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.
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’s Kids Day Afterschool Program
- Community served: children in need of a safe afterschool environment
- Services provided: on-site library book collection, story time
- Partner since: 2013
Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of children through direct services to children and families and public advocacy on their behalf. A Boston Public Library children’s librarian provides monthly visits to MSPCC and brings a book deposit, offers story times, and promotes BPL services and programs.
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 (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.
Ostiguy High School
- Community served: Teens in alcohol and drug recovery
- Services provided: monthly book deposit, book talks, field trips to Central Library
- Partner since: 2014
Boston Public Library provides monthly visits to Ostiguy high school by bringing in book deposits, talking about the books, and promoting Boston Public Library services and programs. 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.
Interested in library outreach at your organization? Contact Theresa Furbish at tfurbish@bpl.org or 617.859.2325 or your neighborhood branch’s teen or children’s librarian.
