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THE  BOSTON  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ANNUAL  REPORT 


For  the  Year  Ending  June  30,  1992 


DOCUMENT    1  5 


THE  TRUSTEES  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  OF  THE  CITY  OF  BOSTON 


Trustees  of  the  Public  Library  of  the 
City  of  Boston 

William  M.  Bulger,  President 
Arthur  F.  F.  Snyder,  Vice  President 
Robert  W.  Consalvo 
Berthe'  M.  Gaines 
William  O.  Taylor 


Director  and  Librarian 
Arthur  Curley 


Cover  photo:  Harvard  University  Center 
for  Conservation  and  Technical  Studies; 
photo  p. 8:  Hutchms  Photography  Inc.; 
photo  p.  10:  Diane  Asse'o  Griliches; 
photo  p.  12:  Mike  Anderson 


Copyright  ©  1994  The  Trustees  of  the 
Public  Library  of  the  City  of  Boston 


Contents 


Foreword  5 

Director's  Introduction  7 

Return  to  Grandeur  9 

The  Research  Library  10 

Community  Library  Services  13 

Attention  to  Special  Constituencies  14 

Programs  1 7 

Exhibitions  18 

The  Library  as  Publishing  House  20 

Grants  21 

Gifts  in  Kind  21 

Monetary  Gifts  23 

Partners  of  the  Boston  Public  Library  23 

Friends  of  Branch  Libraries  23 

City-Wide  Friends  23 

Associates  of  the  Boston  Public  Library  24 

Boston  Public  Library  Foundation  24 

Volunteers  24 

Partners  in  Programming  25 

A  Concluding  Observation  26 

Committees,  Councils,  and  Boards  27 

Library  Resources  and  Use  29 

Library  Expenditures  31 


Foreword 


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I  HE  term  "constituency"  has  always  been  the  key  concentration  of 
pohticians.  Webster  calls  it  "a  body  of  citizens  entitled  to  elect  a 

I  representative";  but  a  still  broader  definition  is  "the  people... 
served  by  an  organization."  Thus,  the  art  museum  serves  lovers  of  art;  the 
symphony,  devotees  of  music;  the  hospital,  the  injured  or  ailing.  To  the 
library  belongs  the  broadest-based  constituency  of  all:  virtually  everyone, 
the  full  range  of  people  in  age,  economy,  ethnicity,  education. 

At  the  time  of  the  Boston  Public  Library's  centennial  anniversary  in  1952, 
Boston's  distinguished  poet  David  McCord  walked  through  the  halls  of 
the  Library  and  described  the  people  he  saw  there:  "...the  anxious  youth 
and  the  happy  octogenarian  rub  elbows  at  the  reading  table.  The  escapist 
IS  there. ..the  lonely  wife  and  the  ambitious  secretary.. .the  phrase 
hunter.. .the  man  in  search  of  his  home-town  newspaper  and  the  high  school 
girl  in  quest  of  a  light  in  a  terrible  mid-year  darkness."  And  today  we  would 
surely  remember  the  homeless  man  who  wrote  in  the  Boston  Globe  how 
a  summer  in  the  stacks  transformed  his  world. 

This  year  we  are  mindful  more  than  ever  of  our  Library  constituencies. 
As  we  seek  funds  to  restore  the  great  McKim  edifice  and  to  expand  ser- 
vice to  all,  we  take  stock  in  images  and  in  words,  of  where  we  are  and 
where  we  aim  to  go.  All  the  drama  and  vitality  of  the  Library's  collections 
and  services,  all  the  special  attention  to  the  needs  and  concerns  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Boston  and  beyond  are  recorded  in  the  annual  report  which  follows. 


William  M.  Bulger 

President 

Board  of  Trustees 


Director's  Introduction 


WE  have  heard  the  story  of  the  two  masons  working  on  a  building. 
Asked  what  they  were  doing,  one  responded,  "I'm  laying 
bricks";  and  the  other,  "I'm  building  a  cathedral." 
Like  the  second  visionary  worker,  we  can  say  at  this  time  of  renovating 
and  refurbishing  the  McKim  building,  "We  are  restoring  the  Library.  Not 
just  the  building,  emerging  behind  ladders  and  scaffolding.  Not  just  the 
structure  returning  at  last  to  its  Renaissance  beauty  and  elegance,  not  just 
the  handsome  edifice  on  Copley  Square.  Like  the  cathedral,  the  Library 
is  far  more  than  marbles  and  bronzes,  paintings  and  statuary.  Far  beyond 
what  the  eye  perceives,  the  Library  stands  tall  as  a  remarkable,  inspiring 
symbol. 

The  restoration  of  the  McKim  building  signifies  a  revival  of  the  greatness 
in  the  Library's  collections  and  services.  As  this  annual  report  demon- 
strates, we  are  rebuilding  today  the  institution  first  constructed  from  the 
designs  and  dreams  of  Joshua  Bates,  Justin  Winsor,  Edward  Everett,  George 
Ticknor,  and  many  another  benefactor  and  visionary.  As  the  McKim 
building  glows  once  again,  it  promises  rejuvenation,  as  well,  of  the 
philosophies  and  principles  of  Library  leaders  across  the  century. 


Arthur  Curley 
Director  and  Librarian 


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Return  to  Grandeur 


DIRECTING  his  remarks  to  an  assemblage 
of  library  staff,  government  officials,  and 
citizens  gathered  in  the  scaffolded  foyer  of 
the  McKim  Building  on  October  8,  1991,  the 
Honorable  William  M.  Bulger,  president  of  the 
Library's  Board  of  Trustees,  said:  "The  work  which 
we  begin  today  will  result  in  the  restoration  of  this 
gem  of  architecture  which  we  call  the  McKim 
Building.  Perhaps  at  no  time  has  there  been  a 
greater  need  for  a  place  conducive  to  learning  and 
quiet  reflection." 

The  occasion  was  the  official  launch  of  the 
restoration  of  the  Renaissance  palace  on  Cop- 
ley Square,  constructed  in  1894.  Mayor  Flynn 
noted  that  the  project  "complements  the  ex- 
tensive renovation  of  26  branch  libraries  in 
Boston  which  the 
city  had  underway 
since  1985."  And  Li- 
brary Director  Arthur 
Curley  noted  that 
"this  beautiful  build- 
ing on  Copley  Square 
stands  as  a  lasting 
symbol  of  the  ideals 
and  aspirations  which 
the  Library  repre- 
sents.   As    the    first 


great  public  library  in  the  nation,  it  is  known 
throughout  the  world.  But  a  century  of  wear  and 
tear  has  left  its  mark.  This  essential  restoration 
will  make  the  building  sound  again,  as  well  as  safe 
and  more  efficient,  and  will  restore  the  beauty 
which  has  been  a  source  of  pride  for  generations 
of  Bostonians." 

In  FY92  the  Trustees  awarded  a  $10.8  million 
contract  to  the  Peabody  Construction  Company  of 
Braintree  for  Phase  I  of  a  planned  three-phase  pro- 
ject. Phase  I  will  include  replacement  of  century- 
old  plumbing  and  wiring  systems,  renovation  of 
the  basement  to  create  a  new  space  for  the  Govern- 
ment Documents  Department  and  a  new  Map 
Department,  construction  of  ground  floor  exhibi- 
tion and  lecture  spaces,  new  public  restrooms, 

creation  of  a  new  stair- 
case to  the  lower  level, 
modernization  of  the 
elevator  system,  and 
some  restoration  of 
the  Dartmouth  Street 
lobby.  Other  changes 
mclude  the  installa- 
tion of  climate  con- 
trols, fire  detection 
equipment,  and  sprin- 
kler systems. 


Senator  William  Bulger,  president  of  the  Library's  Board 
of  Trustees,  and  Boston  Mayor  Raymond  Flynn  officially 
launched  the  McKim  restoration  project  at  a  Library  ceremony 
on  October  8th.  They  are  shown  here  unveilmg  architectural 
drawings  of  what  two  new  public  areas  in  the  Research  Library 
will  look  like  when  Phase  I  of  the  project  is  completed  in  about 
two  years. 


The  Research  Library 

A  National/International 
Resource 

In  the  spirit  of  Senator  Bulger's  definition  of  the 
Boston  Pubhc  Library  as  a  stronghold  of  diverse 
constituencies,  the  Research  Library  serves  a  tru- 
ly gobal  constituency  of  scholars.  The  very  struc- 
ture of  the  Research  Library  into  subject  specialties 
invites  researchers  dedicated  to  pursue  their  fields 
in  depth:  in  Music  or  Fine  Arts,  Science  and 
Technology  or  Business,  Prints  or  Rare  Books. 
Primary  Sources  and  other  rarities  bring  patrons 
from  across  the  nation  and  the  world  to  the 
Research  Library's  Special  Collections.  At  least  200 
such  collections  offer  unique  sources  in  such  areas 
as  Women's  Studies,  Slavery  and  the  Abolitionists, 
Irish  law  and  letters,  the  Peronista  Regime,  Humor, 
and  the  list  goes  on  and  on. 

The  Rare  Books  and  Manuscripts  Department 
this  year  reported  a  flow  of  visitors  and  researchers 
from  England,  Australia,  Germany,  China,  Sweden, 
Egypt,  Ireland,  New  Zealand,  Argentina,  and  Japan. 
The  researchers  frequently  sought  out  rare 
materials  not  accessible 
in  their  own  countries. 
From  Argentina  came 
Mayor  Iglesias  to  pursue 
his  studies  on  the  great 
educator  Sarmiento, 
while  visitors  from 
Japan  conducted  re- 
search in  the  Science 
Reference  Department 
on  "intellectual  pro- 
perty." Still  others  from 
Japan  came  to  observe 
the  services  to  the 
physically  handicapped 
offered  by  the  Access 
Center. 


Newspapers 

In  both  historical  and 
contemporary  time- 
lines, newspapers  con- 
tinue to  occupy  a 
key  place  in  the  Li- 
brary's   preeminence 


in  its  collections.  Ever  since  The  Massachusetts 
Spy  launched  the  news  of  an  emerging  nation,  and 
the  words  of  Tom  Paine  sparked  the  cry  for 
freedom,  attention  to  the  press  has  been  dominant. 
In  1986  the  Library  was  named  the  site  of  the 
Massachusetts  Newspaper  Program,  part  of  the 
United  States  Newspaper  Program  sponsored  by 
the  National  Endowment  for  the  Humanities.  Each 
year  the  Library  has  received  funding  in  the  multi- 
year  program  to  locate,  identify,  and  preserve  all 
newspapers  published  in  Massachusetts.  A 
distinguished  group  of  Massachusetts  citizens  has 
served  on  an  advisory  board  (see  listing  at  end  of 
report). 

This  year  the  Massachusetts  Newspaper  Pro- 
gram completed  the  cataloging  of  all  the  Boston 
and  Massachusetts  titles  held  on  microfilm.  With 
completion  of  this  task,  Boston  Public  Library 
catalogers  will  work  at  other  newspaper 
repositories  in  the  state.  With  an  LSCA  grant  this 
year  in  the  amount  of  $230,000  to  microfilm 
Massachusetts  newspapers,  the  Library  reached 
cooperative  agreements  with  the  Nantucket 
Athenaeum,  Nantucket  Historical  Society, 
Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  and  several 
libraries,  which  resulted  in  the  preservation  on 

microfilm  of  over  fifty 
Massachusetts  newspa- 
pers. 

