Boston Public Library

A leading American historian has called the Boston Public Library (BPL) one of the five great libraries of the world. Over 3.5 million people visit the Boston Public Library every year to use its collection of twenty two million books, maps, manuscripts, photographs, prints, drawings and other items. Another eight million people connect with the BPL through its website www.bpl.org to use its services and the growing collection of electronic resources, downloadable media and digitized rare books, maps and manuscripts.

Among its preeminent collections, the BPL holds a first folio by William Shakespeare; original music scores by Mozart, Prokofiev and others; and the personal library of President John Adams. In addition, the BPL is home to the renowned NormanB. Leventhal Map Center, which includes over 200,000 historic maps and 5,000 atlases from all over the world. Over 10,000 programs and classes attract thousands of residents from across diverse neighborhoods and cultural groups. Award winning online and in-library homework assistance sessions, literacy classes, author programs and computer training sessions are also a popular draw.

The BPL is a department of the municipal government of Boston and a statutory charitable organization governed by a board of nine Trustees appointed by the Mayor.