BOSTON, MA – December 15, 2025 – The Boston Public Library (BPL) is capping off a year of milestones by releasing its 2025 end-of-year wrap-up, highlighting major achievements and community impact. Among the BPL’s key milestones were opening its first major exhibition in almost a decade; expanding access to digital collections through AI-enhanced digitization; launching its first-ever collaborative limited-edition library card; expanding workforce support for English-language learners; receiving the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Collaborative Achievement Award; and kickstarting the planning process for the renovation of the Central Library’s historic McKim building – all reinforcing the BPL’s mission to inspire curiosity, foster creativity, and serve as a dynamic, welcoming space for learning, connection, and community engagement.
In 2025, the BPL lent a combined 7.5 million physical and digital items, welcomed more than 3.2 million people to its locations throughout Boston’s neighborhoods, provided Wi-Fi access to 1.4 million users, facilitated 310,423 accesses to online resources and databases, and signed up 129,745 new library cardholders.
The Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center (KBLIC) hosted more than 10 thousand meetings in professional, private environments and completed 732 3D print jobs for patrons at no cost. Community Learning served more than 12 thousand patrons through English Language Learning classes and resources and provided personalized career counseling support to 450 individuals. Meanwhile, 179 couples celebrated accessible and affordable Wedding Ceremonies at the Central Library in Copley Square.
Special Collections welcomed more than 26 thousand visitors to its Revolution! exhibition, expanded access by cataloging over 27 thousand rare books and music scores, and supported researchers by answering nearly 3 thousand reference questions. The department also grew its holdings with 1,730 rare books and manuscripts, 16 pieces of art, and more than 50 linear feet of archival collections—including its oldest new acquisition, a book from 1471.
Digital Services expanded public access to the Commonwealth’s cultural heritage, delivering 1.8 million item views and more than 101 thousand downloads on Digital Commonwealth. The team digitized over 26 thousand new items and added over 48 thousand historical newspaper issues – totaling more than 767 thousand pages – to make even more of the state’s history freely available online.
“In 2025, the Boston Public Library expanded digital access, opened new exhibitions, and deepened support for learners, jobseekers, families, and creatives across the city,” said David Leonard, President of the BPL. “These milestones underscore the BPL’s vital role as a place of opportunity and connection. I’m grateful to our exceptional staff, partners, and the millions of patrons who bring the BPL to life, and I look forward to the work ahead as we reimagine our historic spaces and broaden access for every resident of the Commonwealth and beyond.”
The BPL's Reader Services Department has also published its annual list of the top borrowed titles of the year; as well as top borrowed titles for adults, juveniles, and teens; and the staff's favorite books of the year.
The Top 10 Checked Out Books in 2025, opens a new window, across print and digital, were:
- Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros
- A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas
- Happy Place, Emily Henry
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Sunrise on the Reaping, Suzanne Collins
- The Women, Kristin Hannah
- Shield of Sparrows, Devney Perry
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
“The most-borrowed titles of 2025 span a mix of genres, settings, and storytelling styles, yet they share one clear thread: new releases from authors building stronger connections with readers” said Melissa Andrews, BPL’s Chief of Collection Management. “This shows that readers continue to seek out stories offering both familiarity and connection, returning to worlds and voices they love while discovering something new that grows and evolves with them. That sense of shared reading was especially evident with Onyx Storm, which was borrowed more than 9,000 times this year.”
Top Five Reads, Listens, and Views:
Top Adult Books:
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
- James, Percival Everett
- Full List
Top Teen Books
- Sunrise on the Reaping, Suzanne Collins
- Throne of Glass, Sarah J. Maas
- Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson
- The Cruel Prince, Holly Black
- Full List
Top Juvenile Books:
- Cat Kid Comic Club: Influencers, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Claudia and the Bad Joke, Arley Nopra
- Hot Mess, Jeff Kinney
- Baby-sitters Little Sister: Karen’s Sleepover, Katy Farina
- Full List
Top World Language Books
- Rizos, Claribel A. Ortega
- 작별 하지 않는다, Han Kang
- Jwèt Tibebe, Skye Silver
- 南渡北归, Nan Yue
- Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- Full List
Top eBooks:
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb
- Happy Place, Emily Henry
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Full List
Top eAudiobooks:
- Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros
- Shield of Sparrows, Devney Perry
- Pretty Girls, Karin Slaughter
- Home Is Where the Bodies Are, Jeneva Rose
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Full List
Top DVDs:
- Captain America
- Joker, Folie À Deux
- Kraven, the Hunter
- Dog Man
- Black Panther, Wakanda Forever
- Full List
Top Visual Media Streamed (Kanopy):
- Pride and Prejudice
- Miss Marple: S1
- Blackshore
- Six Four
- Sherwood
- Full List
Interested in getting a BPL card? Visit bpl.org/get-a-library-card/ for more information.
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Top Books Checked Out at Each Open Location:
Adams Street
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Wings of Fire, Tui Sutherland
Brighton
- Sunrise on the Reaping, Suzanne Collins
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
Central Library in Copley Square
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
- Sunrise on the Reaping, Suzanne Collins
- Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Charlestown
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Women, Kristin Hannah
Chinatown
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, Dav Pilkey
- The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt
- Hot Mess, Jeff Kinney
- Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros
Codman Square
- James, Percival Everett
- Dog Man and Cat Kid, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- We Are in a Book!, Mo Willems
- The Life Impossible, Matt Haig
Connolly
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, James McBride
- James, Percival Everett
- All Fours, Miranda July
- The Women, Kristin Hannah
East Boston
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Scarlet Shedder, Dav Pilkey
- Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros
Egleston Square
- Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, Dav Pilkey
- FGTeev Blasts Off!, FGTeeV
- Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea, Dav Pilkey
- FGTeev Saves the World!, FGTeeV
- Frizzy, Claribel A. Ortega
Faneuil
- The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- Long Island Compromise, Taffy Brodesser-Akner
- Wandering Stars, Tommy Orange
Grove Hall
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Hot Mess, Jeff Kinney
- No Brainer, Jeff Kinney
- Cat Kid Comic Club, Dav Pilkey
- Karen’s Birthday, Katy Farina
Honan-Allston
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
- The Women, Kristin Hannah
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Hyde Park
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- James, Percival Everett
- Cat Kid Comic Club: Influencers, Dav Pilkey
- Claudia and the Bad Joke, Arley Nopra
- Dog Days, Jeff Kinney
Jamaica Plain
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- All Fours, Miranda July
- James, Percival Everett
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
Lower Mills
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- The Scarlet Shedder, Dav Pilkey
- The Frozen River, Ariel Lawhon
- The Boyfriend, Freida McFadden
- The Crash, Freida McFadden
Mattapan
- James, Percival Everett
- Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, Dav Pilkey
- Cat Kid Comic Club: Influencers, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- I Will Take a Nap!, Mo Willems
North End
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
Parker Hill
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- The Scarlet Shedder, Dav Pilkey
- Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, Dav Pilkey
Roslindale
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- All Fours, Miranda July
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, Dav Pilkey
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
Shaw-Roxbury
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas
- The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins
- Class Action, John Patrick Green
- Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros
South Boston
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Women, Kristin Hannah
Uphams Corner
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar
- Peoples of the World: Latin Americans, Joyce Moss
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
West End
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
- Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- James, Percival Everett
- Sunrise on the Reaping, Suzanne Collins
West Roxbury
- The Wedding People, Alison Espach
- James, Percival Everett
- Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
- The Women, Kristin Hannah
- The God of the Woods, Liz Moore
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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.