The  Library's  sub- 
scriptions to  global 
newspapers  continues 
daily.  Any  hour  in 
the  Newspaper  Room 
yields  a  contemporary 
view  of  the  Library's  in- 
ternationalism. Patrons 
may  be  seen  immersed 
in  their  homeland 
papers:  Ha'Aretz  from 
Tel  Aviv;  The  Irish 
Times  from  Dublin; 
Le  Monde  from  Paris,- 
La  Stampa  from  Turin, 
Italy — altogether  more 
than  75  weekly  and 
daily  newspapers  from 
around  the  world. 
Similarly,  the  Library 
continued  this  year 
the  active  acquisition 
of  books  in  foreign 
languages. 


Searching  periodical  references  via  Infotrac  in  Bates  HalL 


10 


Other  Library  Roles 

In  addition  to  serving  as  a  major  research  resource 
for  newspapers,  the  Library  plays  several  other 
roles  as  the  only  public  research  library  in  New 
England.  Since  its  very  beginnings  the  Library  has 
served  as  an  offically  designated  Federal  Depository 
for  government  documents,  and  in  1971  became 
a  regional  repository  for  all  New  England.  The 
Library  also  collects  state,  local,  and  city 
documents  and,  as  a  United  Nations  Depository, 
acquires  publications  from  the  U.N.  and  other  in- 
ternational bodies. 

The  Library  serves  as  a  U.S.  Patent  Depository 
Library.  It  also  pursues  a  long-standing  commit- 
ment to  acquire  all  foreign  patents  from  Europe  and 
Canada.  Scientists,  engineers,  attorneys,  students, 
and  inventors  from  throughout  the  region  make 
use  of  this  valuable  resource.  In  a  significant  na- 
tionwide project,  the  Boston  Public  Library  this 
year  became  one  of  fourteen  nationwide  test  sites 
in  a  pilot  project  to  access  the  Automated  Patent 
System.  In  this  effort,  full-text,  on-line  patent 
search  capability  was  made  possible  in  the  Science 
Reference  Department.  Full  deployment  of  the 
system  is  planned  for  next  year. 

The  Library  also  plays  a  unique  role  for  the  Com- 
monwealth, which  in  1972  designated  the  BPL 
as  the  Library  of  Last  Recourse.  The  dynamic, 
double  objective  in  this  mandate  is  for  the  BPL  to 
develop,  maintain,  and  preserve  comprehensive 
collections  of  a  research  and  archival  nature,  and 
to  provide  all  citizens  of  the  Commonwealth  full 
access  to  the  Research  Library  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library. 


Change 

Committed  firmly  to  maintaining  the  Library's 
preeminence  as  an  international,  national,  and 
state  research  library  while  at  the  same  time  deal- 
ing with  immediate  needs,  the  Research  Library 
counted  change  as  the  hallmark  this  year — change 
in  staff  assignments,  in  service,  and  in  function- 
ing departments.  A  new  department  was  opened, 
service  changes  were  made  in  another  department, 
and  two  departments  were  temporarily  closed. 
Change  was  mandated  by  positive  and  negative  fac- 
tors: on  one  hand  by  the  preparations  for  return- 
ing the  McKim  building  to  its  19th-century  ar- 
chitectural grandeur  and  redesigning  the  interior 
for  21st-century  service;  on  the  other  hand,  to  ex- 
act such  change  within  budgetary  constraints. 


No.  250,126 


F.  BLAKE. 
SPEASINGTELEPHONt. 

Patented  Nov.  29, 1881. 


7)-  -P^ji^/r 


The  Science  Reference  Department  owns  a  collection  of 
patents  granted  by  the  U.S.  Patent  Office  in  Washington. 
Complete  specifications  and  drawings  are  available  for  in- 
ventions from  the  speaking  telephone  to  genetically 
engineered  mice. 


First  step  in  the  preparation  for  the  McKim 
restoration  was  the  move  of  vast  numbers  of 
materials  housed  in  the  areas  being  first  readied  for 
restoration,  while  service  to  the  public  was  main- 
tained. Begun  last  year,  the  massive  effort  of 
management  and  shifting  of  items  involved 
transportation,  storage,  and  planning  for  sub- 
sequent retrieval  on  request.  The  shifting  de- 
manded action  and  led  to  accomplishment.  Impor- 
tant in  the  process  was  an  analysis  of  materials  and 
subjects  frequently  called  for  and  those  identifiable 
for  remote  storage. 


11 


Telephone  Reference  Service 

The  launch  of  a  new  department  brought  im- 
mediate, positive  results.  Analysis  over  a  period  of 
years  had  revealed  the  need  to  streamline  reference 
service  previously  fragmented  among  walk-in, 
write-in,  and  telephone  users.  Last  year's  answered 
queries  among  the  Research  Library  departments 
numbered  far  in  excess  of  a  million,  a  demonstra- 
tion of  staff-intensive,  time-intensive  service. 

With  the  creation  of  a  Telephone  Reference  Ser- 
vice remote  from  the  walk-in  public,  equipped  with 
several  phone  lines,  and  a  major  at-hands-reach  col- 
lection, the  Library  enhanced  and  expedited  ser- 
vice. Other  special  departments  were  then  freed  to 
help  walk-in  or  write-in  patrons.  First  launched  just 
before  the  end  of  FY92,  Telephone  Reference 
answered  more  than  3,000  questions  during  the 
first  month  of  operation.  Questions  were  as  dis- 
parate as  thfe  Library's  patrons  themselves:  "How 
much  potato  salad  should  I  make  for  seven  people 
at  a  picnic?"  or  "What  is  the  value  of  a  1984 
Oldsmobile  Cutlass?"  or  "Who  wrote  the  Pledge 
of  Allegiance?" 


Other  Departmental  Changes 
and  Developments 

Restructuring  of  two  departments  into  one  service 
function  also  expedited  and  enhanced  Research 
Library  services  and  cut  expenditures.  The 
Research  Library  assumed  servicing  of  what  in  past 
years  had  been  the  General  Library  Periodicals  Sec- 
tion. The  Book  Delivery  Department  of  the 
Research  Library  provided  staffing  at  the 
Periodicals  desk  in  the  Johnson  building  and 
duplication  of  titles  was  considerably  reduced. 

Two  key  special  collections,  Jordan  and  Sound 
Archives,  were  "put  on  hold"  this  year  pending 
budget  increases  and  the  McKim  restoration. 
However,  acquisition  of  children's  research 
materials  and  historic  recordings  continued. 

In  its  acquisitions,  the  Research  Library  invested 
a  large  segment  of  its  budget  in  fiche  and  electronic 
formats.  Microfiche  readers/printers,  CD  ROMs 
(Compact  Disc/Read  Only  Memory)  and  subscrip- 
tions to  on-line  databases  buttressed  the  Library 
considerably  as  a  major  research  center.  In  the 
Humanities  Reference  Department,  Government 
Documents  Department,  Kirstein  Business  Branch, 
the  Microtext,  Science  Reference  and  Social 
Science  Departments,  virtually  millions  of  sources 
became  instantly  viewable. 


To  cite  just  a  few  examples  of  the  content  of 
CDs:  The  Bible  Library  in  the  Humanities 
Reference  Department  contains  the  complete  texts 
of  nine  Bibles,  including  the  King  James  version 
and  the  Hebrew-Greek  transliteration;  Standard 
and  Poor's  Corporations  in  Kirstein  Business 
Branch  contains  information  on  more  than  9,000 
public  and  35,000  private  companies;  and  Hazar- 
dous Materials  Information  System  in  the  Science 
Reference  Department  offers  data  on  more  than 
50,000  chemical  substances. 

As  was  noted  earlier,  the  use  of  such  resources 
expands  the  magnitude  of  the  Library's  more  than 
six  million  books  and  other  formats — and  cir- 
cumvents problems  of  space,  conservation,  and 
accessibility. 


Even  though  there  is  a  major  emphasis  on  providing  elec- 
tronic sources  of  information,  printed  books  will  always 
have  an  important  place  in  people's  quest  for  knowledge. 
Here  in  Bates  Hall,  a  researcher  uses  one  of  the  titles  from 
the  collections  of  the  Library. 


12 


Community  Library 
Services 

A  sense  of  purpose  and  vitality  pervaded  services 
this  year  in  the  General  Library  and  community 
libraries.  Faneuil  Branch  commented  on  how 
"community  awareness  and  support  continued  to 
grow."  West  End  pointed  out  that  its  program- 
ming "increased  branch  visibility,  strengthened  its 
commitment  to  public  service,  and  enhanced  its 
role  as  an  educational  and  cultural  force  in  the 
community."  Each  branch  librarian  evaluated 
the  year  in  various  words,  but  the  total  message 
spelled  out  positive  planning,  growth,  and  out- 
reach. 

Several  areas  of  enhanced  service  emerged  this 
year:  automated  circulation  services,  expansion  of 
video-cassette  collections,  response  to  changing 
demographics,  increased  attention  to  special  needs 
of  special  constituencies,  and  vigorous  support  by 
Friends  groups. 

Already  educated  in  the  DRA  system  which  ex- 
pedited reservations  of  books,  the  public  re- 
sponded in  FY92  to  the  installation  of  PACS  (Public 
Access  Catalogs)  with  enthusiasm:  "A  far  cry," 
reported  Adams  Street,  "from  catalog  cards  and 
drawers."  In  addition  to  the  DRA  reserve  system 
and  PACS,  other  units  like  Codman  Square  noted 
the  aid  to  informational/research  services  pro- 
vided by  Infotrac  in  locating  periodical  references 
and  in  FAX  for  transmitting  them.  Again  and  again 
in  the  branches,  various  electronic  devices  ar- 
rived on  library  desks,  marking  the  growing 
usefulness  of  technology.  But  the  machines  were 
not  counted  as  important  in  themselves.  Their  im- 
portance remained  always  a  means  to  an  end,  to 
assist  in  fostering  learning. 

The  Boston  Public  Library  has  compiled  a 
historic  record  of  trying  out  new  formats  and 
systems  for  circulating  materials  for  information 
and  recreation.  A  pioneer  in  building  film  and 
recordings  collections,  the  Library  also  pioneered 
in  circulating  paperbacks  and  large-print  books. 
This  year  witnessed  attention  to  audio-cassettes. 
West  Roxbury  reported  a  "tremendous  demand  for 
books  on  tape  and  learning  language  cassettes.  We 
cannot  keep  them  on  shelf,"  says  the  report.  Other 
branches  added  testimony  to  the  demand  for 
audio-cassettes. 

