BOSTON, MA – September 4, 2026 – The Boston Public Library (BPL) today announced Book it Around Boston 2026, a fun run/walk/bike event designed to reintroduce residents to BPL branches across the city while incentivizing movement across Boston’s neighborhoods. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
BPL has partnered with Heartbreak Hill Running Company to offer guided routes kicking off and concluding at the Shaw-Roxbury Branch, with participants walking, running, or biking to other BPL branches along the way. Depending on how participants would like to travel, they can choose from one of five routes. All routes start and end at the Shaw-Roxbury Branch except for the walking route, which ends at the Grove Hall Branch. The routes are:
- Route 1 - 4 miles – Shaw-Roxbury → Egleston → Grove Hall → Shaw-Roxbury
- Route 2 – 6 miles – Shaw-Roxbury → Egleston → Jamaica Plain → Connolly → Parker Hill → Shaw-Roxbury
- Route 3 – 9.5 miles – Shaw-Roxbury → Grove Hall → Codman Square → Jamaica Plain → Connolly → Parker Hill → Shaw-Roxbury
- Bike Route – 12 miles - Shaw-Roxbury → Grove Hall → Codman Square → Lower Mills → Mattapan → Jamaica Plain → Connolly → Parker Hill → Shaw-Roxbury
- Walking Route – 2.5 miles – Shaw-Roxbury → Egleston → Grove Hall
"We're excited to continue this partnership with Heartbreak Hill Running Company and to see Book It Around Boston grow each year," said Caren Rosales, BPL Systemwide Programs Librarian. "Whether you're running, walking, or biking, this is a great way to discover a branch you've never visited or reconnect with one you know well. It's one of our favorite ways to bring people into branches they might not otherwise visit."
The event also encourages participants to take part in the BPL Passport program, open to everyone year-round. Visit a local BPL branch to pick up a Passport, a booklet outlining routes to walk, run, or bike between each of the BPL's 26 locations. Collect a branch stamp for each stop, with exclusive swag available for visiting specific numbers of branches; visit bpl.org/passport/ to learn more. For a complete list of BPL branches, visit: bpl.bibliocommons.com/locations.
"Running has always been about bringing people together, no matter their background or ability," said Dan Fitzgerald, co-founder of Heartbreak Hill Running Company. "Partnering with BPL feels like a natural fit; both of us are trying to get Bostonians out into their own city and into spaces that belong to everyone."
To register for Book it Around Boston, visit: bpl.org/book-it-around-boston/. The first 150 participants to register will also receive a free Book It Around Boston lapel pin.
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ABOUT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library is a pioneer of public library service in America. It was the first large, free municipal library in the United States; the first public library to lend books; the first to have a branch library; and the first to have a children’s room.
The Boston Public Library of today is a robust system that includes the Central Library in Copley Square, 25 neighborhood branches, the Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center, the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center, and an archival center, offering public access to world-class special collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and prints, along with rich digital content and online services.
The Boston Public Library serves nearly 4 million visitors per year and millions more online. All of its programs and exhibitions are free to all and open to the public. The Boston Public Library is a department of the City of Boston, under the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu. To learn more, visit bpl.org.