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| pop_served = 6,547,629 <!--the library serves the entire state of Massachusetts | http://www.bpl.org/general/circulation/borrowers.htm-->
| budget = $31.2 million, plus $8.2 million from trust fund (2013)<ref name="summaryb">{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/02%20Summary%20Budget_adopted-11-15_tcm3-31757.pdf |title=Summary Budget |publisher=City of Boston |year=2012 |access-date=2013-11-16}}</ref>
| director = David Leonard, President<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bpl.org/general/management.htm |publisher=Bpl.org |title=
| num_employees =
| affiliation = [[Boston Library Consortium]]
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[[File:USA-Boston-Public Library5.jpg|thumb|The Chavannes Gallery
The '''Boston Public Library''' is a municipal public [[library system]] in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], founded in 1848.<ref name="WiegandDavis1994">{{cite book|author1=Wayne A. Wiegand|author2=Donald G. Davis|title=Encyclopedia of Library History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WR9bsvhc4XMC&pg=PA85|year=1994|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-8240-5787-9|pages=85–}}</ref> The Boston Public Library is also
This building was designated as a [[Boston Landmark]] by the [[Boston Landmarks Commission]] in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 12, 2000|title=Boston Public Library Boston Landmarks Commission Study Report as is commonly known as the "BBL" with 69 foot tall ceilings in e Bates Study Hall|url=https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/embed/file/2016-11/boston_public_library_central_branch_99.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708204411/https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/embed/file/2016-11/boston_public_library_central_branch_99.pdf |archive-date=2020-07-08 }}</ref>
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[[Image:George Ticknor, by Martin Milmore, Boston Public Library.jpg|thumb|Bust of [[George Ticknor]]]]
[[Image:2350781505 BPL BoylstonSt.jpg|thumb|The Boston Public Library on Boylston Street, which was open between 1858 and 1895 and was demolished 1899]]
[[Image:Reading Room of the Boston Public Library.jpg|thumb|The library's reading room in 1871 at the first Boylston Street building]]
===19th century=== In the mid-19th century, several people were instrumental in the establishment of the Boston Public Library. [[George Ticknor]], a [[Harvard University]] professor and trustee of the [[Boston Athenaeum]], proposed establishing a [[public library]] in Boston beginning as early as 1826. At the time, Ticknor could not generate enough interest. In 1839, [[Alexandre Vattemare]], a
[[Josiah Quincy
Eager to support the library, [[Edward Everett]] collected documents from both houses of [[United States Congress|Congress]], bound them at his own expense, and offered this collection to help establish the new library. At the time of Everett's donation, [[George Ticknor]] became involved in the active planning for the new library.<ref name="McCrann 2005">McCrann 2005.</ref> In 1852, financier [[Joshua Bates (financier)|Joshua Bates]] gave a gift of $50,000 to establish a library in Boston. After Bates' gift was received, Ticknor made lists of what books to purchase. He traveled extensively to purchase books for the library, visit other libraries, and set up book agencies.<ref name="McCrann 2005"/>
To house the collection, a former schoolhouse located on Mason Street was selected as the library's first home. On March 20, 1854, the Reading Room of the Boston Public Library officially opened to the public. The circulation department opened on May 2, 1854.
The opening day collection of 16,000 volumes fit in the Mason Street building, but it quickly became obvious that its quarters were inadequate. So in December 1854, the library's commissioners authorized the library to move to a new building on [[Boylston Street]]. Designed by [[Charles Kirk Kirby]] to hold 240,000 volumes, the imposing [[Italianate]] edifice opened in 1858. Eventually the library outgrew that building as well; in 1878, an examining committee recommended replacing it with a new one at another location.