Also  on  the  year's  agenda  was  response  to  chang- 
ing demographics  in  collection-building  and  pro- 
gramming. New  materials  were  selected  with  em- 


phasis on  the  needs  of  arrivmg  immigrants. 
Languages  targeted  were  Russian,  Chinese,  Viet- 
namese, Portuguese,  Amharic,  Armenian,  Lao, 
Thai,  Khmer/Hmong,  Greek,  French/Haitian,  and 
Spanish.  Emphasis  was  placed  on  materials  that 
could  be  shared  by  parents  and  children,  and  many 
instructional  materials  were  acquired  to  help  those 
who  were  learning  English  as  a  second  language. 
Library  staff  with  language  strengths  contributed 
their  expertise  in  such  selections. 

To  name  just  a  few  of  the  ethnic  programs:  Irish 
stepdancers,  a  Russian  winter  festival,  a 
LatinoAmerican  musical  ensemble,  and  celebra- 
tion of  the  Chinese  New  Year.  The  librarian  of 
Fields  Corner  summarized  branch  response  for 
many  branch  staffs:  "Always  a  magnet  for  Boston's 
immigrant  populations,  Dorchester  is  once  again 
swelling  with  newcomers,  most  of  them  non- 
English  speaking.  The  Fields  Corner  and  other 
neighborhood  branch  libraries  welcome  these 
groups  and  will  try  to  continue  to  provide  programs 
and  services  of  interest  to  them." 

More  than  100  diverse  programs  celebrated  Black 
History  month.  For  more  than  30  years  the  Library 
has  observed  this  tribute  to  African-American  men 
and  women,  which  originated  in  Boston,  the  brain- 
child of  Dr.  Carter  G.  Woodson,  a  Harvard  graduate 
and  founder  of  the  Association  for  the  Study  of 
Afro-American  Life  and  History.  The  observances 
in  January,  February,  and  March  took  many  forms, 
among  them:  a  panel  discussion  on  the  Civil  Rights 
Movement;  "From  Opera  to 
Rock:  A  Medley  of  Black 
American  Music";  a  lecture 
series  on  "The  Black  Family 
Today  and  Yesterday";  "How 
Black  Folktales  Came  to  Be"; 
and  many  more  lectures,  ex- 
hibits, film  programs,  con- 
certs, and  demonstrations. 

A  major  series  of  programs 
was  developed  by  the  Adult 
Services  section  of  the  Gener- 
al Library  and  funded  by 
federal    grants    adminis- 
tered  by   the   Board   of 
Library    Commission- 
ers. "Asian  Focus"  targeted 
themes  and  events  related  to  the 
cultures  of  more  than  20,000  Asians 
living    in    the    Metropolitan    area, 
recent    immigrants    from    Cambo 
dia,  Thailand,  and  Vietnam.  Num- 
bered among  the  events,  which 


FROM  OPERA 

TO  ROCK:  A 
MEDLEY  OF 

BLACK 

AMERICAN 

Mil 


at  times  drew  overflow  crowds,  were  a  traditional 
Vietnamese  Moon  Festival  that  included  a  dragon 
dance,  fashion  show,  folk  songs,  and  games,-  films 
from  China  and  other  Asian  nations;  a  Cambodian 
Folk  Festival  featuring  a  performance  by  Lowell's 
Angkor  Dance  Troupe;  and  an  exhibition  of 
Chinese  brush  painting  and  calligraphy. 


Attention  to  Special 
Constituencies 

Children 

when  the  library  opened  the  doors  of  the  McKim 
Building  in  1895,  it  welcomed  children  to  their 
own  room  and  to  more  than  3,000  books  within 
"an  unhampered  space  for  young  readers."  In  all 
the  years  that  have  followed  the  early  pioneer  Alice 
M.  Jordan,  the  BPL  has  moved  in  the  forefront  of 
reaching  out  to  children  in  dynamic,  innovative 
ways.  FY92  carried  on  the  tradition.  In  addition  to 
more  than  5,000  programs  this  year — films, 
storytelling,  book  talks,  instruction  in  the  use  of 
the  library,  puppet  workshops  and  performances, 
arts  and  crafts,  readings  by  authors  and  demonstra- 
tions by  illustrators — the  Library  added  still  more 
special  moments  to  children's  library  experiences. 


A  touring  company  from  New  Hampshire,  The 
Hampstead  Players,  presented  a  participatory 
show,  "Aladdin  and  Fiis  Magic  Lamp";  two  per- 
formers, one  of  them  formerly  a  clown  with  Ring- 
ling  Brothers,  gave  a  summertime  program  of 
magic,  music,  and  juggling;  guitarist  Tom 
Pendergast  used  his  guitar  to  delight  toddlers  with 
chants,  rhymes,  and  songs — these  events  represent 
just  a  few  of  the  5,000  plus  routes  to  young  peo- 
ple's attention  and  delight. 

The  Library's  tradition  of  formal  storytelling 
dates  to  1902  with  the  first  appearance  of  Marie 
Shedlock,  a  celebrated  European  storyteller  who 
was  known  as  the  "English  interpreter  of  Hans 
Christian  Andersen"  and  "the  Fairy  Godmother." 
The  tradition  of  storytelling  continued  at  full  pace 
this  year  with  many  programs  focusing  on  folk 
tales. 

Probably  the  most  popular  and  challenging  pro- 
ject for  children  in  1991  and  1992  drew  more  than 
2,000  children  from  throughout  the  city  to  com- 
munity centers,  juvenile  justice  facilities,  schools, 
and — of  course — the  Boston  Public  Library.  Week 
after  week  the  young  people  came  to  match  wits, 
to  deal  with  knights  and  bishops  and  queens  in 
chess  games.  "Chess  makes  kids  smarter!"  claims 
Dr.  Michael  Charney,  a  child  psychologist  from 
Back  Bay,  who  is  founder  and  director  of  Boston's 
Games  Project,  a  nonprofit  educational  program 
that  promotes  chess  to  inner-city  youth.  "There  is 


Children  at  the  Hyde 
Park  Branch  Library 
enjoy  a  performance  of 
"Hansel  and  Gretel" 
presented  by  puppeteer 
ludith  O'Hare  and  the 
"You  and  Me  Puppets" 
during  the  April  school 
vacation. 


14 


"Chess  makes  kids  smarter!" 

something  magical  about  chess,"  says  Dr.  Chamey. 
"It's  a  brain  sport  which  helps  to  build  thinking, 
concentration,  problem  solving,  and  self  esteem, 
particularly  among  youngsters."  Altogether  there 
were  nine  branches  offering  chess.  There's  no 
scientific  measurement  of  the  effects  of  chess  on 
the  participants'  brain  power;  but,  as  one  branch 
librarian  reported:  "Chess  has  become  the  thing  to 
do  for  younsters  here." 

In  FY92  visits  by  staff  to  school  classrooms  for 
registration  and  book  talks  numbered  940;  class 
visits  to  branch  libraries  and  central  totaled  1,183. 
Programs  for  children  numbered  2,851  with  an  at- 
tendance of  91,327  children. 


Young  Adults 

Probably  more  than  any  other  age  group,  teens  are 
caught  up  in  a  time  of  change  and  decision  mak- 
ing. The  collection  building  and  programming  of 
the  Boston  Public  Library  targets  the  areas  of 
adolescent  concern:  physical  development,  sexual 
growth,  peer  associations,  education  and  career 
choices,  science  fiction,  and  sports.  FY92  brought 


full  attention  to  teens.  Workshops  were  offered  on 
writing  college  application  essays  and  creative 
writing;  experts  dealt  in  several  programs  with  the 
HIV  virus,  violence,  and  drugs.  In  a  departure  from 
events  built  exclusively  around  teens,  Connolly 
Branch  sponsored  a  dialogue  between  seniors  and 
teens.  The  intergenerational  dialogue  was  ap- 
propriately titled  "Senior  and  Youth  Empower- 
ment." 


Senior  Citizens 

More  than  200  elders  attended  the  weekly  pro- 
grams at  the  Central  Library  for  the  Never  Too 
Late  group,  and  many  more  took  part  in  branch  ac- 
tivities. Founded  at  the  Boston  Public  Library  in 
1949,  the  Never  Too  Late  group  is  the  longest- 
running  library-sponsored  group  for  older  citizens 
m  the  country.  To  demonstrate  the  diversity  of 
subjects  covered  this  year,  here  are  a  few  programs: 
"European  and  American  Impressionism," 
delivered  by  Henry  Tate;  a  film  on  a  solo  canoe  ex- 
pedition to  the  Arctic  Ocean;  and  a  slide  lecture, 
"Boston  Under  Ground:  Digging  Up  the  History  of 
the  Hub,"  by  City  Archeologist  Steven  Pendery. 

Clearly  the  highlight  of  the  year  was  the  42nd 
anniversary  program,  the  Fred  Allen  Show,  a  revue 
of  the  career  of  the  renowned  Boston  radio  come- 
dian. Written  and  directed  by  award-winning 
playwrights  Lois  and  Arnold  Peyser,  and  per- 
formed by  talented  local  actors,  the  play  provided 
a  capacity  audience  with  nostalgia  and  humor. 

One  "regular"  spoke  for  the  other  devotees  of  the 
Never  Too  Late  series:  "Come  snow  or  rain,  the 
group  is  never  cancelled.  I  like  that.  I  like  to  keep 
active,  to  learn  new  things,  to  keep  my  mind  ac- 
tive. It's  the  best  way  I  know  to  keep  on  living." 


New  Readers 

Use  of  the  Literacy  Resource  Centers  throughout 
the  system  grew  at  a  dramatic  pace  this  year.  In 
addition  to  providing  a  growing  collection  of 
materials  for  new  readers  and  English-as-a-Second 
Language  students,  Library  service  took  many 
shapes:  collaboration  with  statewide  agencies  in 
recruiting  and  training  volunteers  and  in  referrals; 
monthly  orientations  by  CLC  (Commonwealth 
Literacy  Campaign)  for  volunteers  combatting  il- 
literacy; in  conjunction  with  the  Adult  Literacy  In- 
stitute, an  annual  Literacy  Materials  Fair  to 
showcase  literacy  materials  and  advisory  services; 
and  lectures  by  the  Literacy  Services  Coordinator. 


15 


Hariotte  Cook  composed  her  resume  and  cover  letters  on  the  Access  Center  Braille  and  Speak 
Machine  that  led  to  mainstream  employment. 


Patrons  with  Disabilities 

The  Access  Center  for  Persons  with  Disabihties 
this  year  took  major  steps  forward  in  opening  up 
the  resources  of  the  Boston  Pubhc  Library.  Various 
approaches  were  offered  to  place  such  patrons  in- 
to the  mainstream  of  access  through  adaptive 
technologies  and  materials  in  special  formats. 

The  highlight  of  the  year  was  continued  im- 
plementation of  the  LSCA  project  "Computer 
Technology  for  Disabled  People,  Phase  2."  This 
project  makes  it  possible  for  blind  and  visually  im- 
paired people  to  access  CD  ROM  reference 
materials,  and  eventually,  the  Library's  on-line 
catalog,  by  use  of  an  IBM  compatible  computer 
with  Braille,  speech,  and  large  print  peripherals  and 
software.  Reach-out  efforts  to  deaf  and  hearing- 
impaired  individuals  took  the  form  of  several  ma- 
jor programs.  A  sensitivity  workshop  titled  "It's 
a  Deaf,  Deaf  World"  was  a  key  point  in  the  obser- 
vance of  Deaf  Awareness  Week.  The  Boston  Public 
librarians  in  attendance  were  "thrust  into  a  silent 
world  where  attempts  to  obtain  social  security, 
hospital  aid,  job  counseling,  or  library  assistance 


had  to  be  accomplished  through  non-verbal  com- 
munication." 

