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The Boston Public Library is one of the most important public institutions in this city. Though it holds an impressive collection of books and has 25 neighborhood branches to visit, some of the best perks of having a library card aren’t about reading at all. These are just a few of the incredible (and free!) resources you can access via the Boston Public Library.
Free and discounted admission to museums
This is one of the most advertised perks of your BPL card. Every month the library has a certain number of free and reduced admission passes to museums like the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Museum of Science and more. You can reserve one pass per 30 days in person or online.
Book free meeting space
There are tons of options for free meeting spaces at the BPL Central. For last-minute small meetings of 3-5 people or just to work on your own in a quiet space, book one of the Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center Alcoves. Or, you can book a larger space for presentations, group video conferencing, lectures and more.
Use a 3-D printer
Use the 3-D printer at the library to make your dream designs come to life—for free! There are some guidelines: you need to reserve the space in advance, use a certain tile type and the printer can only accommodate designs of a certain size and complexity. But for burgeoning designers and engineers, this is an absolutely unbeatable resource.
PHOTO: CELINA COLBY
Get a custom reading list
Need help finding new books? The BPL librarians have your back! Fill out a brief questionnaire, input your library card and within a few days a librarian will e-mail you a custom reading list of 3-5 items based on your preferences.
Record oral histories
Oral histories are interviews done for the purpose of historical research and they can be incredibly important in providing information about what a time period or event was like from people who lived it. You can check out an Oral History Backpack from the library with all the audio equipment needed to record this type of interview.
Check out a WiFi hotspot
That’s right, you can borrow a WiFi hotspot from the BPL for up to 21 days and it works anywhere in the continental U.S. These hotspots are intended for use by patrons who don’t otherwise have sufficient access to Internet for their educational needs.
Check out books (and movies, and audiobooks, and more…)
This seems like obvious, but you can borrow so much more than just physical books from the library. In addition to checking out physical books, movies, music and more, you can borrow and stream all those things online as well. Check out audiobooks via Libby and movies and music on Hoopla and Kanopy.
Get things notarized
Getting something notarized is one of those pesky but important bureaucratic processes that can be a real headache. Not anymore! The BPL Central Branch and select neighborhood branches have notaries on site to take care of this for you.
Print documents
On the rare occasion that you still need to print something, the BPL has you covered. For a very minimal cost (20 cents per black and white sheet 60 cents per color sheet) you can print whatever documents you need. Every Boston Public Library cardholder gets $20 of print credits free every month.
Get small business mentorship
The BPL has tons of resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Get a free consultation with an attorney, reap advice from a seasoned mentor and access lots of online information about getting grants and funding for your business.
Visit the Nutrition Lab
The Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library is home to its only Nutrition Lab, a center of nutrition and culinary literacy that hosts cooking classes, lectures, and a chef-in-residence program. Glorya Fernandez is the current, and inaugural, chef-in-residence.
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