As long as there has been a Boston Public Library, works on local and family history have been collected. While many libraries have family and local history collections for the town in which they are located, Boston Public Library’s collection is unique in that it includes all of Massachusetts and most of New England. The Local and Family History Collection includes more than 30,000 wide-ranging materials from the 17th–21st centuries. Close to 6,000 items relate to individual families, and...
The Interlibrary Loan Department at the Boston Public Library serves as headquarters for interlibrary loan activity in the Boston Regional Library System. The Department receives requests from the six regional libraries in Massachusetts. These libraries send requests on behalf of their member libraries. These libraries send in requests for books and journal articles. They also can send reference and subject requests. The staff of the Interlibrary Loan Department searches for these requests in...
Topic: BPL Interlibrary Loan
Anti-Slavery collection (approximately 40,000 pieces). In the late 1890's, the family of William Lloyd Garrison, along with others closely involved in the anti-slavery movement, presented the library with a major gathering of correspondence, documents, and other original material relating to the abolitionist cause from 1832 until after the Civil War. The major holdings consist of the papers of William Lloyd Garrison, Maria Weston Chapman and Deborah Weston, Lydia Maria Child, Amos Augustus...
Topics: Anti Slavery, William Lloyd Garrison, Abolition
The Thomas Pennant Barton Collection is acknowledged as one of the largest and most comprehensive collections in a public institution focusing on the writings of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. The collection was the first in the United States to include the first four folios of the collected works of William Shakespeare, as well as some 45 early quarto editions of individual plays, many published during Shakespeare’s lifetime. As the preeminent Shakespeare collection from...
Topics: shakespeare, Thomas Pennant Barton, Boston Public Library
The BPL’s incunabula collection embodies the varied output of the 15th-century European printing press. As of February, 2020, the collection is comprised of 583 physical items printed during the 15th century, the majority of which are books (issued either individually or as parts of multi-volume sets). The collection also contains a small number of single-sheet publications, blockbooks, and fragments of books that merit individual cataloging. In total, there are 555 discrete 15th-century...
The Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library cares for more than a quarter million cartographic and geographic objects, ranging from the fifteenth century to the present, with a global scope and a focus on Boston and New England. Created in 2004 as a private-public partnership between the philanthropist Norman B. Leventhal and the Boston Public Library, the LMEC is located in the McKim Building at the BPL ’ s Central Library in Copley Square. The LMEC features a...
The Houghton Mifflin Company Trade Book Archival Collection is comprised of Trade Division materials that were originally kept in the Park Street building, which the company occupied from 1880 to 1994, before being donated to the Boston Public Library. The company’s editors used this collection as their working library. The collection includes adult and juvenile titles as well as reference materials, audio, and kits from Houghton Mifflin, Clarion, and other Houghton Mifflin Harcourt imprints.
This collection provides access to materials published by the Boston Public Library, critical administrative records of the library, and collection documentation, including printed finding aids, card catalogs, procedural guidelines, etc.
Covering the years 1780 through 1821, this collection of Boston tax records is organized by year and ward. Beginning in 1802, the records for each year are generally divided into three main categories: taking books, tax books, and transfer books. Taking books (referred to as “valuation books” beginning in 1818) follow the order of the tax assessors' progress through each ward, street-by-street, and record names of individual residents or businesses, assessed values of realty and personalty,...
The Ticknor Library of Spanish and Portuguese literature is a 10,000-volume collection that covers many aspects of Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American literature and history, including books on art, science, law, and theology. As a collection, the Ticknor Collection is remarkable for its completeness in all that pertains to Spanish literature and belles lettres. Many of these volumes are first editions and handwritten manuscripts that are exceedingly rare. The materials are primarily in...
Comprised chiefly of individual editions of English stage plays issued between 1594 and 1799, the Boston Public Library's collection of early English playbooks is extensive and diverse. Numbering well over 1,500 items, the collection also includes masques, pageants, and other dramatic entertainments. Critical funding to support long-term preservation of and enhanced public access to Boston Public Library collections, including this one, was provided by the Associates of the Boston Public...
Material for this collection has been contributed by the Boston Public Library.
The Boston Public Library has an extensive collection of original manuscripts from the American Revolutionary War era. The letters and documents were drafted by John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, James Otis, Joseph Warren, George Washington and other important Revolutionary War figures. The materials are mostly of American origin, but also include British, European, and West Indian sources. Some of the topics covered include the war’s political origins, the unfolding of military and...
These Catholic directories provide information about the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
119,969
120K
1921
1921
by
Lutz, Edwin George, b. 1868
texts
eye 119,969
favorite 804
comment 2
OCLC number: ocm07014379
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 2 reviews )
Topic: Drawing
Defoe & Defoeana The William P. Trent Collection of Defoe and Defoeana is one of the most comprehensive collections of Daniel Defoe and his contemporaries. In addition to writing some of the first English novels, Defoe was a prolific political pamphleteer and is considered by many to be a founder of modern journalism. The nucleus of this 30,000-volume collection is a set of first editions of Defoe’s works, bound in 77 volumes and formerly owned by Henry Labouchère. There are hundreds of...