In  one  of  many  success  stories  among  Access 
Center  users,  one  woman  described  how  she  found 
employment  after  using  Access  Center  equipment 
for  several  months.  "The  Access  Center  has  not 
only  made  me  an  enthusiastic  user  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library,"  she  noted;  "I  can  definitely  say 
that  it's  changed  my  life  for  the  better."  She  calls 
herself  now  "a  productive  member  of  the  work 
force." 

Mobile  Library  Services 

The  Mobile  service  is  an  extension  activity 
directed  to  patrons  who  are  immobilized:  elderly 
readers,  as  well  as  some  younger,  physically  and 
mentally  handicapped.  Materials  for  individuals 
and  groups  are  delivered  to  nursing  homes,  private 
homes,  and  public  and  private  housing  for  the 
elderly  and  handicapped.  This  year  circulation  in- 
creased by  42%.  Service  was  provided  in  FY92  to 
some  60  sites  with  circulation  of  materials  in  ex- 
cess of  150,000. 


16 


Women 

In  the  Year  of  the  Woman,  the  Library  acknowl- 
edged female  achievements  in  diverse  dramatic 
ways.  The  Library's  historic  record  in  women's 
studies  goes  as  far  back  as  the  gift  in  1896  by  Col. 
Thomas  Higginson  of  more  than  4,000  items,  the 
pioneer  Galatea  Collection.  The  record  continued 
in  FY92. 

Among  the  speakers  who  used  the  dais  to  com- 
municate their  timely,  often  controversial,  views 
were  Gloria  Steinem,  who  spoke  on  her  new  book 
Revolution  from  Within,  and  TV  columnist 
Monica  Collins  on  gender  bias.  Other  speakers 
dealt  with  "Sisterhood  among  Women  of  Color," 
"A  Nambian  Woman,"  and  "Tales  of  Women  in 
History." 


Programs 


The  Boston  Public  Library  has  never  limited  itself 
to  a  passive  role  as  repository  or  as  center  of 
solitude  and  quiet  study.  Added  to  these  roles  is 
a  commitment  to  be  a  place  where  ideas  are 
generated  and  shared,  where  discoveries  and  inven- 
tions are  born.  Both  the  speakers'  platform  and  the 
exhibition  hall  are  essential  for  communication  to 
the  mind  and  eye.  Several  programs  have  already 
been  cited  elsewhere  in  this  report.  Among  the 
types  of  events  which  should  be  noted: 


Author  Programs 

The  most  notable  programming  naturally  revolves 
around  the  creators  of  books.  This  year,  both  in 
central  and  the  branches,  authors  unfolded  the 
essence  of  their  background  and  their  works.  Many 
authors  appeared  under  the  aegis  of  the  12th  an- 
nual Harvard  Book  Store  Cafe:  Clyde  Edgerton 
[Killer  DilleT]-,  Joseph  Finder  [Red  Carpet]-,  Marcie 
Hershman  [Tales  of  the  Master  Race]-,  and  Eileen 
Pollack  [The  Rabbi  in  the  Attic  and  Other  Stories], 
and  many  more. 

The  monthly  author  series  launched  by  the 
Library  in  1991  yielded  several  other  creative 
voices,  among  them:  Joan  Millman  [The  Effigy]; 
Jack  Drummey  [Dry  Run]-,  Lawrence  L.  Langer 
[Holocaust  Testimonies];  and  Olga  Anastasia 
Pelensky  [Isak  Dinesen]. 

The  Associates  of  the  Boston  Public  Library 
sponsored  their  elegant  annual  affair.  Literary 
Lights,  with  a  gathering  of  stellar  authors.  John 
Guare,  playwright,  producer,  and  lyricist,  headed 
the  list.  Other  guests  were  William  Alfred  [Hogan  's 
Goat];  Frank  Bidart  [In  the  Western  Night];  Sven 
Birkerts  [An  Artificial  Wilderness];  Henry  Louis 
Gates,  Jr.  [The  Signifying  Monkey];  John  Hawkes 
[The  Blood  Oranges];  Gish  Jen  [Typical  American]; 
Sue  Quinn  [Biography  of  Karen  Horney];  Margaret 
Rey  [Curious  George  series);  and  Simon  Schama 
[Citizens]. 


Playwright  John  Guare 
and  his  wife,  Adele 
Chatfield-Taylor  (right], 
share  a  moment  at  the 
annual  Literary  Lights 
dinner  with  Mrs.  Francis 
O.  Hunnewell,  cochair- 
person  of  this  year's 
gala  held  at  the  Hotel 
Meridien. 


17 


Massachusetts 


Audiovisual  Programs 

The  most  popular  programs  in  FY92  were  film 
series.  The  two  "Made  in  Massachusetts"  se- 
quences and  the  Frank  Capra  series  often  played 
to  capacity  audiences  in  the  Rabb  Lecture  Hall  and 
generated  much  publicity  in  the  local  press.  Several 
other  programs,  coordinated  with  the  Special  Pro- 
jects Librarian,  utilized  the  large-screen  video  pro- 
jection system  making  viewing  possible  outside 
the  program  site  in  the  lecture  hall:  among  them, 
the  Boston  Globe  Spring  and  Fall  Forums  and  Book 
Fair,  and  Mayor  Flynn's  State  of  the  City  speech. 
The  Audiovisual  Department's  circulating  film 
and  video  collections,  used  extensively  by  branch 
and  outside  organizations,  reached  a  total  of  8,300 
titles  with  11,500  circulating  copies.  Circulating 
audio  cassettes,  compact  discs,  and  recordings  con- 
tinued to  be  broadly  used  in  FY92,  numbering 
about  900  items  a  week. 

Newsmakers 

Still  another  form  of  programming  testified  to  the 
Library's  stance  on  the  cutting  edge  of  what's  cur- 
rent, what's  newsworthy  in  the  mainstream  of 
events.  Thus  former  Surgeon  General  of  the  U.S. 
Dr.  C.  Everett  Koop  spoke  before  an  overflow 
crowd  in  the  Rabb  Lecture  Hall  on  the  need  to 
revise  our  nation's  health  system;  more  than  500 
people  attended  workshops  on  AIDS,  violence 
against  women  and  children,  and  care  for  the 
homeless  and  the  elderly;  and  staff  members  from 
the  Faulkner  Hospital  conducted  a  four-part  series 
on  substance  abuse  and  violence  prevention. 


Boston  History 

while  their  minds  were  trained  on  late-breaking 
news,  users  remained  mindful  of  their  Boston 
heritage  and  many  programs  targeted  key  moments 
of  local  history.  Thus  Dr.  Alan  Taylor  of  Boston 
University  dealt  with  "Yankees  and  Strangers:  The 
New  England  Town  from  1636-1992"  in  a  North 
End  Branch  series  cosponsored  with  the  Old  North 
Church.  Local  historian  Anthony  Sammarco  lec- 
tured on  "Neponset  through  Ashmont  Hill  and 


Stops  in  Between."  Still  other  programs  dealt  with 
the  Bunker  Hill  Monument,  Castle  Island,  the  Old 
Fall  River  Line,  and  the  Irish-American  Soldier  in 
the  Civil  War.  Boston  College  Professor  Thomas 
O'Connor,  author  of  BPL  publications  This 
Momentous  Affair  and  Bibles,  Brahmins  and 
Bosses,  offered  a  presentation  on  "The  New  Boston 
and  the  Old  West  End." 

Sounds  of  Music 

Since  the  first  strains  of  Rossini's  overture  to 
Mahomet  II  resounded  on  opening  day  in  1858 
from  the  hall  of  the  Boston  Public  Library  on 
Boylston  Street,  music  has  pervaded  the  collections 
and  programs  of  the  Library.  In  FY92  the  musical 
renditions  in  central  and  branch  program  halls 
ranged  from  rock  to  jazz  to  opera  and  symphony. 
Mary  Arapoff  delighted  members  of  the  Never  Too 
Late  Group  with  music  from  her  native  Russia. 
Other  performances  featured  the  Latino  American 
Musical  Ensemble,  the  Melvia  Butler  Trio,  and 
Serenata  Chamber  Players.  Probably  the  highpoLnt 
for  music  listeners  were  the  rich,  mellow  vibra- 
tions which  flowed  from  the  cello  of  Yo-Yo  Ma, 
who  enchanted  a  full  house  as  part  of  a  "Reverence 
for  Life"  program  in  tribute  to  Dr.  Albert 
Schweitzer. 


Exhibitions 


when  William  Wetmore  Story's  Arcadian  shepherd 
boy  piped  his  tune  on  opening  day  of  the  original 
library  on  Boylston  Street,  the  Research  Library 
began  a  tradition  of  ennobled,  beautified  walls  and 
ceilings,  stairways  and  quiet  niches.  Murals, 
bronzes,  statuary,  and  paintings  transformed  the 
Renaissance  palace  into  a  museum  as  well  as  a 
library. 

This  appeal  to  the  eyes  of  the  beholders  ex- 
tended richly  this  year  to  several  exhibitions.  Ex- 
hibits are  constantly  used  in  branches  and  depart- 
ments as  topical  support  to  programs,  events,  cur- 
rent news,  and  such.  Among  such  exhibits  were 
"What  So  Proudly  We  Hailed,"  which  explored  en- 
vironmental threats  to  America's  best-known  land- 
scapes such  as  Walden  Pond  and  Civil  War  battle- 
fields; "Seeds  of  Change,"  a  traveling  exhibit 
organized  by  the  American  Library  Association  and 
Smithsonian  Institution  commemorating  the 
500th  anniversary  of  Columbus's  voyages  to  the 


18 


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The  Bay  Psalm  Book. 


New  World;  and  "Eyewitness:  World  Press  Photos 
Exhibition,"  featuring  news  photos  by  photojour- 
nalists  from  61  countries. 

Exhibitions  also  brought  forth  Library  treasures 
in  books  and  art,  a  feast  that  often  takes  witnesses 
back  many  centuries.  Several  such  outstanding  ex- 
hibitions graced  the  cases  of  the  Rare  Books  and 
Manuscripts  Department: 

"Shakespeare:  Splendid  Editions."  Com- 
memorating the  375th  anniversary  of 
Shakespeare's  death,  the  exhibition  drew  from  the 
16,000  items  in  the  Thomas  Pennant  Barton 
Collection. 

"Religion  and  Politics  in  the  Prince  Collection," 
exhibited  the  first  book  printed  in  the  English  col- 
onies, the  Whole  Booke  of  Psalmes. 

The  "The  Bay  Psalm  Book, "  printed  in  Harvard 
in  1640  by  Stephen  Day.  The  Boston  Public  Library 
holds  two  of  only  10  or  11  copies  of  the  book  in 
existence. 

