Beyond Copley Square: A Guide to Boston’s Historic Libraries

Boston has long called itself a city of readers, and its libraries back up the claim. The Boston Public Library’s central building gets most of the attention, but the city’s library history is far wider. Winter is a fine time to explore it.

The Boston Athenaeum

Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenaeum is one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States. It began as a gathering place for a literary society and grew into a library, art collection and cultural center. Since 1849 it has occupied a building at 10 1/2 Beacon Street, next to the Granary Burying Ground.

The Athenaeum is a membership library, but it offers some public access, tours and exhibitions. Its quiet reading rooms, with views over the old burying ground, are among the most atmospheric in the city. Check its official site for public hours and what nonmembers can see.

Neighborhood branch libraries

The Boston Public Library’s branch system dates back to 1870, when a branch opened in East Boston. Branches now serve neighborhoods across the city, and several are worth visiting for their architecture or their history.

• Many branches have been renovated in recent years with brighter spaces, community rooms and teen areas.
• Some, like the branches in older neighborhood centers, occupy buildings with long local histories.
• Most offer free programs, from story times to language classes and author talks.

Visiting your own neighborhood branch is the best way to see what is on offer, since programs vary from place to place.

Special collections

Boston is home to libraries and archives that serve researchers and curious readers alike:

• The Massachusetts Historical Society, founded in 1791, is one of the oldest historical societies in the country. It holds papers of the Adams family and much more, and it offers public exhibitions.
• The State Library of Massachusetts, located in the State House, holds government documents and historic records.
• The Mary Baker Eddy Library in the Back Bay is known for the Mapparium, a walk-through stained-glass globe.
• The Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center at the Boston Public Library holds a large collection of historic maps.

Making the most of winter reading

A few ways to turn cold months into reading months:

• Get a library card and try the digital collections for e-books and audiobooks.
• Look up branch book clubs and author events.
• Take a free architecture or art tour at the central library.
• Pick a theme for the season, such as books set in Boston or New England history.

A city built on books

Boston’s libraries reflect a long civic belief that knowledge should be shared. The Athenaeum shows the city’s older private tradition, while the BPL represents the democratic idea that everyone deserves access to books. Both are still open, still useful and still worth a visit on a snowy afternoon. Always check hours and access rules on each institution’s official website before you go.