The Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities reminds us that on this day in 1947:
Self-made millionaire John Deferrari donated over $1,000,000 to the Boston Public Library to express his gratitude to the institution he credited with his success. The son of poor Italian immigrants, Defarrari used the library’s resources to transform himself from a hard-working fruit peddler into a wealthy, if eccentric, investor. When the BPL was established in 1848, it was the first publicly supported municipal library in America. It soon introduced a truly revolutionary idea: it allowed people to borrow books. Other innovations followed. In 1870 it opened the first branch library in the United States. In 1895 it was the first to establish a room specifically designated for children.
A pity, though, that the last famous first was in 1895. What new first should our library undertake? 114 years is a long time to ride on one’s laurels.
Discuss
8 Comments . Leave a comment below.How about putting their entire collection online, so that we can search from home and find out what's in there?
Sorry. Google would have paid for it, but the bright lights at BPL couldn't stand the idea of someone, somewhere making money. So BPL has a plan. The plan is that they'll plan to go digital. Some day. When they get the money. Somehow. Did I tell you that Google actually, like, makes money? The world needs to be protected from people like that.
Honestly, I can't say I really ever thought about this but now that you bring it up, the gears start turning.
It was interesting that in the Boston Globe today there was that article about Cushing academy, the prep school in the western part of the state, that they're selling off their libraries in anticipation of everything going digital. I don't know if they jumped the gun or not but it just seems so damned strange. What the heck would a library be without books?
One possibility I suppose--aside from providing its own material in digital format-- is to do more programming sorts of activities -- that is to generate some new content rather than simply being a repository of previously generated stuff. I mean I could see them doing more things with speakers, etc...
It'll certainly be interesting to which how this sort of thing unfolds on a macro scale.
It'd be nice if the library hosted more meetings about non-library issues relevant to the community. Public hearings, discussions, forums, lectures, whatever. Get more people in to the library in the first place.
Oh, and more bike racks near the front please.
I just passed along these fun facts to my son, as I had no idea the BPL was so influential. What a wonderful treasure! Their history should be publicized more and their coffers enriched by appreciative citizens through voluntary donations. I'm amazed. Thanks again.
The BPL is a member of the Association of Research Libraries. According to Wikipedia, the only other public library that is a member is the New York Public Library.
http://www.arl.org/arl/members...
Also, since the BPL is the commonwealth's library of last resort, any resident of Massachusetts can get a BPL library card. This means every resident of the state has access to a university-quality research library if you are willing to travel to Boston.
As for their next first? What do the people really need now?
It was the business oriented BPL branch located at Court Sq. between State (actually Court Street) and School Streets, just behind Old City Hall. When I first started out in business, it was a jewel of a resource. But now I think it's closed, or it's planned to close, victim to internet information access.
The Kirstein's closure raises the question of what the public library's role is in the 21st century. With Google pushing to scan so many titles, whither the BPL?
Except for the fact that the printed book is more enjoyable than the electronic version -- although how will Kindle be accepted -- do we need depositories when eventhing can be put on line?
I have no answer.
Let me just correct a few misconceptions. The BPL has been actively and aggressively digitizing its collections for a few years now in partnership with the Open Content Alliance and the Internet Archive. You can find over 17,000 books from our collections online at http://www.archive.org/details... But we're not just scanning books. We've also got audio recordings and prints available on our site and various other places across the Web like Flickr. See http://bpl.org/online/.
Also, you can request any out-of-copyright titles be scanned for your use at the Open Library project: http://openlibrary.org/.
If you live in Massachusetts, want to use our resources, but can't travel to Boston, you can apply for an eCard online. http://www.bpl.org/general/cir... This allows you to use a multitude of specialized research databases from any location. We take our responsibility as Library of Last Recourse very seriously.
And while the former location closed this summer, the Kirstein Business Library is reopening at the Central Library in Copley Square on September 16. The new location offers twice as much space, more computers, extended hours, and the convenience of being near our other subject research departments. http://www.bpl.org/news/kblope...
Thanks for helping us think of new ways to serve you. Stop by our web site at http://bpl.org to see what's going on at your local branch. And be sure to share your suggestions with us at ask@bpl.org!
Scot Colford Web Services Manager Boston Public Library
Does no one but me think about what happens if the internet isn't there. Perhaps we might need to look to something - and if we had a book we could just open it? I can't believe the world of computers is completely indestructible, and forever dependable.
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