Throughout October, Boston Public Library will host author talks at the Central Library in Copley Square and branch locations. Author appearances include:

• New York Times bestselling author Richard North Patterson discusses his book Loss of Innocence, detailing a young woman’s journey to adulthood on Tuesday, October 1, at 6 p.m. in Rabb Lecture Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Koren Zailckas, author of Mother, Mother, details the shattering story of a mother’s love gone too far on Saturday, October 5, at 2 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Zailckas’ 2005 memoir, Smashed, has sold more than a half million copies.
• Former welterweight champion Tony De Marco will speak about his book Nardo: Memoirs of a Boxing Champion and show a short documentary highlighting his career on Saturday, October 5, at 12 p.m. at the North End Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 25 Parmenter Street.
• Author Gail McMeekin guides creative women toward achievement as she shares The 12 Secrets of Highly Successful Women: A Portable Life Coach for Creative Women. Tuesday, October 8, at 6 p.m. in Conference Room 5/6 at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Award-winning author Sheri Fink recounts the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital on Thursday, October 10, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Sheri Fink’s reporting has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Magazine Award, and the Overseas Press Club Lowell Thomas Award.
• Author Mark Schneider discusses his book Joe Moakley’s Journey on Tuesday, October 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 12 Sedgwick Street in Jamaica Plain as part of the JP Writes & Invites series.
• Career expert Nacie Carson provides insight that helps professionals at any stage of their career to survive the post-crisis economy in her book The Finch Effect: The Five Strategies to Adapt and Thrive in Your Working Life on Tuesday, October 15, at 6 p.m. in Conference Room 5/6 at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Historian, author, and illustrator Marilynne K. Roach discusses her book Six Women of Salem: The Untold Story of the Accused and Their Accusers in the Salem Witch Trials on Tuesday, October 15, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• New York Times contributor and executive director of the Cape Cod Writers Center Nancy Rubin Stuart will discuss her book Defiant Brides: The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women and the Radical Men They Married, which offers a rich portrait of two rebellious women who defied expectations at a volatile political moment in early America. Wednesday, October 16, at 6 p.m.  in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Author and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore brings the sister of founding father Ben Franklin to life in Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin on Thursday, October 17, at 6 p.m. in the Abbey Room at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Author and airline pilot Patrick Smith reveals the strange and misunderstood world of commercial flying in his book Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections. Tuesday, October 22, at 6 p.m. in Conference Room 5/6 at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.
• Essayist and novelist Doug Bauer reads from his newest collection of essays What Happens Next: Matters of Life and Death as part of the South End Writes series. Tuesday, October 22, at 6:30 p.m. at the South End Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 685 Tremont Street.
• Many of the participants in the American Revolution actually lived into the age of photography, and author Maureen Taylor shares the detective work involved in uncovering these pictures and the life stories of the individuals in her talk “The Last Muster: Photographs of the Revolutionary War Generation.” Wednesday, October 30, at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon, located at 700 Boylston Street.

The complete schedule of upcoming events at Boston Public Library locations is available at www.bpl.org/calendar.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org

# # #

New carpet and interior painting added to project scope

The reopening date for the Uphams Corner Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 500 Columbia Road in Dorchester, has been moved to 10 a.m. on Monday, October 21.

New carpeting and interior painting has been added to the project scope since the branch was temporarily closed in May of this year for building improvements.

The municipal building that houses the Uphams Corner Branch is temporarily closed in order to allow for replacing the roof, including insulation and flashing; removing, replacing, and painting selected downspouts; repairing and replacement of the exterior gutters; repointing the masonry; rebuilding the exterior and interior stairs; and installing a new heating system.

The branch reopening date was originally planned for September 30.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

###

Boston Public Library continues its series of roundtables to update library users and interested residents on the Johnson Building Improvement Project.

The second roundtable will feature an overview of library services during the first phase of construction. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 25, at 6:00 p.m. in the Mezzanine Conference Room at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Additional roundtables will be held:

• Monday, October 21, at 6:00 p.m. as an online community chat via www.bpl.org/compass.
• Thursday, November 14, at 6:00 p.m. in the Boston Room at the Central Library in Copley Square.

