Researching at the Boston Public Library

Research Services is a department located at BPL's Central Library. 

Read all about what we have on our webpage. You can also follow us on Facebook.

What materials does Research Services have?
Resources in Research Services are vast and if you're not sure where to go for your question, this department is a good catch-all. Research Services handles any and all questions, though we do have some specialties: local history, genealogy, performing arts, government documents, and the arts:

• Local History with a focus on Boston but extending to New England
• Genealogy with a focus on Boston residents
• Local History: This includes America's oldest newspapers and serials and currently published materials and Boston and beyond
• Performing Arts: music scores, books, and periodicals going back to the 1850s focusing on Europe and the Americas.
• Government Documents - BPL is a repository for government documents and we are required to collection all publications made by the US government
• Reference materials starting from the inception of BPL's collection to today
• And more! See below for some of our more popular research guides.

The Boston Public Library's Central Branch in Copley Square spans an entire block and includes two buildings which are connected: the Boylston Building (enter on Boylston Street) and the McKim Building (enter on Dartmouth Street). Read the full history of this beautiful building here.

• McKim Building: This is the old side of the building. In this building you will find: 
  • Research Services. The Research Librarian's desk can be found in the Washington Room. 
  • Washington Room: Contains BPL's Reference Collection, call numbers A-F
  • Bates Hall: Contains BPL's Reference Collection call numbers G-Z, and a small collection of our Government Documents.
  • Elliott Room: This is BPL's Local History room. Here you will find genealogy and local history books focusing mostly on Massachusetts but spanning out to much of New England.
• Boylston Building: This is the new side of the building. In this building you will find:
  • Special Collections: On the 3rd floor, accessible via the glass elevator
  • Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center: The business library. They are on the lower level.
  • Circulating Fiction & Nonfiction: Circulating means you can take it home.

There are accessible entrances at entrances at McKim and Boylston.

View a map of the Central Library interior here (the gold is the McKim Building, and the gray is the Boylston Building).

Photo Left: "McKim building exterior," ca. 1995 photo taken near Dartmouth Street. It is often referred to as the old building.

Photo Right: "Boston Public Library Johnson building," with Boylston Street in the foreground. Photo ca. 1972–1979. Previously known as the Johnson Building, the Boylston Street Building is often referred to as the new building.

A Boston Public Library card is for all Massachusetts residents, Boston residency is not required. A library card provides full library-access privileges to holders. With a library card patrons can:

• Check out circulating materials (that you can take home)
• Look through in-library use only materials
• Access our streaming and downloading services like Libby, Kanopy, and Hoopla.
• Use library databases from home
• Reserve museum passes

How do I get a library card?
To get a library card, please bring to any BPL branch:

1. A photo ID
2. Proof of Massachusetts address. This could be a piece of mail, bill, or lease, with your name and address on it.

If you have a Massachusetts driver's license, that counts as both a photo ID and proof of address. At Central, you can get a library card at these desks:

• Borrower’s Services desk - first floor of the Boylston building.
• Delivery Desk - second floor of the McKim building. 
• Special Collections - third floor of the Boylston building.

What is an eCard? 
An eCard is an electronic library card for Massachusetts residents only. It provides patrons with limited access to BPL resources. eCards provide access to BPL electronic resources only.

• With an eCard you can access all BPL streaming services, download eBooks & eAudiobooks, use our databases, place holds (but not checkout) physical resources, log-in to BPL computers
• You cannot reserve museum passes, checkout physical resources (this includes in-house only materials), log-in to BPL computers

How do I get an eCard?
To learn more and to get an eCard, sign up using this online form. You will receive an email with your eCard number.

What is a Research card? 

A research card is for visitors who do not live in Massachusetts. It It allows visitors to access in-library use only materials. This includes materials from the Research, Fine Arts, and Microform collections. Research cards do not allow patron's computer access. Request a computer guest pass and show a librarian your research card to get onto a computer.

