Outreach
Outreach extends services and programs beyond the library’s physical and virtual spaces to offer equitable access to information and resources, especially to underserved and underrepresented populations.
Current Outreach Partners
Boston Medical Center
- Community served: all bWell Center families, representing a diverse range of needs, incomes, and backgrounds
- Services provided: on-site library book collection, library card sign-up, waiting room activities, Storywalks
- Partner since: 2012
The mission of the bWell Center at Boston Medical Center is to “improve health and wellness of BMC pediatric patients by supporting positive lifestyle choices,” including literacy. Once a month the Boston Public Library provides a collection of 50 books on health topics as well as library card sign-ups, program promotion, and interactive reading and activities led by a children’s librarian in the waiting room.
Boston Children’s Hospital
- Community served: hospitalized children and their families
- Services provided: Mother Goose on the Loose story time, bedside story times, book giveaways, library card sign-up, hospital staff literacy training
- Partner since: 2014
The Boston Public Library reaches local, national and international families through its outreach to Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). The youth outreach librarian performs Mother Goose on the Loose storytimes for infant and toddlers and reads at the bedsides of hospitalized children of all ages. Soon the library will expand its partnership with BCH to include regular visits to their Primary Care Center and Martha Eliot Health Center in Jamaica Plain.
The Home for Little Wanderers
- Community served: children and families visiting The Home for Little Wanderers
- Services provided: story times, library card sign-up, waiting room activities, book giveaways
Massachusetts Department of Youth Services – Metro Boston
- Community served: Youth who are incarcerated
- Services provided: monthly book deposit, book talks, summer reading program, author visits
- Partner since: 2011
Boston Public Library has been a partner with the Department of Youth Services, opens a new window (DYS), the juvenile justice agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Boston Public Library teen librarians regularly visit DYS schools bringing in book deposits, talking about the books, and promoting Boston Public Library services and programs. Occasionally we bring special guest speakers. For the past three years the library has run a summer reading program for the youth in DYS. Book deposits are small collections of library books left at a facility for a short period of time, then exchanged for new books. Librarians will bring in popular books and books that are requested by the teens.
Massachusetts General Hospital of Children
- Community served: hospitalized children and their families
- Services provided: Group story time, bedside story times
South Cove Community Health Center – Early Intervention Program
- Community served: Chinatown families using the Early Intervention Program
- Services provided: rotating board book collection on-site, story times
The SPARK Center
- Community served: children and families at the Mattapan SPARK Center
- Services provided: story times, library card sign-up
Tufts Medical Center – Reach Out and Read
- Community served: children and families visiting Tufts Pediatric Center
- Services provided: library card sign-up, waiting room activities
Interested in library outreach at your organization? Contact Charlie Gluck at cgluck@bpl.org or your neighborhood branch’s teen or children’s librarian.