25,694
26K
1861
1861
by
Jacobs, Harriet A. (Harriet Ann), 1813-1897; Child, Mrs. (Lydia Maria), 1802-1880, ed
texts
eye 25,694
favorite 61
comment 1
Preface signed: Linda Brent
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
45,904
46K
1874
1874
by
Pigafetta, Antonio, ca. 1480/91-ca. 1534. Primo viaggio intorno al globo terraqueo. English; Stanley, Henry Edward John Stanley, Baron, 1827-1903
texts
eye 45,904
favorite 56
comment 0
Includes bibliographical references and indexes
Topics: Magalhães, Fernão de, d. 1521, Voyages around the world
Source: bplgrhum
Preface signed: Joseph S. Harris
Topic: Smith family
5,373
5.4K
1918
1918
by
Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745; Kirk, Maria Louise, b. 1860, ill
texts
eye 5,373
favorite 12
comment 0
Illustrated lining-papers
The Philip Hale scrapbooks contain letters and programs, along with clippings with reviews and criticisms written by Hale and others, all compiled by Hale. There are 60 volumes organized by year, as well as two separate index volumes.
The Benton Collection of Editions of the Book of Common Prayer was bequeathed by Josiah H. Benton in 1919. Benton was a trustee of the Boston Public Library from 1894 until his death on February 6, 1917, and served for many years as President of the Trustees of the Library. He bestowed much of his fortune to purchase books of “permanent value and authority, desirable for scholarly research and use,” and an equal amount of money for additions and improvement to the Library building. In...
130,380
130K
1921
1921
by
Johnson, Samuel, d. 1901; Johnson, O. (Obadiah)
texts
eye 130,380
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comment 2
OCLC number: ocm07397140
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 2 reviews )
Topic: Yoruba (African people)
5,134
5.1K
1902
1902
by
Jacobs, Joseph, 1854-1916, ed; Batten, John Dickson, 1860-1932, ill
texts
eye 5,134
favorite 52
comment 0
OCLC number: ocm02530838
Topics: Fairy tales, Folklore
The Improper Bostonian was a glossy lifestyle magazine first published in August 1991 "highlighting the people and places that make Boston a world-class city." After 28 years, publisher Wendy Semonian Eppich announced that the magazine ceased publication effective April 25, 2019. The magazine came out bi-weekly and reported on the area trends in a young and entertaining way. The magazine was a staple in Greater Boston, distributed free at kiosks within city limits, and available via a...
9,808
9.8K
1923
1923
by
Falls, C. B. (Charles Buckles), 1874-1960
texts
eye 9,808
favorite 50
comment 0
Index: p. 227-235
Topic: Wright family
10,978
11K
1751
1751
by
Luiken, Caspar, 1672-1708, artist; Luiken, Jan, 1649-1712, artist; Weigel, Christopher, fl. 1712, engraver
texts
eye 10,978
favorite 17
comment 0
This is the first edition of the famous "Elizabethan Bible" published during the reign of Empress Elisabeth Petrovna (1709-1761) and represents the so-called "corrected text" of the first edition of the Bible issued in Slavonic characters by Ivan Fedorov in Ostrog, (Volhynia) in the year 1581. See Darlowe and Moule
First published in l9l8 by L. N. Fowler, London and Advanced Thought Pub. Co., Chicago
Topic: Attention
v. : 23 cm
Topics: Sight-singing, Singing -- Studies and exercises
The Boston Public Library holds a significant collection of books from the earliest years of English printing, including works from the presses of William Caxton, Richard Pynson, Wynkyn De Worde, and others.
22,683
23K
1923
1923
by
Johnson, Henry Lewis
texts
eye 22,683
favorite 384
comment 2
''Book reference list'':p. [192-193]
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 2 reviews )
Topics: Printing, Book ornamentation, Decoration and ornament
[4] p., 130 leaves of plates : 37 cm
Topics: Monograms, Initials
A collection of book lists created and curated by Boston Public Library librarians. It includes: Black Is... (1973-), published in observance of Black History Month and featuring books concerning the African American experience; Latinx Life (2003-), published in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month and featuring books concerning the Latinx experience; We Are Pride (2017-), published in observance of Pride Month and featuring books concerning the diverse experiences of the LGBTQ+...