Background on the Johnson Building Improvement Project to date is published on the Boston Public Library website. Those not able to attend the roundtable gatherings are encouraged to leave a comment on the BPL Compass blog at www.bpl.org/compass, send an email to compass@bpl.org, or visit the library’s project display in the Central Library’s atrium. “Compass” is the name of Boston Public Library’s strategic plan which is available for download. Updates on major projects across the library system appear on the “Major Projects” tab of the Compass blog.

About the JOHNSON BUILDING IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The Johnson Building, which opened in 1972, is the portion of the Central Library in Copley Square that is at the corner of Boylston and Exeter Streets. In the summer of 2012, the library issued a request for proposals for help in exploring ideas on how to improve visitors’ first impressions of the Johnson Building, enrich library services and spaces, and create a positive financial impact for the library. Initial efforts to develop ideas for the Johnson Building began in November 2012 when a community advisory committee was formed and continued when the firm William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc. was selected to lead the master planning process. The community advisory committee met through the winter and spring. The library hosted a January 2013 roundtable on its Community Gathering principle where the Johnson project was discussed, an April 2013 public program on the Johnson project specifically, and the first of four roundtables on the project took place in August 2013. In addition, the library collected ideas and suggestions on improving the Johnson Building through an interactive display in the center atrium during the springtime. More than 375 comments were compiled from a display. The library now has a second display mounted in the library in order to continue collecting suggestions.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

# # #

Historians and genealogists take audiences back to early Boston

Boston Public Library’s Local and Family History Lecture Series returns this month, detailing Colonial and Revolutionary Boston from the perspective of defiant brides, pre-Revolutionary War newspapers, and the stories of the men and women who actually lived it. The series is in its eleventh year of sharing information about the history of Boston and its neighborhoods and features tips and guidance for those beginning their own genealogical research. All Local and Family History Series lectures take place in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, which is located at 700 Boylston Street. Fall lectures include:

• Victor T. Mastone, director and chief archaeologist of the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, will take the audience back to the Battle of Chelsea Creek, a significant event in the siege of Boston. Wednesday, September 11, at 6 p.m.

• Curator Martha Clark of the Massachusetts Archives will prepare researchers with ways to make the most of their visit while learning about their Colonial ancestors at the Archives. Wednesday, September 25, at 6 p.m.

• New York Times contributor and executive director of the Cape Cod Writers Center Nancy Rubin Stuart will discuss her book Defiant Brides, which offers a rich portrait of two rebellious women who defied expectations at a volatile political moment in early America. Wednesday, October 16, at 6 p.m.

• Many of the participants in the American Revolution actually lived into the age of photography, and author Maureen Taylor shares the detective work involved in uncovering these pictures and the life stories of the individuals in her talk “The Last Muster: Photographs of the Revolutionary War Generation.” Wednesday, October 30, at 6 p.m.

• Speaker J.L. Bell details the role of mass media in the American colonies, including the personal and political rivalries of newspaper and magazine publishers in his talk “Boston’s Pre-Revolutionary Newspaper Wars.” Wednesday, November 6, at 6 p.m.

• Genealogist Barbara Jean Mathews will discuss tips and strategies for finding one’s ancestors during the period from 1620 to 1776, which saw many changes in society and settlement. Wednesday, November 20, at 6 p.m.

• Lori Lyn Price details some of the common illnesses and treatments in Colonial New England in a talk designed to help genealogists place the role of health and medicine in their ancestors’ lives into perspective. Wednesday, December 4, at 6 p.m.

