Library's Parker Hill Branch to close July 1 for interior and exterior improvements

In preparation for planned interior and exterior improvements totaling $2.4 million included in Mayor Walsh’s Imagine Boston Capital Plan, the Parker Hill Branch of the Boston Public Library will start a temporary closure on Saturday, July 1, 2017 with the last day of public service on Friday, June 30. The closure period is expected to be no more than one year.

A community meeting will be held at the branch on Wednesday, May 17, at 6 p.m. to discuss the facilities improvements and library services during the closure. This project is a collaboration between the Boston Public Library and the City of Boston’s Public Facilities Department, under the leadership of Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

“All across Boston, we are investing in our libraries because they are essential resources for our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “I am proud that through targeted investments we will be able to preserve the historic Parker Hill Branch that is important to community members and our City’s rich cultural history.”

“These significant repairs and improvements to the building are critical to the sustainability of the Parker Hill Branch for the future, and I thank the community members for their understanding and patience as we begin this work,” said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “We encourage patrons to remain engaged with Boston Public Library during this closure by utilizing our other locations and visiting bpl.org to borrow items at any time.”

The $2.4 million in improvements include façade repairs to prevent leaks, repairs to the plaster, window replacement, repairs to masonry, and interior painting. Library patrons are asked to visit the nearby Dudley Branch or one of the BPL’s other neighborhood locations during the closure. For email updates, sign up at bit.ly/BPLParker. Information on additional library capital projects can be found via www.bpl.org/branchcapitalprojects.

Located at 1497 Tremont Street in the Mission Hill neighborhood, the Parker Hill Branch opened in May 1931, and the Jacobean-style building was designed in 1929 by famed architect Ralph Adams Cram. The branch serves Mission Hill residents and workers, neighborhood schools, youth programs, and collaborates with community organizations. It is noted for its unique local history collection and range of services, including author talks, story times, exhibitions, book discussions, exercise classes, and more.

Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org.