Also includes ''The story of Topsy'' from Uncle Tom's Cabin
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 5 reviews )
Source: bplill
16,261
16K
1904
1904
by
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles, 1871-1928
texts
eye 16,261
favorite 161
comment 1
Title in red and black
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
Topic: Heraldry
Source: Gen Ref
9,059
9.1K
1798
1798
by
Caslon, William, 1754-1833
texts
eye 9,059
favorite 155
comment 0
Issued with: 'A specimen of cast ornaments', London, 1798
Topic: Printing
This collection contains scans of the manuscript main entry catalog for the Boston Public Library Rare Books & Manuscripts Department. The main entry catalog is the best place to search for manuscripts. It contains approximately 130,000 cards, filed in alphabetical order by author name. Where no author is known, cards are filed alphabetically by title. Manuscripts related to certain special subjects, like “abolitionism,” or “music” are filed under author's name, as well as subject....
The John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library
11,332
11K
1570
1570
by
John Adams Library (Boston Public Library) MB (BRL); Estienne, Henri, 1531-1598, printer; Estienne, Henri, 1531-1598, ed; Canter, Willem, 1542-1575, tr; Traversari, Ambrogio, 1386-1439, tr; Adams, John, 1735-1826, former owner
texts
eye 11,332
favorite 15
comment 1
John Adams Library copy has plate on verso facing t.p., v. 1: "Relie par crucifix Mtre. Relieur Rue St. Jean de Beauvais pres l'Eglise, A Paris." Inscribed on t.p., v. 1: "Petrus Colladon." Inscribed on first leaf, v. 1-2: "John Adams 1784 Paris."
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
Topics: Philosophers, Ancient, Philosophy, Ancient, Pythagoras and Pythagorean school
Scientific American began publishing its Architects and Builders Edition in 1885. From 1895 through 1901, it was known as the Building Edition, and then as the Scientific American Building Monthly from 1902 through 1905. It was replaced by American Homes and Gardens.
15,679
16K
1854
1854
by
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862; Carew, Thomas, 1595?-1639?
texts
eye 15,679
favorite 47
comment 0
Title vignette (Thoreau's hut at Walden Pond); the plan is a water depth chart of Walden Pond, 1846, opposite p. 307
Topic: United States. Massachusetts. Boston. 1854
14,173
14K
1922
1922
by
Joyce, James, 1882-1941; Rodker, John, 1894-1955, publisher; Darantière, Maurice, printer; Egoist Press, publisher
texts
eye 14,173
favorite 67
comment 1
"This edition is limited to 2000 copies on handmade paper numbered from 1 to 2000"--Prelim. p. [9]
favoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
Topics: City and town life, Married people, Jewish men, Artists
xvi, 236 p. ; 20 cm
Topic: Erotic literature
Source: bplill
This collection contains scans of catalog cards comprising the chronological file for printed materials the BPL Rare Books and Manuscripts Department.
691, [7] p. 27 cm
Topics: Boone family, Boone, Daniel, 1734-1820
7,227
7.2K
1868
1868
by
Ramée, D. (Daniel), 1806-1887
texts
eye 7,227
favorite 0
comment 0
Includes indexes
Topic: Architecture
Source: bplfr
28,839
29K
1918
1918
by
Hannigan, Francis James, b. 1880
texts
eye 28,839
favorite 1
comment 0
"An index, by author and by title, under one alphabet ... of all the short stories published in ... American magazines."--Preface
Topic: Short stories
Source: bplgrsci
34,136
34K
1724
1724
by
Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731; Johnson, Charles, fl. 1724-1731
texts
eye 34,136
favorite 137
comment 0
Attribution to Defoe is based on internal textual relationship to his works of proven authorship together with supporting external evidence. Cf. J.H. Moore. Defoe in the pillory. Bloomington, Ind., 1939, p. 126-188
Topic: Pirates
Source: bplsc
6,281
6.3K
1894
1894
by
Ranhofer, Charles
texts
eye 6,281
favorite 26
comment 0
Added t.-p., engraved
Topics: Cookery, American, Cookery, French, Menus, cbk
[1] v.1.- Court orders 1633-1640, v.2 - Court orders 1641-1651; [2] v.3 - Court orders 1651-1661, v.4 - Court orders 1661-1668; [3] v.5 - Court orders 1668-1678, v. 6 - Court orders 1678-1691; [4] V.7 - Judicial arts.1636-01692, v.8 - Misc. records 1633-1689; [5] v.9 - Acts of the Commissioners 1643-1651, v.10 - Acts of the Commissioners 1653-1679; [6] v. 11 - Laws 1623-1682, v.12 - Deeds & c. 1620-1651
Topics: Registers of births, etc. -- Massachusetts, Indians of North America -- Massachusetts History...
The major part of this distinguished collection is comprised of religious and devotional texts, but there are also a number of secular and scientific titles. Many are superbly illuminated with exquisite miniatures illustrating the codices and single leaves. Some noteworthy volumes include a 10th-century Lectionary from the Benedictine Abbey of St. Allyre in Clermont, the earliest codex in New England; a Spanish Psalter consisting of 14 miniatures on vellum by Simon Bening, the most famous...