How do I get a research card?
To get a research card, come into the Central Library at Copley Square with a picture ID. You can get a research card from two desks:

• The Delivery Desk - second floor of the McKim Building
• The Borrower’s Services desk - first floor of the Boylston Street Building.
• Special Collections department - third floor of the Boylston Street Building.

Your PIN a 4-digit number that is set up when you get a library card. 

What is a PIN used for?

• Logging into your library account online
• Using databases from home
• Checking out eBooks
• Printing at the library 

What if I don't remember my PIN?
You can reset your PIN. Take a look at this page about resetting PINs. If you have logged into your BPL account before, you can reset it online. If you never logged into you BPL account, you need to email ask@bpl.org to have it reset. You can also reset your PIN in person at any Boston Public Library location.

The catalog will show all of the items available at the Boston Public Library, including our 25 branches, several affiliated libraries, and numerous research departments. Keep in mind that an item that is marked as "Available" in the catalog just means it is available somewhere in the library system, and you will have to check to see if it's available at your local library. The steps below will help you find out where an item is located.

If you only want to only see items at a specific location, you can use the "Available Now" filter to choose location(s). 

In the results list, if an item is available somewhere in the library system, you will see green text underneath the title that says "Available." You can see which locations it is available at by clicking "view details" beside the green text.

Clicking "view details" brings up a window with the availability information, and they are categorized by where they are. First, you will see items that are available to take home and that are "In." 

Below that box, you will see other copies, such as ones that are "Checked Out," "Held," or "In Library Use Only."

When you click a title in the catalog, you can see more information about it.

For example, with this book, the information on the center of the screen tells us general information about the book, such as the title, author, year, and a description. The box on the top right tells us about that book at the library, specifically the locations where you can find it and the call numbers.

The box on the top right of the page tells you where the item is available. "On the shelves now at" gives you a snapshot of the libraries that have it marked as "In." You can click the drop-down arrow beside the first result to see all of the results. You can also click "Availability by Location" to see all the libraries that have it.

The online catalog is the one you are probably most familiar with, which is the search bar on our website that you can use to search for materials. For older materials, you can use the old microfiche catalog.

What is the card catalog?
Card catalogs are what libraries used to keep track of the collection before computers were invented. 

What kinds of things are found in the card catalog?
The Boston Public Library's catalog contains older materials, from 1974 and before.

Why would I need to use the card catalog?
While it may seem like everything is on the Internet, not all of our older items have migrated to the online catalog. If you're looking for something that was published before 1974 and it's not in the online catalog, you can check the card catalog to see if it's there. 

Where can I use the card catalog?
The card catalog is on microfiche, which means the cards have been put on film. This is because the cards themselves took up an enormous amount of space, and putting them on film means they take up a much smaller amount of space. The card catalog is on a shelve in the Washington Room. You can ask the librarians for help.

I found something in the card catalog. Now what?
It will be in closed stacks where someone has to get it for you, but it can be in a few different places. Take note of the item's title, call number, and location. The location will tell you where it can be requested from.

The Arts collection is the noncirculating collection for Fine Arts and Music. You need a library card or research card to request Arts materials. The Arts materials are picked up at the Delivery Desk.

The Delivery Desk is where you can request many items in closed stacks. The location for the item will be listed as "Central Delivery Desk." You need a library card or research card to request Delivery Desk materials. 

You can find the Delivery Desk on the second floor of the McKim Building, right beside the connecter to the Boylston Street Building.  

How do I request Delivery Desk items?
To request items from the Delivery Desk, you need 3 things: the title, call number, and your library card or research card. The Delivery Desk can also make you a library card or research card, if you still need to get one. You will fill out a request slip with this information (one slip per title), give it to the Delivery Desk, and library staff will go retrieve your items for you. The item(s) will be brought to that desk.

How long will it take to get my items?
Allow at least 30 minutes for Delivery Desk items to be retrieved. Times can vary based on the number of items you request and other patron requests.

