City Services

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

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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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Business

‘Help Save Papercuts’ Asks Bookstore’s Owner Through GoFundMe Campaign

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Independent bookstore JP Papercuts opened on Green Street in 2014, and only earlier this year it moved to a larger location on South Street. But restrictions placed on nonessential businesses due to the Coronavirus has pushed JP Papercuts into danger of closing. And the store's owner is asking for the public's help to keep the business open. Owner Kate Layte created the GoFundMe page on April 6, and as of Wednesday night, had raised more than $8,000. Layte explained she closed the business on March 14 to do her part to flatten the curve and help stop the spread of the virus.

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Holidays

Celebrate Galentine’s Day with Wine & Chocolate Tour in JP

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Wine and chocolate. It's hard to go wrong on Galentine's Day with those two aphrodisiacs. Yes, Galentine's Day. Galentine's Day was created by Amy Poehler's character Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation to celebrate female friendship on the day before Valentine's Day. JP Centre/South Main Streets is helping you celebrate Galentine's Day with a wine and chocolate tour, and other special local treats on a Feb.

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Business

Papercuts Bookstore Moving in 2020

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The Papercuts bookstore is on the go, but unlike its Orange Line-themed logo, it can take the bus to its new location on South Street. "I'm absolutely delighted to announce that this morning, I signed a new lease and will be relocating Papercuts in early 2020 to 60 South Street where Fresh Hair has been woman-owned and operated for the last 37 years. I'm honored to carry the torch of woman-owned small businesses high!" wrote Kate Layte, founder/owner/manager of Papercuts J.P. in an email newsletter. Layte founded the neighborhood bookstore in 2014, offering great customer service, holding author readings, and more.

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Arts
Panel discussion among JP authors at the Connolly Branch Library on Monday, July 17, 2017. From left: Katie Bayerl, Mindy Fried, Beth Castrodale and Katie Eelman

JP Authors Share Their Tips for Getting Into Print

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Patience, a willingness to learn, and the ability to revise one’s work extensively: those are just a few of the qualities that were essential to the success of three Jamaica Plain authors who took part in a panel discussion on book writing and publishing Monday evening. The discussion, held at the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library, was moderated by Katie Eelman, director of media and events at Papercuts JP and co-founder and editor-in-chief at Cutlass Press, an independent book publisher based out of Papercuts. The story of her blacklisted father

As the panelists noted, it can take years to get from the idea stage to a polished, edited book. “You can’t be impatient because it takes forever and a day,” said Mindy Fried, author of Caring for Red: A Daughter’s Memoir. Fried said that her book began as blog posts about her elderly father’s experiences in assisted living and evolved into a memoir about her role in his care giving, one that offers a sociological perspective on the subject.

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Business

Papercuts JP Owner Co-Launching Book Publishing Press

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The owner of Papercuts JP is co-launching a new publishing venture to complement her independent Jamaica Plain bookstore. According to Improper Bostonian, Papercuts owner and manager Kate Layte, who opened the bookstore in 2014, is teaming up with media and events director Katie Eelman to launch Cutlass Press. Eelman will serve as editor-in-chief for the operation, and hopes to publish between three and five books each year. “There are so many wonderful writers whose work breaks the mold of traditional publishing. We want to help to amplify those voices," she told the Improper.

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