23,605
24K
1917
1917
by
Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910; Chertkov, V. G. (Vladimir Grigorevich), 1854-1936
texts
eye 23,605
favorite 27
comment 0
Russian edition edited by V. Chertkov
Topics: Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910, Novelists, Russian
Boston Public Library Interlibrary Loan
20,180
20K
1898
1898
by
Camden, William, 1551-1623; Philipot, John, 1589?-1645; Hovenden, Robert, 1830-1908; Harleian Society
texts
eye 20,180
favorite 24
comment 0
Includes index
Topics: Visitations, Heraldic, Heraldry
"Genealogical, historical and biographical."
Topics: Mitchell family, Genealogy
Source: BPL Soc Sci
13,738
14K
Mar 26, 2023
03/23
by
Mesureur, G
texts
eye 13,738
favorite 200
comment 1
Consists of designs for embroidery on linen
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
Topic: Embroidery
16,554
17K
1926
1926
by
Boston Public Library
texts
eye 16,554
favorite 7
comment 0
Title from cover
Topics: Boston Public Library, Bibliography, Classified catalogs, Catalogs
xxxiii, 266 pages ; 23 cm
Topics: AIDS (Disease) -- Popular works, AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment, AIDS (Disease) -- Miscellanea
26,104
26K
1918
1918
by
Hannigan, Francis James, b. 1880
texts
eye 26,104
favorite 3
comment 0
"An index, by author and by title, under one alphabet ... of all the short stories published in ... American magazines."--Preface
Topic: Short stories
Source: bplgrsci
24,717
25K
1882
1882
by
Dresser, Christopher
texts
eye 24,717
favorite 179
comment 1
xi, 467 p. : 23 cm
( 1 reviews )
Topics: Architecture -- Japan, Art, Japanese, Decorative arts -- Japan, Japan -- Description and travel
53,068
53K
1908
1908
by
Smith, Jacqueline Harrison
texts
eye 53,068
favorite 121
comment 2
383 p. ; 23 cm
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 2 reviews )
Topics: Cookery, American, cbk
Bound in gold cloth ; stamped in gold and brown ; decorated endpapers
favoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
974 p. 24 cm
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
Topic: Baldwin family
Translation of: L'âme humaine
Topics: Soul, Aura
Source: bplill
"350 copies, octavo. 10 copies quarto."
Topics: Conant family, Conant, Roger, 1592-1679
Source: bplsocsci
8,906
8.9K
1915
1915
by
Jacobson & Company
texts
eye 8,906
favorite 97
comment 0
On cover: Architectural and decorative ornaments
Topics: Plaster, Decoration and ornament, Architectural
Source: BPL_scan_for_me
7,886
7.9K
1926
1926
by
Boston Public Library
texts
eye 7,886
favorite 5
comment 0
Title from cover
Topics: Boston Public Library, Bibliography, Classified catalogs, Catalogs
22,167
22K
1965
1965
by
Crollalanza, G. B. di (Giovanni Battista di), 1819-1892
texts
eye 22,167
favorite 13
comment 0
Reprint of 1886-1890 ed
Topics: Heraldry, Nobility
37,697
38K
1965
1965
by
Crollalanza, G. B. di (Giovanni Battista di), 1819-1892
texts
eye 37,697
favorite 21
comment 0
Reprint of 1886-1890 ed
Topics: Heraldry, Nobility
56,627
57K
1905
1905
by
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles, 1871-1928
texts
eye 56,627
favorite 46
comment 1
Photocopy
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews )
Topic: Heraldry -- Great Britain
716
716
2006
2006
by
Bechdel, Alison, 1960- author
texts
eye 716
favorite 23
comment 0
232 pages : 24 cm
Topics: Bechdel, Alison, 1960- -- Childhood and youth -- Comic books, strips, etc, Bechdel, Alison, 1960-,...
Paged continuously
Topics: Phelps family, Phelps, William, 1599-1672
This collection contains scans of shelf list catalog cards for printed materials the BPL Rare Books and Manuscripts Department. Cards in this collection are organized by call number.
This, the first edition of the collected plays of William Shakespeare, is commonly known as the First Folio. Printed in London and issued in 1623 by Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount, the First Folio contains 36 plays, 18 of which had never before appeared in print, including Macbeth, The Tempest, and Julius Caesar. Before the First Folio, a number of Shakespeare's plays had been published in various smaller formats that frequently contained significant textual divergences between editions.
38,076
38K
1976
1976
by
United States. Congress. Senate. Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities; Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
texts
eye 38,076
favorite 28
comment 0
Vol. 3-6 lack subtitle
Topics: Intelligence service, Civil rights
Source: bplgovdocs
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
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Understanding 9/11
