read more.

By adamg - 9/28/21 - 9:19 pm

Boston Police report arresting a man they say broke into the Boston Public Library's Connolly branch at 433 Centre St. in Jamaica Plain around 12:30 a.m. Read more.

Subscribe to BPL