In 1870, the library opened the East Boston branch, the first branch library in the United States. With the aim of increasing its reach throughout the city and providing services to residents everywhere, the library opened 21 more branches in Boston neighborhoods between 1872 and 1900.<ref name="BPL - History and Description">{{cite web|title=BPL - History and Description|url=http://www.bpl.org/general/history.htm|access-date=2014-06-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626114123/http://www.bpl.org/general/history.htm|archive-date=2014-06-26}}</ref>▼
By 1880, the Massachusetts legislature authorized construction of an even grander library building. A site selected was in [[Back Bay (Boston)|Back Bay]] on [[Copley Square]], the prominent corner of Boylston Street and Dartmouth Street, opposite [[H. H. Richardson|Richardson]]'s [[Trinity Church, Boston|Trinity Church]] and near the first [[Boston Museum of Fine Arts]]. After several years of debate over the selection of the architects and architectural style for the new library, in 1887 the prestigious [[New York City|New York]] firm of [[McKim, Mead, and White]] was chosen to design the new library. In 1888, [[Charles Follen McKim]] proposed a [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance style]] design based on the [[Sainte-Geneviève Library|Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève]] in Paris. The trustees of the library approved, and construction commenced. The vast new reading room was called Bates Hall.
===20th century===
▲In 1870, the library opened the East Boston branch, the first branch library in the United States. With the aim of increasing its reach throughout the city and providing services to residents everywhere, the library opened 21 more branches in Boston neighborhoods between 1872 and 1900.<ref name="BPL - History and Description">{{cite web|title=BPL - History and Description|url=http://www.bpl.org/general/history.htm|access-date=2014-06-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626114123/http://www.bpl.org/general/history.htm|archive-date=2014-06-26}}</ref>
In 1972, the Johnson building opened at the central Copley Square location, adjacent to the McKim building. The addition was designed by American architect [[Philip Johnson]]. In 1986, the National Park Service designated the McKim building as a [[National Historic Landmark]].<ref name="BPL - History and Description"/>
===
{{As of|2006}}, the Library has had staffing and funding levels for conservation below that of its peers: the BPL's staff of two full-time conservators is significantly less than the thirty-five employed at the New York Public Library. Many colonial records and John Adams manuscripts are brittle, decaying, and so in need of attention that the Library's acting Keeper of Rare Books and Manuscripts said that "they are falling apart."<ref>{{cite news|last=MacQuarrie |first=Brian |title=Library lacks means to repair old tomes |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=2006-10-06 |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/10/06/library_lacks_means_to_repair_old_tomes?mode=PF |access-date=2006-10-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322054913/http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/10/06/library_lacks_means_to_repair_old_tomes?mode=PF |archive-date=March 22, 2007 }}</ref>
In 2011, the library completed a strategic plan, the BPL Compass, which featured eight community-identified "Principles for Excellence". The principles in the plan and all of the related outcomes were the result of a two-year community engagement process for which Boston Public Library received national recognition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Compass Strategic Plan|url=http://www.bpl.org/compass/strategic-plan/|publisher=BPL|access-date=2 January 2014}}</ref>
In
In 2013, the library unveiled its Collections of Distinction, an initial group of 18 collections that represent the most outstanding, expansive, and renowned of its holdings. Boston Public Library gives priority to Collections of Distinction with respect to public access, acquisition, digitization, preservation, and staff development.<ref>{{cite web|title=Collections of Distinction|url=http://www.bpl.org/distinction/|publisher=BPL|access-date=2 January 2014}}</ref>