More information on each of the lectures in the series is available via www.bpl.org/localhistory. Boston Public Library has identified its Local and Family History collection as one of its initial 18 Collections of Distinction, which represent the most outstanding, expansive, and renowned of the library’s holdings. The Local and Family History collection contains family and local history records from Massachusetts and most of New England. The collection includes more than 30,000 wide-ranging materials from the 17th–21st centuries. More information about the BPL’s Collections of Distinction is available via www.bpl.org/distinction.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

# # #

Boston Public Library now provides library cardholders free access to popular magazines via a digital magazine service, making more than 100 popular English and Spanish language magazines instantly available. The online resource Zinio offers the ability to check out and download titles like National Geographic, ESPN the Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and Newsweek, and is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and computers. Zinio features complete, full-color magazines with intuitive navigation, keyword article search, and interactive audio and video elements.

“Boston Public Library is pleased to offer this new resource,” said Michael Colford, Director of Library Services. “It is a convenient, free, no-waiting option that appeals to avid magazine readers as well as those who prefer to consume their news and information in digital form.”

Cardholders can reach the service via the “collections” section of the Boston Public Library website. Library users log in with their Boston Public Library card and then create a library collection account and a Zinio.com reader account. In addition, users have the option of downloading a Zinio app.

All titles are available for simultaneous access with no waiting periods or limits on number of checkouts. More information on the digital magazine service, along with “getting started” tips and check-out guides, is available on the Boston Public Library website at www.bpl.org/collections/zinio.htm.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-five branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

# # #

The Uphams Corner Branch of the Boston Public Library, which is located at 500 Columbia Road in Dorchester, will reopen at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 30, October 21, after several months of building improvements. The municipal building that houses the Uphams Corner Branch was temporarily closed in May in order to allow for replacing the roof, including insulation and flashing; removing, replacing, and painting selected downspouts; repairing and replacement of the exterior gutters; repointing the masonry; rebuilding the exterior and interior stairs; and installing a new heating system.

This press release was edited on September 16. Please read the September 16 press release about the new date for the branch reopening. 

As Boston’s elementary, high school, and college students begin their annual return to campus, Boston Public Library (BPL) is putting the finishing touches on its new tech classroom and schedule of classes for learners of all ages.

Each month, the BPL’s Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street, offers weekday computer instruction classes along with courses geared toward job seekers, budding family history researchers, and those interested in learning more about the library’s resources.

In September, all classes will be held in the Central Library’s newly-completed tech classroom, which is located inside the business library on the concourse level. Research, computer, and career classes offered at the Boston Public Library are free to all.

Highlights of the September class schedule include:

• Mac Mondays, which provide an introduction to using a Mac, ranging from sampling a mouse to updating settings.
• Job Seeker Thursdays, which feature an overview of the library’s career resources as well as sessions like Resumes 101 and Interviewing 101.
• iPad Fridays, which demonstrate how to operate an iPad and check out e-books from the library.

A special, ten-part Genealogy for Beginners series of classes will be offered on Tuesday afternoons, beginning September 16. Participants will learn basic techniques for organizing family history research, and will gradually build research skills utilizing tools such as Ancestry.com, AmericanAncestors.org, and HeritageQuest.

In addition, the library will host Small Business Saturday on September 21, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., with workshops designed for small business owners and nonprofit organizations. Workshops include “Website Basics for Small Business & Nonprofits,”  “Social Media Basics for Small Businesses and Nonprofits,” and “Databases for Small Business Research.” Small Business Saturday will take place in the Commonwealth Salon, which is located on the first floor, near the library’s courtyard.

Interested learners can download a PDF version of the September class schedule at the Central Library in Copley Square, pick up a paper version of the schedule on a visit to the library, or look through the BPL’s complete online calendar via www.bpl.org/calendar. A new class schedule is published each month, with a range of rotating topics and series. Some multi-part classes do require free registration prior to the meeting of the first session. Those classes are clearly marked on the calendar and require a phone call to 617.859.2323.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-five branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

###

Local film critic Peter Keough and ‘Schindler’s List’ author Thomas Keneally featured

Throughout September, Boston Public Library will host author talks at the Central Library in Copley Square and branch locations. Author appearances include:

• Author Stephen Hornsby discusses his book Surveyors of Empire: Samuel Holland, J. F. W. Des Barres, and the Making of the Atlantic Neptune on Thursday, September 12, at 5:30 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.

