Community updates on library services during renovation and upcoming phases

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. Read more »

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. Read more »

Zinio instantly brings more than 100 current magazine titles to BPL cardholders

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.” Read more »

Building improvements made during temporary closure

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. 

Free research, computer, and careers classes offered each month

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. Read more »