Other  exhibitions  focused  on  original  illustra- 
tions and  caricatures  by  George  Cruikshank;  ar- 
chival holdings  which  give  testament  to  the  suf- 
ferings of  Afro-American  slaves;  and  a  showing  of 
works  from  the  collection  of  Harry  C.  Bentley,  a 


noted  accountant  and  educator  who  founded  his 
own  school  of  accounting  in  1917. 

Serving  truly  as  a  presidential  library,  the  Boston 
Public  Library  exhibited  rare  items  from  the  per- 
sonal library  of  America's  second  president,  lohn 
Adams.  Thanks  to  the  Library's  conservation 
laboratory,  in  a  project  completed  this  year,  the 
3,300  books  in  the  collection  were  brought  as  close 
to  their  original  form  as  possible. 

The  Music  Department  drew  on  its  special  col- 
lections this  year  for  exhibitions:  a  lecture  and  ex- 
hibit marking  the  200th  anniversary  of  the  birth 
of  Lowell  Mason,  the  foremost  pioneer  in  the  in- 
troduction of  music  instruction  to  American 
public  schools  and  the  establishment  of  teacher 
training  in  music  education;  an  exhibition  of  the 
Library's  recently  acquired  Marshard  Orchestras 
Music  Collection,  paying  tribute  to  the  two  Mar- 
shard  brothers  Harry  and  Jack,  who  became  two  of 
the  nation's  most  successful  orchestra  leaders  from 
the  early  1930s  to  the  mid-1960s.  Perennially 
engaged  by  such  clients  as  the  Roosevelts, 
Saltonstalls,  Mellons,  Pulitzers,  and  Du  Ponts  for 
society  parties,  the  brothers  launched  such  big 
name  performers  as  Vaughn  Monroe,  Jack  Edwards, 
and  Ranny  Weeks.  Irish-born  bandmaster,  im- 
presario, and  composer  Patrick  S.  Gilmore  was 
commemorated  for  his  contributions  to  19th  cen- 
tury American  music  as  military  bandleader,  per- 
former at  the  national  political  convention  that 
nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  presidency, 
and  composer  of  a  number  of  songs,  most  famous 
of  which  was  When  Johnny  Comes  Marching 
Home  (1863). 

A  major  exhibition  commemorating  the  200th 
anniversary  of  the  death  of  Wolfgang  Amadeus 
Mozart  drew  on  rare  items  in  the  Library's  Allen 
A.  Brown  Collection.  Highpoint  in  the  show  was 
Mozart's  Fugue,  K443,  one  of  only  a  few  original 
Mozart  manuscripts  in  this  country. 


rt  and 


Contempomries 


19 


Le  DocteuT  Francklin  Couronne  par  la  Liberie,  aquatint  by 
the  Abbe  de  Saint  Non,  1778,  after  a  drawing  by  Fragonard. 

Print  Department 

Exhibitions  by  the  Print  Department  reached  the 
zenith  of  Library  exhibitions.  Begun  in  1941  with 
a  major  gift  from  Albert  H.  Wiggin,  the  Print 
Department  this  year  celebrated  50  years.  Two 
curators,  the  American  graphic  artist  Arthur  Heint- 
zelman  (1941  to  1960),  and  Sinclair  H.  Hitchings 
(1961  to  the  present)  have  shaped  the  Print  collec- 
tions into  one  of  the  larger,  more  notable  public 
collections  in  the  United  States. 

In  celebration  of  its  50th  anniversary,  the  Print 
Department  held  several  exhibitions:  "A  Salute  to 
the  House  of  Weyhe,"  the  pioneering  New  York 
gallery  from  which  the  Library  acquired  a  number 
of  important  American  prints;  "Hiriam  Merrill: 
Memories  of  a  Wood  Engraver";  and  the  third  com- 
memoration of  "A  Salute  to  Boston,"  featuring  gifts 
and  purchases  of  area  artists. 

Exhibitions  this  year  in  the  Wiggin  Gallery  and 
South  Gallery  included  "The  Prints  of  Letterio 
Calapai,"  "The  Americans:  The  Eighteenth  Cen- 
tury," "Micossi's  Italy,"  and  "The  Americans:  The 
Nineteenth  Century." 

This  year  the  Print  Department  holdings 
reached  more  than  75,000  prints,  drawings,  and 
watercolors;  650,000  photographs;  and  100,000 
architectural  drawings  and  designs. 


The  Library  as 
Publishing  House 

A  major  book  came  off  the  presses  this  year  under 
the  BPL  imprint.  African-Americans  in  Boston: 
More  Than  300  Years  by  Robert  C.  Hayden  follows 
three  centuries  of  Black  achievement  in  12  key 
areas  including  community  development,  civil 
rights,  education,  business,  politics,  and  jour- 
nalism. The  facts  of  the  vignettes  of  history  were 
unearthed  by  Hayden  in  old  books,  magazines,  and 
journals,  and  were  "locked  in  the  memories  of 
Boston's  older  residents,"  waiting  to  be  unlocked. 
The  book,  handsomely  designed  by  Richard  Zonghi 
of  the  Library's  Graphics  Department,  was  edited 
and  indexed  by  Curator  of  Publications  Jane  Man- 
thorne.  Trustee  Mrs.  Berthe'  M.  Gaines  served  as 
coeditor  and  proofreader.  Mrs.  Gaines  was  also  an 
important  biographical  entry  in  the  book  for  her 
achievements  on  behalf  of  libraries.  Funding  was 
provided  by  Bank  of  Boston  in  response  to  an  idea 
and  proposal  originated  by  Joyce  Ferriabough. 

In  other  publishing  efforts,  the  Young  Adult 
Department  produced  a  monthly  newsletter  for 
teens  including  announcements  of  upcoming  pro- 
grams and  peer  book  reviews.  Adult  Services  of  the 
General  Library  released  monthly  bibliographies, 
"Quick  Picks,"  and  joined  staff  in  branches  to 
develop  several  booklists  including  the  annual 
"Black  Is..."  The  Government  Documents  Depart- 
ment released  a  second  microfiche  edition  of  the 
State  and  Local  Catalog,  adding  approximately 

1,700  items  to 
the  database. 
And  children  of 
Faneuil  Branch 
Library  used  a 
computer/print- 
er awarded  by  a 
Boston  Works 
Smarter  grant 
to  revive  their 
popular  publica- 
tion, "The  Oak 
Leaf." 


African-Americans 
in  Boston:  More 
Than  350  Years. 


20 


Grants 


Several  major  grants  were  received  this  year  that 
provided  for  support  of  projects  imperative  to  the 
Library's  status  as  a  leading  research  hbrary: 

National  Endowment  for  the  Humanities 

$130,366.00 

Continued  the  multi-year  activities  of  the 
Massachusetts  Newspaper  Program. 

U.S.  Department  of  Education — Title  IIC 
$130,866.00 

Strengthening    Library    Resources    (Allen    A. 

Brown  Collection) 

Library  Services  and  Construction  Act — Title  I  (To 
Eastern  Massachusetts  Regional  Library  System) 
$100,000.00 

Boston  Sub-Region  Union  List  of  Serials:  Pro- 
vides for  input  of  sub-regional  libraries  into 
OCLC,  production  of  hard  copy  listing  of  BPL 
holdings  for  distribution  to  member  libraries, 
and  for  scanning  equipment  and  FAX  machines. 


Gifts  in  Kind 

The  benefactions  that  marked  the  library's  very 
beginnings — from  Everett,  Bates,  Ticknor,  and 
others — continued  in  generous  pace  in  FY92,  both 
in  monies  and  in  kind.  The  range  of  gifts  reached 
into  as  many  formats  as  the  Library's  collections. 
A  selected  list  is  offered  here  to  demonstrate  the 
scope  of  gifts,  from  a  bronze  duckling  to  rare  prints: 

Sigmund  Abeles 

Seventeen  drawings  and  nineteen  prints 

Albert  Alcalay 

Forty-six  prints,  constituting  virtually  his  entire 
work  in  printmaking 

Robert  Anzalone 

One  hundred  and  eighty-six  sound  recordings 

Associates  of  the  Boston  Public  Library 

Medieval  illuminated  manuscript,  Constitu- 
tiones  FratTum  Celestinorum  Provincie 
Gallicane 

Attleboro  Public  Library 

Twenty  periodical  titles,  representing  over  500 
volumes,  used  for  replacement 

Elfriede  Bowditch 

Books  and  scores  of  thirteen  song  sheets,  in- 
cluding a  handwritten  copy  of  songs  which  Mrs. 


Bowditch  (her  husband  a  descendant  of 
Nathaniel  Bowditch)  collected  as  a  young  musi- 
cian touring  Europe 

Varujan  Boghosian 

A  wash  drawing  by  Theodore  Stams  and  water- 
colors  by  Edward  Giobbi  and  Bernard  Chaet 

Bernard  Chaet 

A  drawing  by  Barbara  Swan 

City-Wide  Friends  of  the  Boston  Public  Library 
26    admission   passes    to    the    New    England 
Aquarium,  valued  at  $13,000 

Gertrude  Weyhe  Dennis 

Ten  American  prints,  most  from  1919 

Janet  Eltinge  and  the  Estate  of  Thomas  Nason 
Original  wood  blocks  and  copper  plates  by 
Thomas  Nason 

Mark  Fried 

Three  hundred  twenty-seven  sound  recordings 

Friends  of  Various  Branch  Libraries 

$3,000  from  Friends  of  the  Charlestown  Branch 

Library  through  a  grant  to  Friends  from  the 

Greenspace  Alliance  Program  for  landscaping  of 

Library  grounds 

$  1 ,  100  from  Friends  of  West  Roxbury  Branch  to 

underwrite  costs  of  poetry  writing  workshop 

and  competition 

Other  contributions,  the  aggregate  contribution 

estimated  in  excess  of  $9,000  to  underwrite 

costs  of  programs  for  children  and  adults 

Gerald  and  Flora  Gross 

Drawings  for  children's  books,  mainly  by  Irene 
Haas  and  William  Pene  du  Bois,  and  other  art 
items 

Grogan  &.  Co.  (Grace  A.  Yeomans) 
Typed  galleys  of  Fred  Allen's  letters 

Roger  Howlett,  Childs  Gallery 

Five  boxes  of  exhibition  catalogs,  monographs, 
ephemera 

Sidney  Hurwitz 

Six  hundred  fifty-six  sound  recordings 

Minuetta  Kessler 

90  holograph  scores,  also  sketches  illustrating 
her  compositional  techniques 

David  McCord 

Three  hundred  hardcover  books,  220  paper- 
backs, 10  cassettes,  and  4  records 

Estate  of  Richard  D.  McMullan 

Collection  of  circus  prints  and  memorabilia  and 
$10,000 

The  Honorable  Gordon  Martin 

Archives  of  the  Boston  School  desegregation 
case  collected  by  Judge  Martin 

