These Were The Top 10 Books Checked Out at JP Libraries

The Boston Public Library compiled their top 10 list of books checked out in 2021 throughout the entire BPL system, as well as individual branches. And one author dominated both Jamaica Plain branch libraries. Children's book author Mo Willems continues to dominate the JP branches. In 2019, Willems' books took all 10 spots on the children's book list. In 2021, Willems was in the overall top 10 lists, which included adult and children's books.

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ICYMI: Boston Public Library Permanently Eliminates Late Fines

The Boston Public Library system is joining a growing list of a libraries across the country to permanently eliminate all library fines. Maybe you wouldn't think that late fines generate a lot of money -- but you'd be wrong. In FY19, BPL collected $176,512 in overdue fines from cardholders, which only represented a fraction of the total overdue fine balance on record, according to a press release. Currently, about 42,000 BPL cardholders are facing fines, and thus cannot continue their use of the library system. BPL states that a large portion of the Boston residents facing fines live in neighborhoods which are the most economically challenged parts of the city.

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The Effects of Coronavirus and Black Lives Matter on Boston Public Library Use

As you might expect, the pandemic has led to a large increase in Boston Public Library e-card signups, and the Black Lives Matter protests led to a huge increase of requests for the most popular anti-racism titles. "During the [Black Lives Matter] protests in June, we saw over a 500% increase in checkouts and holds on the most popular anti-racism titles including White Fragility, So You Want to Talk about Race, Between the World and Me, The New Jim Crow, and more," said Natasha Fee, Senior Public Relations Associate for the Boston Public Library. In the two weeks following the first June protests more than 1,200 BPL patrons requested ebooks of White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, and How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. And hey, Kendi recently stopped by Jamaica Plain's bookstore Papercuts J.P. when he happened to be walking by the South Street store. "We’ve continued to see a steady interest in these items and have been purchasing additional copies of in demand titles (for kids and adults) to meet the demand," said Fee.

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Doyle’s Cafe Lives…Online Through Image Gallery

While locals work to establish Doyle's Cafe as a historic landmark, a new online digital gallery debuted displaying the many items that once decorated the walls of the beloved restaurant. The Boston Public Library, Digital Commonwealth, and the Jamaica Plain Historical Society worked together to launch the new online collection. During the November 6th auction of many things, including the memorabilia on the walls, the fixtures, kitchen equipment and more, dozens of Doyle's regulars worked with the BPL to create the online collection. Buyers agreed to loan their items to the BPL, where they were digitized in the library’s on-site digitization lab. “Digitizing the history of Doyle’s was an easy choice for the library,” said Tom Blake, Director of Content Discovery at the Boston Public Library via press release.

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Boston Public Library Eliminates All Youth Card Fines

Wanting to remove barriers and access to the Boston Public Library system, the BPL Board of Trustees unanimously voted to eliminate overdue fines for all youth younger than 18. “We are proud to be joining the ranks of libraries across the country who are moving towards being fine-free,” said BPL President David Leonard via press release. “Too often, fines penalize those least able to afford them and have the unintended effect of turning young people, in particular, away from their libraries. That’s just not what ‘Free To All’ should mean in the 21st century. Eliminating youth fines reflects core values of the BPL -- to be accessible, to be welcoming, and to ensure we are promoting youth reading, not preventing it.”

The BPL joins a growing number of public libraries, albeit only five percent of public libraries according to a Library Journey survey, that do not charge late fines for youth.

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A Taste of African Heritage Cooking Classes

If you haven’t heard of the African heritage diet, it’s time you introduced yourself. Learn all about the traditional foods of the African diaspora in Oldways’ A Taste of African Heritage classes, coming to the Egleston Branch of the BPL in February. In this Oldways-created cooking class, you’ll learn how to prepare the spices and herbs, leafy greens, whole grains, beans, tubers, fruits, and vegetables that have sustained Africans and their descendants for generations. At the end of the six-week series, you’ll be armed with information and recipes that will allow you to bring the African heritage diet into your own kitchen. The class is free of charge, and will meet Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., from February 10 to March 17.

JPNC Fixit Clinic

Come join your neighbors at this free event. You bring your broken items, and we’ll provide the tools and volunteer coaches with expertise fixing a wide variety of things, including:

Bikes and skateboards

Clothing and fabric items

Computers and phones

Toys and wooden items

Small kitchen appliances

Small electrical devices

Jewelry

Lamps and anything else!*
Pre-register at http://goo.gl/qTzh9J

* Carry in only: no oversized items. Also, no firearms, gasoline engines, or other dangerous items.

If you are interested in volunteering as a Fixit Coach, please contact jpnc.fixitclinic@gmail.com

Fixit Clinic is an all-ages, do-it-together activity where people bring their broken household things and learn how to assess, disassemble, and repair them instead of sending them to landfill. For more information, go to www.fixitclinic.org.

Three JP authors discuss writing and publishing

Katie Bayerl, author of the young adult novel A Psalm for Lost Girls; Mindy Fried, author of Caring for Red: A Daughter's Memoir; and Beth Castrodale, author of the historical novel Marion Hatley will discuss their experiences with the writing process, getting published, and creating a life as a writer.

Mayor Marty Walsh and neighborhood kids get ready to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the JP Branch Library on Saturday, May 20, 2017.

Video: Kids, Mayor Cut Ribbon on Revamped JP Branch Library

Mayor Marty Walsh, whose administration finally fulfilled a decade-plus of city promises to renovate the JP Branch Library, cut the ribbon on the $10 million makeover of the popular facility on Saturday. He enlisted a scrum of neighborhood kids to make the ceremonial snip as hundreds of residents looked on and media cameras clicked and whirred. More Jamaica Plain News coverage of the renovations:

Photos: JP Branch Library Reopens
Call to Artists for Public Art Project at Renovated JP Branch Library
Photo: Books on Shelves at Renovated JP Branch Library! Shovels Up! JP Branch Library Breaks Ground

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