The Bulletin reports the Roslindale BPL branch will be closed between Jan. 5 and 20 so its old oil burner can be replaced with a new gas furnace.

Boston Police report at least three patrons of the BPL West Roxbury branch have had purses snatched in recent days:

All three reports state that the individuals were sitting at a table in the facility with their bags at their feet.

Kal Saliba puts a new spin on Science outside the BPL main branch in Copley Square.

Karin, who loves the Bates Reading Room at the BPL main branch, admits to scoping out the male patrons there and even fantasizing about picking one of them up:

... I have no idea how this would actually work. The silence discourages conversation. There's no way to banter via computer (a la Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy's characters in Pretty in Pink, which, speaking of, how the hell did that ever work?). Most folks wear sweatpants and scarves with bed-head and are probably stressing a 20-page brief for Monday's Con Law class.

However, there's something sexy to me about intelligence and academia and those in it who might love this space as much as I do. ...

Scot, who works at the main branch, reads Karin's post:

... Got me thinking about how differently her experience would be if we had online communities on the library web site. As Web Services Manager for the Boston Public Library, its something I think we really need, but I sure hadn't considered the direct user interaction she's got in mind! Maybe we need to provide chat rooms too. ...

BostonZest reminds us that the Boston Public Library's food-for-fines program (every can of food you bring in for donation to local food pantries wipes $2 off whatever fines you owe) ends when the libraries close this Saturday.

This one's right up Don's (the zak) alley. As reported in The Globe:

"Just as the Yankees took Babe Ruth, Boston's loss is our gain," said Tom Dunn, New York education department spokesman. "We are thrilled."

Bernard Margolis, the former head of the Boston Public Library, has gone head-to-head with the Menino administration since he was removed over his management style which Menino felt left the community branches disadvantaged at the expense of the Copley head branch. He will now be leading one of the nation's largest research libraries by running the NY State libraries.

Candelaria Silva is loving the Boston Public Library, specifically, the Adams branch in Dorchester, for helping her with her current "grand reading spree:"

... And all this reading and learning is possible because of public libraries! I, for one, am extremely grateful for this incredible resource. (Yes, I've joined the friends of the library group.) It is exciting to see the cross-section of people coming into the neighborhood branch (children, teens and adults) checking out books and DVDs, using the computers, perusing the bulletin board, holding meetings, and interacting with librarians and other staff. ...

Andrew Watson takes a camera with him to Roslindale Square. He asks permission at the post office to take photos of the mailboxes there. They let him. He goes into the community center, asks permission to take photos in there. They agree. He goes into the BPL branch and asks permission to take photos in there and they say no, not without formal permission from downtown. Of course, he looks up the official BPL photo policy online, which says no such permission is needed.

Walker is to be commended today for actually taking a stand on something. Whether you agree with him that Tom Birmingham, the former state Senate president, should become the next president of the Boston Public Library is, of course, another matter.

Walker's basic point: The fact that Birmingham has absolutely no experience whatsoever in running any library, let alone the oldest public library system in the country, is secondary, partly because the man has been going around looking at libraries of late and so is very earnest, partly because the way Bernard Margolis was shown the door as the last library president shows the position needs a politician:

[B]ringing in a professional librarian from elsewhere didn't work out because understanding libraries is only part of the job. Understanding Boston is the crux of the job.

There is a lesson in the Margolis debacle, and the trustees would be wise not to ignore it.

Did William Bulger work out for UMass?

Andy Watson discovers the BPL main branch isn't the only one with a courtyard.