John  Merriam 

Prints  and  drawings 


21 


Dagma  and  Karen  Reutlinger 

Sixty-two  works  on  paper,  prints  and  drawings 

of  contemporary  artists 
Estate  of  Beryl  Robinson 

Personal  library  of  Mrs.  Robinson,  who  served 

the  library  for  many  years  as  storyteller  and 

Readers  Advisor  for  Children 
Nancy  Schon 

Bronze  statue  of  duckling  modeled  after  Quack 

in  McCloskey's  Make  Way  for  Ducklings.  Value 

estimated  in  excess  of  $10,000 
Robert  Severy 

Restoration  of  portraits  of  Dr.  James  Freeman 

Clarke,    Walter    Savage    Landor,    and    Caleb 

Fellows;  also  1,566  black/white  photographs  of 

buildings  in  Boston  area  designed  by  Peabody 

and  Stearns 
Joe  Smith 

Four  hundred  compact  discs  from  the  President 

and  CEO  of  Capitol  EMI  Music 
Society  of  Arts  and  Crafts 

Society    records,    including    correspondence, 

craftsmen's  resume's,  scrapbooks 
Stanhope  Framers  and  Maud  Morgan 

Twenty  silkscreen  prints  by  Maud  Morgan 


State  Library  of  Massachusetts 

More  than  1,200  periodical  volumes 

Stephen  and  Sybil  Stone 

Drawing  by  Hyman  Bloom,  Rabbi  and  Torah 

Streetfeet  Women's  Touring  Company 

Decorative  cabinet,  handmade  by  Ted  Dodd,  to 
hold  gift  of  Company  archives.  Estimated  value 
of  gift  in  excess  of  $5,000 

Tufts  University,  Music  Library 

Fifteen  19th-century  collections  of  American 
songs,  many  not  previously  in  Library's 
collections 


Daniel  J.  Rea,  Sr.  of  Readville  gave  a  remarkable 
gift  to  the  Rare  Books  and  Manuscripts  Depart- 
ment this  year  as  a  tribute  to  his  parents'  devotion 
to  their  family,  neighbors,  church,  and  country. 
Rea's  very  special  gift  is  a  facsimile  of  the  beautiful- 
ly illustrated  Book  of  Kells.  Created  in  the  8th  cen- 
tury by  Irish  monks  of  the  Monastery  of  Kells  in 
Ireland's  County  Meath,  the  manuscript  consists 
of  the  four  Gospels  of  the  New  Testament.  The 
book  has  been  described  as  the  "calligraphic 
wonder  of  the  western  world." 


Director  Arthur  Curley 
and  Mr.  Daniel  J.  Rea, 
Sr.  holding  the  Book  of 
Kells,  a  gift  from  Mr. 
Rea  to  the  Library. 


22 


Monetary  Gifts 

This  is  a  selective  listing  of  gifts  of  $1,000  and 
more.  The  full  listing  of  all  gifts  has  been  fully 
recorded  and  ackowledged  by  the  Research  Library. 


Fred  Allen  Fund 

$500,000.00 

Antiquarian  Booksellers  Association 

of  America 

1,250.00 

Associates  of  the  Boston  Public 

Library 

32,178.00 

The  Boston  Foundation 

1,451.00 

f.  Linzee  Coolidge 

25,000.00 

Fiduciary  Charitable  Foundation 

3,000.00 

Bradford  Field  and  Lee  Bottome 

Story  Foundation 

2,400.00 

Mrs.  Berthe'  M.  Gaines,  Trustee 

Boston  Public  Library 

1,000.00 

Estate  of  Dorothy  Elizabeth  Green 

3,166.00 

Octavia  Hirschman 

1,000.00 

Anne  S.  Howells  Charitable  Trust 

5,000.00 

lingo  Foundation 

10,000.00 

Payne  Fund,  Inc. 

3,500.00 

Barbara  Lee  Pindar  Smith 

2,500.00 

Stephen  and  Sybil  Stone  Foundation 

3,500.00 

Eleanor  M.  Tate 

1,000.00 

Time,  Inc.  Book  Co. 

1,100.00 

Total 

$597,045.00 

Approximately  $7,000.00  in  additional  gifts  under 
$1,000.00  were  received.  A  sizeable  portion  of  all 
money  gifts  received  this  year  ($23,100)  vi^as 
specified  for  the  Print  Department  General  Fund, 
for  the  purchase  of  works  by  Boston  artists,  or  for 
publication  of  catalogues. 


Friends  of  Branch 
Libraries 

In  FY  91  the  number  of  Friends  groups  in  branch 
libraries  reached  21  of  the  25  branches.  Dedicated 
to  strengthening  neighborhood  libraries  and 
reachout  to  the  communities,  they  developed 
many  imaginative  shapes  for  their  goals.  A 
sampling: 

A  "funky"  auction  of  everything  from  bird  cages 
to  pizzas  (Faneuil). 

A  children's  fair  with  pony  rides  and  clowns 
(Fields  Corner). 

A  car  wash  for  fundraising  (South  End). 

A  town  meeting  on  "AIDS  in  the  Black  Com- 
munity" (Codman  Square). 

A  bilingual  (English/Spanish)  open  house  (Con- 
nolly). 

Writing  competitions  (Hyde  Park,  West  Rox- 
bury,  and  Egleston  Square). 

The  Friends  groups  were  quintessential 
volunteers.  They  invested  time  and  enthusiasm,- 
they  energized  their  neighbors  to  build  a  path  for 
themselves  and  their  children  to  their  local  library. 
They  worked  to  put  their  libraries,  not  on  a  side 
road,  but  in  the  mainstream  of  people's  lives.  Pro- 
bably one  of  the  best  examples  this  year  of  a 
dynamic  Friends  group  is  Friends  of  Faneuil 
Branch.  Their  holiday  party  at  the  branch  drew  350 
people;  their  celebration  of  the  50th  birthday  of 
Curious  George  involved  140  children.  Houghton 
Mifflin  donated  Curious  George  books  for  the 
affair. 


Partners  of  the 
Boston  Public 
Library 

Several  significant  groups  of  citizens  have  incor- 
porated to  support  Library  objectives  and  to  raise 
funds  for  that  support.  The  methods  of  pursuing 
these  objectives  and  their  fund-raising  for  Library 
needs  beyond  tax-generated  support  varied  from 
group  to  group,  but  their  commitment,  energy,  and 
tirelessness  are  shared. 


City-Wide  Friends 

True  to  their  name,  City-Wide  Friends  is  a  grass- 
roots organization  that  raises  funds  to  benefit  the 
entire  Library  system.  This  year  the  group  con- 
tributed $7,000  to  landscape  the  central  library 
buildings  in  Copley  Square  and  $2,000  to  purchase 
puppets  for  a  number  of  branch  libraries.  The  funds 
are  derived  from  monthly  book  sales  held  at  the 
central  library.  The  City- Wide  Friends  also  spread 
the  word,  through  media  appearances  and  adver- 
tising, in  advocacy  of  the  needs  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library  at  times  of  budget  crisis. 


23 


Associates  of  the 
Boston  Public  Library 

Each  year  the  Associates  add  ghtter  to  the  very 
laison  d'etre  of  hbraries,  books  and  authors,  with 
the  Literary  Lights  dinner.  In  this  year's  event,  a 
distinguished  gathering  of  writers  were  in  at- 
tendance. 

The  Associates'  main  goals  are  fundraising  for 
acquisition  of  special  collections,  publications,  ex- 
hibitions, and  guided  art/architecture  tours.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  Literary  Lights  dinner,  the  Associates 
sponsored  a  festive  dinner  in  the  Abbey  Room  of 
the  McKim  Buildmg.  "Una  Cena  E  Una  Festa 
Friulana"  marked  the  50th  anniversary  of  the  Print 
Department  and  coincided  with  the  opening  of  a 
major  exhibition  in  the  Great  Hall,  "Micossi's 
Italy."  The  celebrated  Italian  printmaker,  Mario 
Micossi,  was  the  featured  speaker  at  the  dinner. 

This  year  the  Associates  contributed  $10,000  to 
the  Boston  Public  Library  Foundation  to  assist  in 
the  restoration  of  the  lohn  Singer  Sargent  murals. 
The  Associates  also  added  a  rare  medieval  il- 
luminated manuscript  to  the  Rare  Book  and 
Manuscripts  Department,  Constitutiones  Fratrum 
CelestinoTum  Provincie  Gallicane. 


Boston  Public 
Library  Foundation 

"This  effort  is  not  just  about  raising  money.  It's 
about  getting  people  involved;  people  who  care 
about  the  cultural  well-being  of  this  city,  state,  and 
region;  people  who  appreciate  the  importance  of 
this  world-class  institution."  Speaking  was  lohn  J. 
Cullinane,  founder  of  Cullinet  Software,  Inc., 
whose  plan  was  to  establish  a  foundation  charged 
with  raising  substantial  funds  for  the  Boston  Public 
Library.  In  March  1992  the  Trustees  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library  announced  the  establishment  of 
Cullinane's  brainchild,  the  Boston  Public  Library 
Foundation. 

loining  Cullinane  in  the  newly  incorporated 
foundation  is  Karyn  Wilson,  former  director  of  Cor- 
porate Contributions  for  Bank  of  Boston,  to  serve 
as  full-time  director,  and  John  Larkin  Thompson, 


former  chairman  and  CEO  of  Blue  Cross  and  Blue 
Shield,  as  chairman.  (See  end  for  listing  of  members 
of  Foundation  Board.) 

With  the  immediate  goal  of  raising  $16  million 
to  assist  in  Phases  II  and  III  of  the  McKim  restora- 
tion, the  Foundation  moved  dramatically  forward 
in  the  first  seven  months  to  raise  more  than  $3 
million.  Among  the  contributions  this  first  year  of 
the  Foundation: 

Amelia  Peabody  Charitable  Fund,  for  restoration 
of  the  McKim  building  foyer         $1,000,000 

Baring  Brothers  Foundation,  London,  England,  in 
the  name  of  early  benefactor  Joshua  Bates 

50,000 

Houghton  Mifflin  Company  for  establishment  of 
a  Special  Collections  Reading  Room  in  McKim 
building  built  around  Alice  M.  Jordan  Col- 
lection 100,000 

Shawmut  Bank  for  restoration  projects  and 
branch  events  100,000 

Bank    of    Boston    for    community    outreach 

150,000 

New  England  Telephone,  to  advance  Library's 
technological  capabilites  250,000 

Raytheon  Corporation,  for  additional  tech- 
nologies 150,000 

Associates  of  the  Boston  Public  Library,  for 
restoration  of  John  Singer  Sargent  murals 

10,000 

Other  gifts   in  support   of  McKim  restoration: 

John    Hancock    Mutual    Insurance    Company 

150,000 

Gillette  Company  125,000 

Polaroid  50,000 

The  New  England  20,000 


Volunteers 


In  FY92  people  continued  to  be  the  centerpiece  of 
the  Library's  collection  building  and  services:  the 
people  who  read  and  who  attend  programs;  the 
Library  staff;  members  of  support  and  fund-seeking 
organizations;  and  staff  of  area  colleges  and  univer- 


24 


Monetary  Gifts 

This  is  a  selective  listing  of  gifts  of  $1,000  and 
more.  The  full  listing  of  all  gifts  has  been  fully 
recorded  and  ackowledged  by  the  Research  Library. 