Can I take Delivery Desk books home?
Mostly, no, but there are some exceptions. Most of the items located at the Delivery Desk are in library use only, but a small percentage of recent books are circulating (meaning you can check them out). Serials (like magazines and journals) do not circulate.

You can tell if an item is in library use only by looking at the item's collection. 

It will say "Nonfiction - In Library Use Only" if it has to be used in the library. It will say "Nonfiction" if it can be checked out to take home. The item on the right has two copies at the Delivery Desk - one that is in library use only and one that is circulating (that you can take home).

Is there a way to take home a Delivery Desk book that is in library use only?
You can request a Delivery Desk book be made to circulate (so it can be taken home) by placing an interlibrary loan request for it. The easiest way is to place a ComCat request for the item. The library will evaluate each request, and we will let you know if your request has been approved or denied. A request could be denied for a variety of reasons, the most common being: the title is difficult to replace, it is out of print, or it is in poor condition. Some materials will never be allowed to circulate, such as: serials (such as magazines and journals) and family histories.

The Research Services desk in the Washington Room can help you find or request Government Documents materials. Most Government Documents materials are in closed stacks and have to be retrieved for you. You need a library card or research card for items staff have to get for you.

How do I know something is a Government Document?
Government Documents items will list their location as "Social Sciences" and have "Gov Docs" in the call number. 

How do I request Government Documents?
You will fill out a request slip with the title, call number, and your library card or research card number. You will give the request slip (one per title) to the Research Services desk, and someone will retrieve the item for you. The item will be brought to that desk.

How long will it take to get my items?
Allow at least 30 minutes for your items to be retrieved. Retrieval times can vary based on the number of slips you request and other patron requests.

Can I take Government Documents books home?
No, you cannot check out Government Documents books to take home. They are all in library use only.

What does a digitized link mean?
Many Government Documents have been digitized, and the library tries to link to digitized copies whenever possible. You will find these links in the catalog record. If a link is available, you will see it in the availability details of the item's catalog record. The link will be near the bottom, underneath the call number. This title is an example of an item with a digitized link.

Microfilm can be requested from the Research Services desk in the Washington Room. The microfilm collection used the most is newspapers. There are 4 computers with microfilm scanners, which can be used to view microfilm and microfiche. You need a library card or research card to request microfilm.

How do I request microfilm?
Microfilm can requested from the Research Services desk in the Washington Room. To request microfilm, you fill out a request slip with the title, call number, and dates/volumes you need. You will also need to provide your name, library card or research card number, and your city/state. Then, you will be signed onto a computer, and library staff will retrieve your film for you.

What if I don't know what microfilm is or how to use it?
We can show you how to use it! Microfilm is a reel of film with images on it. It's used because it can store a lot of information in a small amount of space, and the film is more durable than paper. 

Is microfilm keyword searchable?
No, microfilm is not keyword searchable, and you will have to read it like a book or newspaper. For newspapers, you will have to request specific dates. It is a good idea to have an idea of what time you need to research, such as the dates around an event.

How do I know what newspapers you have?
You can look up titles in the library catalog, but it can be difficult to tell exactly what years we have. The lists on our newspaper research guide are an easy way to see what titles we have. 

How long will it take to get microfilm?
Allow at least 30 minutes for microfilm to be retrieved. Times can vary based on the number of items you request and other patron requests.

Can I print or email things from microfilm?
Yes, you can print or save digital files from microfilm. Saving digital copies is free, and printing costs 15 cents per page. Take a look at the printing tab for more information on printing. If you are making digital copies, think ahead of time about how you want to save them. You can put them on a USB drive, put them in an email, or save them somewhere digitally like Google Drive or Dropbox.

Is there a limit to how many I can request?
You can request up to 6 reels of microfilm at a time. If you need more, you can return the film you have and submit another request.

To view materials held by the Rare Books Department, you can now make an appointment online. More information is available on the Special Collections Department web page here.

Adult public computers are located in three places at Central: Tech Central for general Internet access, and the Kirstein Business Library and Bates Hall for research access. If you need assistance, there are desks with library staff located near each of these computer areas.