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In fall 2013, the city, in coordination with the library, began a renovation of the Central Library's Johnson building.<ref name="bpl.org">{{cite web|title=BPL - Central Library Renovation Fact Sheet|url=http://www.bpl.org/compass/files/2013/12/BPL-central-library-renovation-fact-sheet-11.2013hr.pdf|access-date=2014-06-24}}</ref> In February 2015, the first phase of renovation opened on the Johnson building's second floor, including the new Children's Library, Teen Central, a community reading area, and the Adult Reference area. The renovated second floor cost a total of $18 million. The second phase of the Johnson building renovations opened in the summer 2016 and included the first floor, mezzanine, and exterior.<ref name="Cook">{{cite web|last = Cook|first = Greg| title = Research: First Look Inside The Boston Library's Astonishing, Colorful Renovation| url = http://artery.wbur.org/2015/02/21/boston-library-renovation| access-date = 26 June 2015}}</ref>
In 2017, the Boston Public Library received joint awards from both the [[American Institute of Architects]] (AIA) and the [[American Library Association]] (ALA) for the Central Library Renovation of its Johnson Building, and for the East Boston Branch.<ref>[https://www.bpl.org/news/mayor-walsh-announces-jamaica-plain-library-grand-opening-new-and-ongoing-capital-library-funding/ "Mayor Walsh Announces Jamaica Plain Library Grand Opening; New and Ongoing Capital Library Funding"], Press Release, Boston Public Library, May 1, 2017; access date 8 September 2019</ref>
In 2017, the library had 3,818,883 visitors to all locations; 4,933,786 items borrowed; and 9,839,461 visits to its website. The library also gained 82,911 new library card holders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bpl.org/general/about/stats.htm|title=BPL - BPL by the Numbers|website=www.bpl.org|access-date=2018-04-01|archive-date=2014-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202125225/http://www.bpl.org/general/about/stats.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2019, supporters of the library established a new philanthropic fund: The Fund for the Boston Public Library, announced by Mayor [[Marty Walsh]]. It began with a $2.8 million investment by "Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Barr Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Liberty Mutual Foundation, State Street Foundation, Inc. and an anonymous donor."
==Central Library==
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===McKim building===
[[File:USA Boston Public Library 2 MA.jpg|thumb|right|McKim Building, Copley Square, Boston, 2005]]▼
[[File:Boston Public Library Reading Room.jpg|thumb|McKim Building's Bates Hall in 2013]]▼
{{Main|Boston Public Library, McKim Building}}
▲[[File:USA Boston Public Library 2 MA.jpg|thumb|
▲[[File:Boston Public Library Reading Room.jpg|thumb|
The McKim building houses the BPL's research collection.<ref name="factsheet" />
===Johnson building===
[[Image:Johnson building bpl.jpg|thumb|
Designed by [[Philip Johnson]], this late [[modernism|modernist]] addition,
▲Designed by [[Philip Johnson]], this late [[modernism|modernist]] addition (which somewhat anticipated [[Postmodern architecture|postmodernist architecture]]) was built in 1967–1971 and opened in 1972. The Johnson building reflects similar proportions, and is built of the same pink [[Milford granite (Massachusetts)|Milford granite]] as the McKim building.
Upon opening, the Johnson building became the home for the
==Current services==
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* [[Brighton, Boston|Brighton]]
** '''Brighton Branch''', 40 Academy Hill Road, Brighton. Branch service in Brighton began when the town was annexed to the city of Boston in 1874 and the Brighton Social Library became part of the Boston Public Library. That year also saw the collection move from the former town hall to a new library building named for James Holton, a prominent Brighton resident. A new branch building opened on the same location in 1969. In 2018, the library reopened after undergoing extensive renovations for almost two years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Brighton|url=https://www.bpl.org/about-brighton/|access-date=2021-11-13|website=www.bpl.org|language=en-US}}</ref>
** '''Faneuil Branch''', 419 Faneuil Street, Brighton. Located in Oak Square, the art-deco style building replaced a temporary location on nearby Brooks Street in 1931.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Faneuil|url=https://www.bpl.org/about-faneuil/|access-date=2021-11-13|website=www.bpl.org|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2020, the branch temporarily closed for extensive renovations. It is expected to reopen by the end of 2022
[[Image:2009 HonanBranch public library Boston.jpg|thumb|Honan-Allston Branch, 2009]]
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[[Category:1848 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:19th century in Boston]]
[[Category:Boston Government Agencies]]
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