Fred  Allen  Fund 

$500,000.00 

Antiquarian  Booksellers  Association 

of  America 

1,250.00 

Associates  of  the  Boston  Public 

Library 

32,178.00 

The  Boston  Foundation 

1,451.00 

J.  Linzes  Coolidge 

25,000.00 

Fiduciary  Charitable  Foundation 

3,000.00 

Bradford  Field  and  Lee  Bottome 

Story  Foundation 

2,400.00 

Mrs.  Berthe'  M.  Gaines,  Trustee 

Boston  Public  Library 

1,000.00 

Estate  of  Dorothy  Elizabeth  Green 

3,166.00 

Octavia  Hirschman 

1,000.00 

Aime  S.  Howells  Charitable  Trust 

5,000.00 

Jingo  Foundation 

10,000.00 

Payne  Fund,  Inc. 

3,500.00 

Barbara  Lee  Pindar  Smith 

2,500.00 

Stephen  and  Sybil  Stone  Foundation 

3,500.00 

Eleanor  M.  Tate 

1,000.00 

Time,  Inc.  Book  Co. 

1,100.00 

Total 

$597,045.00 

Approximately  $7,000.00  in  additional  gifts  under 
$1,000.00  were  received.  A  sizeable  portion  of  all 
money  gifts  received  this  year  ($23,100)  w^as 
specified  for  the  Print  Department  General  Fund, 
for  the  purchase  of  works  by  Boston  artists,  or  for 
publication  of  catalogues. 


Friends  of  Branch 
Libraries 

In  FY  92  the  number  of  Friends  groups  in  branch 
libraries  reached  21  of  the  25  branches.  Dedicated 
to  strengthening  neighborhood  libraries  and 
reachout  to  the  communities,  they  developed 
many  imaginative  shapes  for  their  goals.  A 
sampling; 

A  "funky"  auction  of  everything  from  bird  cages 
to  pizzas  (Faneuil). 

A  children's  fair  with  pony  rides  and  clowns 
(Fields  Corner). 

A  car  wash  for  fundraising  (South  End). 

A  town  meeting  on  "AIDS  in  the  Black  Com- 
munity" (Codman  Square). 

A  bilingual  (English/Spanish)  open  house  (Con- 
nolly). 

Writing  competitions  (Hyde  Park,  West  Rox- 
bury,  and  Egleston  Square). 

The  Friends  groups  were  quintessential 
volunteers.  They  invested  time  and  enthusiasm; 
they  energized  their  neighbors  to  build  a  path  for 
themselves  and  their  children  to  their  local  library. 
They  worked  to  put  their  libraries,  not  on  a  side 
road,  but  in  the  mainstream  of  people's  lives.  Pro- 
bably one  of  the  best  examples  this  year  of  a 
dynamic  Friends  group  is  Friends  of  Faneuil 
Branch.  Their  holiday  party  at  the  branch  drew  350 
people;  their  celebration  of  the  50th  birthday  of 
Curious  George  involved  140  children.  Houghton 
Mifflin  donated  Curious  George  books  for  the 
affair. 


Partners  of  the 
Boston  Public 
Library 

Several  significant  groups  of  citizens  have  incor- 
porated to  support  Library  objectives  and  to  raise 
funds  for  that  support.  The  methods  of  pursuing 
these  objectives  and  their  fund-raising  for  Library 
needs  beyond  tax-generated  support  varied  from 
group  to  group,  but  their  commitment,  energy,  and 
tirelessness  are  shared. 


City -Wide  Friends 

True  to  their  name,  City-Wide  Friends  is  a  grass- 
roots organization  that  raises  funds  to  benefit  the 
entire  Library  system.  This  year  the  group  con- 
tributed $7,000  to  landscape  the  central  library 
buildings  in  Copley  Square  and  $2,000  to  purchase 
puppets  for  a  number  of  branch  libraries.  The  funds 
are  derived  from  monthly  book  sales  held  at  the 
central  library.  The  City-Wide  Friends  also  spread 
the  word,  through  media  appearances  and  adver- 
tising, in  advocacy  of  the  needs  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library  at  times  of  budget  crisis. 


23 


Associates  of  the 
Boston  Public  Library 

Each  year  the  Associates  add  glitter  to  the  very 
raison  d'etre  of  hbraries,  books  and  authors,  with 
the  Literary  Lights  dinner.  In  this  year's  event,  a 
distinguished  gathering  of  writers  were  in  at- 
tendance. 

The  Associates'  main  goals  are  fundraising  for 
acquisition  of  special  collections,  publications,  ex- 
hibitions, and  guided  art/architecture  tours.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  Literary  Lights  dinner,  the  Associates 
sponsored  a  festive  dinner  in  the  Abbey  Room  of 
the  McKim  Building.  "Una  Cena  E  Una  Festa 
Friulana"  marked  the  50th  anniversary  of  the  Print 
Department  and  coincided  with  the  opening  of  a 
major  exhibition  in  the  Great  Hall,  "Micossi's 
Italy."  The  celebrated  Italian  printmaker,  Mario 
Micossi,  was  the  featured  speaker  at  the  dinner. 

This  year  the  Associates  contributed  $10,000  to 
the  Boston  Public  Library  Foundation  to  assist  in 
the  restoration  of  the  John  Singer  Sargent  murals. 
The  Associates  also  added  a  rare  medieval  il- 
luminated manuscript  to  the  Rare  Book  and 
Manuscripts  Department,  Constitutiones  Fratrum 
Celestinoium  Piovincie  Gallicane. 


Boston  Public 
Library  Foundation 

"This  effort  is  not  just  about  raising  money.  It's 
about  getting  people  involved;  people  who  care 
about  the  cultural  well-being  of  this  city,  state,  and 
region;  people  who  appreciate  the  importance  of 
this  world-class  institution."  Speaking  was  John  J. 
Cullinane,  founder  of  Cullinet  Software,  Inc., 
whose  plan  was  to  establish  a  foundation  charged 
with  raising  substantial  funds  for  the  Boston  Public 
Library.  In  March  1992  the  Trustees  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library  announced  the  establishment  of 
Cullmane's  brainchild,  the  Boston  Public  Library 
Foundation. 

Joining  Cullinane  in  the  newly  incorporated 
foundation  is  Karyn  Wilson,  former  director  of  Cor- 
porate Contributions  for  Bank  of  Boston,  to  serve 
as  full-time  director,  and  John  Larkin  Thompson, 


former  chairman  and  CEO  of  Blue  Cross  and  Blue 
Shield,  as  chairman.  (See  end  for  listing  of  members 
of  Foundation  Board.) 

With  the  immediate  goal  of  raising  $16  million 
to  assist  in  Phases  II  and  III  of  the  McKim  restora- 
tion, the  Foundation  moved  dramatically  forward 
in  the  first  seven  months  to  raise  more  than  $3 
million.  Among  the  contributions  this  first  year  of 
the  Foundation: 

Amelia  Peabody  Charitable  Fund,  for  restoration 
of  the  McKim  building  foyer         $1,000,000 

Baring  Brothers  Foundation,  London,  England,  in 
the  name  of  early  benefactor  Joshua  Bates 

50,000 

Houghton  Mifflin  Company  for  establishment  of 
a  Special  Collections  Reading  Room  in  McKim 
building  built  around  Alice  M.  Jordan  Col- 
lection 100,000 

Shawmut  Bank  for  restoration  projects  and 
branch  events  100,000 

Bank    of    Boston    for    community    outreach 

150,000 

New  England  Telephone,  to  advance  Library's 
technological  capabilites  250,000 

Raytheon  Corporation,  for  additional  tech- 
nologies 150,000 

Associates  of  the  Boston  Public  Library,  for 
restoration  of  John  Singer  Sargent  murals 

10,000 

Other  gifts   in  support   of  McKim  restoration: 

John    Hancock    Mutual    Insurance    Company 

150,000 

Gillette  Company  125,000 

Polaroid  50,000 

The  New  England  20,000 


Volunteers 


In  FY92  people  continued  to  be  the  centerpiece  of 
the  Library's  collection  building  and  services:  the 
people  who  read  and  who  attend  programs;  the 
Library  staff;  members  of  support  and  fimd-seeking 
organizations;  and  staff  of  area  colleges  and  univer- 


24 


Volunteer  Tour  Guide  leads  visitors  through  the  Abbey  Room. 


sities  and  organizations.  People  significant  in  the 
effective  functioning  of  the  Library  are  volunteers, 
many  giving  their  time  in  the  Fine  Arts  Depart- 
ment, the  Print  Department,  and  other  areas. 

Notable  among  volunteers  are  members  of  the 
Tour  Guide  Program.  Initially  developed  by  the 
Junior  League  of  Boston  under  a  four-year  grant 
from  1987  to  1991  and  subsequently  assumed  by 
the  Library  with  support  from  the  Associates,  the 
volunteers  offer  several  tours  a  week  on  the  Art 
and  Architecture  of  the  Boston  Public  Library.  In 
FY92,  43  professionally  trained  volunteers  gave  a 
total  of  1,522  hours  for  scheduled  and  special  tours, 
instruction,  and  other  support  for  special  events 
and  mailings. 

One  tour  guide  reflects  the  enthusiasm  of  many 
of  her  associate  volunteers:  "Ever  since  the  day  I 
walked  into  'the  people's  palace,'  the  Boston  Public 
Library  has  had  a  tremendous  influence  on  my  life. 
To  me,  the  Library  is  not  just  a  collection  of  books; 
it's  a  wonderful  resource  for  all  the  people  of 
Massachusetts.  I  love  being  a  Library  tour  guide." 


Partners  in 
Programming 

Ideas  are  shared,  inventions  are  generated,  interac- 
tions of  people  take  place,  prejudices  are  thrown 
away,  lights  of  understanding  shine  forth.  In  all 
these  chemistries  of  mind  and  spirit,  the  printed 
word  in  the  Library  is  important.  Just  as  important 
are  the  specialists  and  experts,  the  teachers  and  per- 
formers who  bring  their  learning  and  their  talents 
to  Library  lecture  halls  and  stages. 

This  year  the  "partners  in  programming,"  the 
collaborators  in  Library  programs,  lectures,  con- 
certs, exhibits,  and  demonstrations  read  like  a 
Who's  Who  in  universities,  businesses,  agencies, 
clubs,  and  the  like.  They  range  from  Allston 
Veterans  of  Foreign  Wars  to  Black  Folks  Theater 
Company  to  the  Children's  Museum  to  the 
Massachusetts  Port  Authority.  Virtually  hundreds 
of  such  groups  contribute  magnificently  to  the 
Library,  quintessential  volunteers. 


25 


A  Concluding 
Observation 


This  report  commenced  with  Senator  Bulger's 
reference  to  the  diverse  constituencies  served  by 
the  Library:  People,  all  kinds  of  people  with  vary- 
ing interests  and  goals.  One  person  who  moved 
from  one  constituency  to  another  deserves  par- 
ticular mention.  Michael  Brennan  described 
himself  as  homeless.  "Since  high  school,"  he  said, 
"addiction  had  taken  me  from  mean  streets  to 


detoxes,  to  psychiatric  wards,  and  finally  to 
prison." 