• Film critic and editor Peter Keough speaks about the book Kathryn Bigelow: Interviews on Saturday, September 14, at 2 p.m. in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. This collection details Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow’s journey to become one of Hollywood’s most influential directors.

• Author Jacob Tomsky describes the highs and lows of life in the hotel industry in Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality on Tuesday, September 17, at 6 p.m. in the Orientation Room at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street.

• Thomas Keneally, author of The Daughters of Mars, recounts World War I from a unique perspective on Thursday, September 19, at 7 p.m. in the Abbey Room at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Mr. Keneally is the publisher of 25 novels, including Booker Prize winner Schindler’s List.

• Local historian Anthony Sammarco talks about his book A History of Howard Johnson’s: How a Massachusetts Soda Fountain Became an American Icon on Thursday, September 19, at 7 p.m. at the Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 40 Academy Hill Road.

• Author Reza Aslan discusses Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, which examines the life of Jesus in the context of first-century Palestine on Thursday, September 26, at 6 p.m. in Rabb Lecture Hall, located at the Central Library in Copley Square. Mr. Aslan’s first book, No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, has been translated into 13 languages and named as one of the hundred most important books of the last decade.

• Roger Gottlieb will discuss his book, Spirituality: What it is and Why it Matters, and Miriam Greenspan will discuss her book Healing Through Dark Emotions as part of the JP Writes & Invites series on Thursday, September 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 12 Sedgwick Street.

• Tom MacDonald speaks about his novel Beyond the Bridge, which details the story of a former all-American football star at Boston College working to find the killer of an accused pedophile priest. Monday, September 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 179 Main Street in Charlestown.

The complete schedule of upcoming events at Boston Public Library locations is available at www.bpl.org/calendar.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-five branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org

###

Detailed hours information available on the Boston Public Library website

Saturday hours at the neighborhood branches of the Boston Public Library return on September 7. Saturday hours at Boston Public Library branches vary per location, but are typically 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. or 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Three Boston Public Library branches have 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. hours on Saturday: Lower Mills, North End, and West End.

The Roslindale Branch, located at 4246 Washington Street, will have a full week of updated public service hours beginning in September. The branch will be open Monday through Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. On Thursday, the branch will be open 12 – 8 p.m. On Friday, the hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturday the hours are 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Uphams Corner Branch, located at 500 Columbia Road in Dorchester, remains temporarily closed for building improvements. Construction is expected to be completed in September 2013.

Sunday hours at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street, return on October 6. The Central Library will be open 1 – 5 p.m. on Sundays except on the Sundays that precede Monday holidays.

Detailed information about current library hours is available online at www.bpl.org/general/hours.htm. All Boston Public Library locations will be closed on Monday, September 2, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-five branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

###

Application compatible with Android and iOS systems, mobile web version available

Boston Public Library (BPL) recently launched its much-anticipated BPL mobile catalog, offering library users instant access to its online catalog through Android and iOS mobile devices, including a mobile web browser version that presents visitors with a display specifically designed to fit small screens.

“We are thrilled to now offer a mobile catalog; it is a valuable resource and option that allows our collections to be easily accessible to our library users anytime, anywhere,” said Amy E. Ryan, President of the Boston Public Library.

What can the free app do for you? The BPL mobile catalog has complete catalog searching capabilities, including full data viewing and is optimized for high-definition screens. Library users can pinpoint title availability at any BPL locations, and with the tap of a screen, they now have the ability to place hold requests, browse new items, link to OverDrive for e-book borrowing, view hours and fines, write reviews, and check out ratings and comments.

After a few simple steps, users can access Boston Public Library resources from anywhere in the world. Links to the apps for downloading the BPL mobile catalog are available on the BPL website under the collections tab labeled “Mobile Catalog,” and via the following sites:

•    iOS devices – Visit the iTunes App Store and search for Boston Public Library
•    Android phones – Visit Google Play and search for Boston Public Library

Please visit www.bpl.org/mobile for additional information on the BPL Mobile Catalog.

About BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-five branches, a literacy center, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in America, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit www.bpl.org.

# # #