How do I sign in to the computers?
You will need a username and password to log into a public computer. If you have a valid library card, your username is your library card number and your password is your 4-digit PIN. If you are visiting, have a research card, or have an eCard, you will need a guest pass to use the computers. To get a guest pass, talk to the library staff at the desk near the computers you need to use.

How long can I use the computers?
Computer use is first come, first served. You can use most of our public computers for up to two hours. This time can be extended at the discretion of our staff if no one else is waiting. If you will need longer than two hours, you should talk to our staff at the computer location you want to use to see if your time can be accommodated.

Where can I use the Internet?
For general Internet access, you can use the computers in Tech Central. General Internet access is use that does not include research, such as Internet browsing, social media, email, and online shopping. Tech Central is located on the first floor of the Johnson Building, toward the back and behind the elevators.

Where can I use computers for research?

The computers in the Kirstein Business Library and Bates Hall are for specialized research only.

The Kirstein Business Library computers are for business and job related research. The business library is located on the lower level of the Johnson Building.

The computers in Bates Hall are for genealogy, government, newspaper, and microfilm research. Bates Hall is located on the second floor of the McKim Building.

Wi-Fi at the Boston Public Library is free and available to anyone who is at the library. The Wi-Fi network is called "BostonPublicLibrary." Once you connect, a confirmation window will pop up, and you can confirm to get on our Wi-Fi.

Some tips for using the library's Wi-Fi:

• If the confirmation window does not pop up automatically, you can try opening a browser and going to the library's website, BPL.org. It will usually appear then.
• If you're having trouble connecting, try a different browser (such as Google Chrome or Firefox).
• Keep in mind that the Wi-Fi can get slower at busier times, when more patrons are using it.

Digitized collections are different from library databases, and most of these collections are freely available for all to see. Digitized collections are created from items that the library owns. 

Where can I find these collections?
We have digitized content available through the following websites: Internet Archive, Digital Commonwealth, and Flickr. You might find some other websites with items from our collection, but those three websites are the biggest ones we contribute to.

Because many of these items come from the library's collection, we also try to put the links to the digitized version in the catalog record. You can click on those links and be taken to the digitized copy, for example in this title. If a link is available, you will see it in the availability details of the item's catalog record. The link will be underneath the call number.

Who can view these collections?
Everyone! All three of these websites are freely available for anyone to view. When possible, the Boston Public Library also makes the files available for download.

While these websites are free, there are some items with limited availability. If an item is in copyright and we have permission to digitize it, you can still see it but you might not be able to download it. Also, some items on the Internet Archive require you create a free account to check out the item. This happens when an item is still under copyright, and there is a limit to how many people can see it at a time. 

Identify Your Topic:

Begin your research by identifying a specific topic. This can best be accomplished by writing out your research topic in the form of a question.

Example: Are dogs or cats better for living in an apartment?

Identify Keywords:

After you have identified your topic, try to identify the main keywords and or subjects within the sentence. Do not forget about synonyms.

Example: dog, cat, pets, apartment, housing, lifestyle

Keyword and Phrase Searching:

Use the keywords you pulled from your topic sentence for your search.

Phrase Searching is when you add quotation marks " " around your searches. This narrows your search by only giving you results for this exact phrase.

Example: "apartment friendly pets"

Refining Your Results with Boolean Operators:

Boolean Operators are specific words (AND, OR, NOT) that you can use to limit or broaden your search results.

AND: Use AND to narrow a search. This search will give you results containing both words.

Example: cat AND dog will only give you results that contain BOTH of these words. 

OR: Use OR to broaden a search. This search will give you results containing either or any of the words. This will be the largest search result. 

Example: cat OR dog will give you results for anything where either word appears. Helpful hint: "OR means more."

NOT: Use NOT to narrow your search and cut a specific word. This search will give you results for one word, but not the other.

Example: cat NOT dog will only give you results for cat and nothing that contains the word dog. 