By  FY92,  Michael  Brennan  was  spending  his 
nights  at  a  shelter  for  the  homeless  or  in  a  burying 
ground  and  his  days  among  the  books  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library.  He  vowed  to  become  a  writer  and 
noted:  "The  Library  was  to  be  my  school;  the  books 
my  curriculum." 

Michael  Brennan  knew  he  had  started  on  his 
chosen  road  as  author  this  year  when  he  sold  his 
first  article  to  the  Boston  Globe.  He  credited  the 
Library  for  the  "information,  the  inspiration,  and 
the  contemplative  refuge.  Without  them,  I  simply 
couldn't  have  done  what  I  did." 


26 


Committees, 
Councils, 
and  Boards 

as  of  June  30,  1992 

Trustees  of  the  Public  Library 
of  tlie  City  of  Boston 

The  Boston  PubUc  Library's 
Governing  Board  is  comprised 
of  the  Trustees  of  the  Public 
Library  of  the  City  of  Boston 
who,  by  virtue  of  St.  1878, 
c.  144  constitute  a  nonprofit 
educational  corporation. 

Appointing  Authority;  The 
Honorable  Raymond  L.  Flynn, 
Mayor  of  Boston. 

Trustees 

William  M.  Bulger,  President 

Arthur  F.  F.  Snyder,  Vice 

President 

Robert  W.  Consalvo 

Berthe'  M.  Gaines 

William  O.  Taylor 

Clerk  of  the  Corporation 

Jamie  A.  McGlone 

Director  and  Librarian 

Arthur  Curley 


Associates  of  the  Boston 
Public  Library 
Officers  and  Directors 

Arthur  F.  F.  Snyder,  Chairman 
Stan  M.  Godoff,  Vice  Chair 
Bettina  Norton,  Vice  Chair 
Linda  Lago-Katz,  Treasurer 
Ann  Sargent,  Secretary 
Paul  Buttenwieser 
feffery  Cohen 
Joanna  Datillo 
Cynthia  D.  Fleming 
George  Gibson 
Kenneth  M.  Gloss 


Marjie  B.  Kargman 
George  Lewis,  Jr. 
Donald  E.  Lowrey 
Elaine  Rosenfeld 
Karen  Rotenberg 
Donald  Saunders 
John  W.  Sears 
John  S.  Sedgwick 
Janet  H.  Spitz 


Boston  Public  Library 

Foundation 

Officers  and  Directors 

John  Larkin  Thompson, 

Chairman 

John  J.  Cullinane,  President 

Richard  M.  Harter,  Esq.,  Clerk 

Karyn  M.  Wilson,  Director  and 

Treasurer 

Leo  R.  Breitman 

Robin  A.  Brown 

Stephen  L.  Brown 

James  F.  Cleary 

S.  James  Coppersmith 

Diddy  Cullinane 

James  A.  Daley 

Nader  F.  Darehshori 

Lawrence  S.  Dicara,  Esq. 

Gerard  F.  Doherty,  Esq. 

Ed  Eskandarian 

Katherine  W.  Fanning 

Robert  P.  Fitzgerald 

Robert  B.  Eraser,  Esq. 

Carol  R.  Goldberg 

Robert  J.  Haynes 

Alice  Hennessey 

Arnold  Hiatt 

Ronald  Homer 

Jackie  Jenkins-Scott 

Elizabeth  B.  Johnson 

Alan  LeBovidge 

Peter  S.  Lynch 

George  Macomber 

Thomas  P.  McDermott 

Gerald  T.  Mulligan 

Paul  C.  O'Brien 

Kevin  C.  Phelan 

David  E.  Place,  Esq. 

Bernard  W.  Reznicek 

Neil  R.  Rudenstine 

Jeffrey  B.  Rudman,  Esq. 


Arthur  F.  F.  Snyder 
Micho  F.  Spring 
Ira  Stepanian 
Earl  Tate 

William  O.  Taylor 
William  C.  Van  Faasen 
Norman  M.  Wallack 
Robert  E.  Wise,  M.D. 


Friends  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library 

City-Wide  Friends  Committee 
Donald  Oakes,  Chairperson 

Friends  of  the  Brighton  Branch 

Library 

Olive  Silva,  President 

Friends  of  the  Charlestown 

Branch  Library 

Joanne  Massarro,  President 

Friends  of  the  Codman  Square 

Branch  Library 

Jay  Larson,  President 

Friends  of  the  Connolly 
Branch  Library 
Barbara  Ernst-DiGennaro, 
President 

Friends  of  the  Dudley  Branch 

Library 

Josephine  Brown,  President 

Friends  of  the  East  Boston 

Branch  Library 

Helen  Howley,  President 

Friends  of  the  Egleston  Square 

Branch  Library 

Sister  Mary  Cahill,  President 

Friends  of  the  Faneuil  Branch 

Library 

Debbie  Lowe,  President 

Friends  of  the  Fields  Corner 

Branch  Library 

Ed  Greary,  President 

Friends  of  the  Hyde  Park 

Branch  Library 

Charlotte  Halloran,  President 

Friends  of  the  famaica  Plain 
Branch  library 
Connie  Egan,  President 


27 


Friends  of  the  Lower  Mills 

Branch  Library 

Ed  Hansbury,  Secretary 

Friends  of  the  Mattapan 
Branch  Library 
Beverly  Olson,  President 

Friends  of  the  North  End 

Branch  Library 

Armando  Giampa,  President 

Friends  of  the  Parker  Hill 

Branch  Library 

Marsha  Watson,  President 

Friends  of  the  Roslindale 
Branch  Library 
Joan  Byrne,  President 

Friends  of  the  South  Boston 

Branch  Library 

Edward  L.  Sweda,  Jr.,  President 

Friends  of  the  South  End 
Branch  Library 
Gail  Ide,  President 

Friends  of  the  Uphams  Corner 

Branch  Library 

Dr.  Alan  Fizer,  President 

Friends  of  the  West  End 

Branch  Library 

Anne  T.  Barron,  President 

Friends  of  the  West  Roxbury 
Branch  Library 

Gary  Strickhartz,  Co-President 
Ron  Gwiazda,  Co-President 


Massachusetts  Newspaper 
Program 

Advisory  Committee 
Rodney  Armstrong 
Bernard  Bailyn 
Winifred  E.  Bernhard 
John  Coykendall 
Ralph  J.  Crandall 
Ellen  Dunlap 
William  Ketter 
John  Laucus 
Michael  G.  Miller 
Thomas  O'Connor 
B.  Joseph  O'Neil 
Claire  Quintal 
William  O.  Taylor 
Louis  L.  Tucker 


Technical  Committee 

Nat  Bunker 
Robert  Cunningham 
Ed  Fremd 
Charles  Longley 
Bobbie  Myles 
Joyce  Tracy 


Advisory  Committee  on 
Library  Services  to  Deaf  and 
Hard-of-Hearing  People 

Jeanne  Abrons 
Nancy  Becker 
Sally  Beecher 
Cathy  Clancy 
Patrice  DiNatale 
Kevin  Donahue 
David  Frank 
Paula  Hayes 
Jean  Healey 
Kathleen  Hegarty 
Sr.  Bernadette  Kenney 
Reginald  Krystyniak 
Cathy  Mylotte 
Sandy  Resnick 
Brenda  Schertz 


Advisory  Committee  on  Com- 
puter Technology  for  Persons 
with  Disabilities 

Marsha  Bennett 
Kim  Charlson 
Daniel  Coomber 
Tim  Cummings 
Gerald  DiFranzia 
Gloria  Evans 
Albert  Gayzagian 
Kathleen  Fiegarty 
Patricia  Hill 
Millie  Hilliard 
Leslie  Langlois 
Jery  LaRusso 
Jamal  Mazrui 
Cecilia  Ojoawo 
John  Oliveira 


28 


Library  Resources 

The  Boston  Public  Library  Annual  Report  FY92 


General  Book  Collections 

Volumes 6,132,245 

Special  Collections 

Rare  Books  and  Manuscripts 1,257,929 

Prints 1,218,955 

Patents 9,634,370 

Maps 340,149 

Government  Documents 2,743,210 

Musical  Scores 104,977 

Periodicals 

Current  Subscriptions 16,777 

Non-Print  Materials 

Audio-Recordings 332,779 

Films  &  Video  Cassettes 17,923 

Pictorial  Works 1,892,362 

Microforms 4,794,166 

28,485,842 


Library  Use 


Visitors 2,197,032 

Programs 5,096 

Program  Attendance 170,992 

Items  Borrowed 2,306,407 

Volumes  Consulted 985,236 

Reference  Inquiries 1,227,998 

Photocopies 1,420,000 


29 


Library  Expenditures 

The  Boston  Public  Library  Annual  Report  FY92 


Library  Expenditures FY89 FY90 FY91 FY92 

A.  Salaries  and  Wages: 

City  of  Boston $14,087,657.00      $14,040,104.00      $14,108,404.00      $13,585,568.00 

Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts 

State  Aid 191,527.00  197,535.00  0  0 

Eastern  Regional  Library 

System 1,353,318.00  1,197,085.00  1,205,655.00  1,113,240.00 

Library  of  Last  Recourse 1,685,958.00  1,582,391.00  1,896,831.00  1,823,820.00 

Federal,  State,  and  Private 

Grants 89,913.00  309,153.00  333,454.00  148,314.00 

Total  Salaries: $17,408,373.00      $17,326,268.00      $17,544,344.00      $16,670,942.00 

B.  Books  and  Other  Library 
Materials: 

City  of  Boston $2,372,978.00  $2,721,258.00  $2,565,034.00  $2,250,132.00 

Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts 
Eastern  Regional  Library 

System 1,196,476.00  1,219,040.00  928,446.00  1,011,745.00 

Library  of  Last  Recourse 1,867,962.00  1,949,982.00  2,233,730.00  2,365,061.00 

Other  State  Aid 330,456.00  330,500.00  337,071.00  172,186.00 

Trust  Fund  Income 193,911.00  187,258.00  245,792.00  360,047.00 

Federal  Grants 138,551.00  139,074.00  68,310.00  46,329.00 

Total  Books  and  Other  Library 

Materials: $6,100,334.00       $6,547,112.00       $6,378,383.00       $6,205,500.00 

C.  All  Other  Expenses: 

City  of  Boston $  2,871,479.00       $  2,999,423.00       $  2,915,464.00     $  2,  855,407.00 

Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts 

Eastern  Regional  Library 

System 670,380.00  804,071.00  875,736.00  849,252.00 

Library  of  Last  Recourse 0  583,920.00  392,752.00  334,432.00 

Other  State  Aid 0  0  195,510.00  394,302.00 

Trust  Fund  Income 21,790.00  140,983.00  128,322.00  423,401.00 

Federal,  State,  and  Private 

Grants 81,802.00  263,339.00  245,789.00  146,392.00 

Total  Other: $  3,645,451.00       $  4,791,738.00       $  4,753,573.00       $  5,003,186.00 

Grand  Total  (A,  B,  and  C): $27,154,159.00      $28,665,118.00      $28,676,300.00      $27,879,628.00 


31 


BOSTON 


PUBLIC  LIBRARJ' 


3  g5"06315  065  8