You add money to your print account using the red service kiosks. Each branch has a service kiosk, and there are four at the Central Library: in Tech Central, the second floor of the Johnson Building, the Washington Room, and Bates Hall. If you have a library card, that is also your print account. Guests can make a guest account. You need your library card and PIN to log into the kiosks.

How do I log into a kiosk with my library card?
At a kiosk, scan your library card barcode or use the keyboard login to enter it, and then enter your 4-digit PIN (password). You will see your Pay4Print account balance at the top of the screen. Click the button to add funds to your account. You can either add cash like a vending machine or swipe your credit or debit card. At the end of the transaction, you will be asked if you want to print a receipt. 

How do I make a guest account?
Go to a red service kiosk and click "Create Pay4Print Account." Add the funds you would like start with, and when you are done a receipt with a temporary username and password will print out.

What can I do at the kiosks?
You can add money to your printing account, and you can pay library fees.

What types of payment do the kiosks take?
The kiosks take cash and credit/debit cards (Visa and Mastercard). They do not take coins. The minimum amount you can add at a time is $1. You can add additional funds to your library card or guest account, and they have to be a minimum of $1 each time. You can choose an exact amount using a credit/debit card, as long as the amount is over the minimum of $1. The kiosks do not give change, and the library cannot make change for you. Unused funds will stay on the account for future use.

Printing can be done at public computers at Central, and mobile print is available on some laptops. You need a library card or guest account to print.

How much does printing cost?
Printing at the library is priced per page. Black and white prints are 20 cents per page. Color prints are 75 cents per page. Every month you get $20 of free printing

Where and how can I print?
The public computers can be used to print. Printing is a two-step process. When you print something, you will be prompted to enter your library card or guest account number and your 4-digit PIN (password). This puts your prints in the queue. Your account will not be charged at this point. Next, you can release your prints from the queue at a print release station, and they will print. You will be charged for your prints after they are released. A print release station is located in Tech Central, Bates Hall, Kirstein Business Library, and the second floor of the Johnson Building.

Can I print from my laptop?
Yes, it is called mobile print. It only works with a library card, and it will not work with guest accounts, eCards, or research cards. To use mobile print, go to mobileprint.bpl.org. Log in to your account, and upload the document(s) you need to print. Once you have uploaded your documents, you can release them using a print release station.

Copying can be done at the Xerox copiers throughout the library. 

How much does it cost to make copies?
Copying at the library is the same price as printing. It is priced per page. Black and white prints are 20 cents per page. Color prints are 75 cents per page. You must prepay for printing at one of the red service kiosks. You can add money to your library card or create a guest account. These copiers can also scan pages to an email address, which you can find out about on the digital scanning tab.

Where and how can I make copies?
Each branch has a copier, and there are several at Central: Tech Central, the second floor of the Johnson Building, near the Delivery Desk, Bates Hall, and the Kirstein Business Library. At the copier, click "Alternate Log In," and you will be prompted for your library card number. If there is a scanner attached, you can scan the library card barcode, or you can use the number keys to enter it by hand. After you submit it, you will be prompted for your PIN. You will see several options once you log in. Click "Copy."

Digital scans are ones that are saved digitally, either to an email address or on a USB drive. Xerox copiers can make digital scans for 5 cents per page, and the scans are emailed to an email address. There are also two KIC scanners at Central that are free to use. 

What and where are the KIC scanners?
KIC scanners are made for books, and they can send scans to an email address or put them on a USB drive. These scans are free. The scanners can also scan loose paper by laying the pages flat, one or two at a time, on the book cradle. There is a KIC scanner at Central in the Washington Room.

How do I use the Xerox copiers to email documents?
After you log in to the copier, click "Email." From there, you can add email addresses you'd like the documents sent to. Pages scanned on the flatbed will be emailed in separate files. Pages put in the tray together will be scanned in the same file. You have to prepay for scans at the red kiosks, as you would with printing. You can add money to your library card or create a guest account.