East Boston Branch of the Public Library now open for pick-ups

Need some summer reading books, dvds or some beach books? 

The East Boston Branch Library can help. The East Boston Branch Library is now open in the afternoon for holds pickups as part of the BPL to Go program.  Patrons can request items with their library card at www.bpl.org, email eastboston@bpl.org  or by calling 617-536-5400.

When the items come in, they will receive notification with instructions how to schedule a pick-up.  

The library is open for scheduled pickups, Monday-Thursday from 2 to 6 and on Fridays from 1 to 4.  

Books and other materials can also be returned during these hours.   

If you have others questions or need more assistance, please email eastboston@bpl.org. 

For more information please visit: https://www.bpl.org/news/bpl-to-go/

What's happening at the East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library: October 2018

Countdown to Kindergarten Playgroups

Fridays at at 10 a.m.
Parent-child playgroup for childen 1-5 years old. Moms, dads, grandparents and other caregivers are welcome!

Little Groove Concert

Wednesdays, October 10th  and 17th at 10:30
Little Groove presents music classes for toddlers and preschoolers. Come sing, move, play instruments, and more. Ages 0-5, accompanied by a caregiver. Groups welcome.

USCIS Information Session

Friday, October 12th from 10-1 p.m.

In this drop-in session, a USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration) officer will answer questions about immigration issues, including: 

• Naturalization and Citizenship 
• Permanent residency 
• Immigration benefits 
• Avoiding immigration scams 
• Finding low-cost and safe legal advice  

NOTE: Staff will not be able to address specific case questions. If you need case-specific information, visit your local USCIS office or call the USCIS Customer Service Center at 1.800.375.5283. 

This is a cooperative effort of USCIS, BPL and the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement.

Salsa Storytelling Series

Mondays, October 15, November 5th and December 10th from 12-1:30 p.m.

Have you lived the kind of stories that can’t be made up? Have you always wanted to write down your life experiences? Everyone has a story and only you can tell yours. During each of the three workshops in this series, we’ll listen to classic salsa songs for inspiration. The great salser@s can teach us a lot about making characters come to life, social commentary, and simply great storytelling.  Bilingual in Spanish and English according to the preferences of the group. Some class materials are in Spanish only.

October 15-Theme: “La vida es un carnaval,” Celia Cruz

November 5-Theme: “Guajira ven,” Hector Lavoe con Willie Colón

December 10,-Theme: “Chica plástica,” Ruben Blades

Bremen Street Fall Festival

Saturday, October 20th from 12-3 p.m.

Enjoy face painting, pumpkin decorating, Halloween crafts and more!

Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library and presented in conjunction with Excel Academy.

Senior Social Club

Thursday, October 18th and Monday, October 29th  from 1-3:30p.m.

Join us for a new club at the East Boston Branch Library. Make new friends and meet old ones over a cup of coffee, some snacks and some fun activities.  Some of the activities that will be offered are film screenings, games, dancing, and book discussion.  

Thomas Jefferson, the Foodie

Thursday, October 18th at 6:30 p.m.

Thomas Jefferson is considered the most complex of America’s Founding Fathers. His influence on the American system of government is well known, but what is not is Jefferson’s influence on American Cuisine.  A former faculty member of  Salem State University’s History Department, Massport’s Anthony Guerriero paints a unique picture of Thomas Jefferson one that might make you rethink his legacy.  Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library

Halloween Dance Party

Tuesday, October 30th, 10:30-11:30 am.

Let's Boo-gie! Wear your Halloween costume and come dance with us to silly songs. For ages 5 and under, accompanied by an adult. Groups welcome.

Score Boston Workshop: Starting Your Own Food Business:  What You Need to Know

Thursday, October 25th at 6 p.m.

In this workshop, you will learn initial steps to take in starting your own restaurant or food-service related business.  The workshop will address not only the basics of starting a business of this type, but also many important do’s and don’ts of undertaking a very rewarding but sometimes risky, start-up of a food business.  To register, visit:

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=pwjaircab&oeidk=a07efpa8cfgd15ae369

Meet Julia Child!

Monday, 5th at 6 p.m.

Meet Julia Child! - the beloved French Chef. A live performance featuring Lynne Moulton as Julia Child doing what she did best.Learn more about her life – from her privileged childhood in California when she had no interest in food, except for eating what the family’s private chef prepared – to becoming one of the culinary legends of all time. The audience will have the opportunity to view Julia on the set of The French Chef television show, an amusing and fun experience! After the performance, the cast will open up for discussion regarding Julia Child. Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library.

Check out What’s Happening at the East Boston Branch Library!

Teen Listening Skills Workshop
Saturday, August 25th at 2 p.m.
Sharpen your listening skills just in time for the school year with local educator Kim Kerrigan!


Bees & Honey / Abejas y Miel
Thursday, Sept. 6th at 6:15 p.m.
Dave Strickler, an avid local beekeeper, will give a talk on honeybees in urban environment, what it’s like to raise honeybees in your backyard, and the small things you can do to help honeybees flourish. He’ll also bring a sampling of honeys for tasting that will delight your taste buds and change the way you think about honey.

Introduction to Genealogy
Monday, Sept. 10th at 6:30 p.m.

Interested in learning about your family history, but not sure how to begin? Getting Started in Genealogy will teach you the basics of genealogical research. Topics will include how to begin, how to find available resources, how to record and organize your research and much more.

Jeanne Belmonte is a board member of the of the East Boston Museum and Historical Society and a professional genealogist/family historian with more than 10 years of research experience.

Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library.


Birds of Prey
Saturday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m.
Mass Audubon Society returns to the East Boston Branch of the BPL with Birds of Prey.  Live birds will be present!!!!!

Orientation Workshop for Foreign-Trained Professionals
Saturdays, Sept. 22nd and 29th from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join us for a New Immigrants Orientation Workshop! We are bringing in experts to answer questions and provide resources that will help recent immigrants build on their foreign training to reach their potential in the United States. Attendance is FREE.  Participants are expected to attend both sessions.
Sponsored by the African Bridge Network and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement.



Book Discussion Club:  Substance Use Recovery Memoirs and Stories:
Thursday, Sept. 27th at 6:30 p.m.

For our September Book Discussion Club, we will be focusing on memoirs and stories that talk about substance use, addiction, and recovery as part of SAMHSA's National Recovery Month. 

Starting August 20th, choose from a selection of titles ranging from graphic novels to fiction to first-hand accounts from people in recovery. Print, ebook and audiobook options are available. We will meet on September 27th to discuss the books we have selected while enjoying light refreshments.

This Saturday 6/9: Augmented Reality and Meet Curious George

June events at the East Boston Library

Check out What’s Happening at the East Boston Branch Library


Family Story Time 
This weekly story time features books, songs, and movement. Tuesdays at 11:15 a.m.. For ages 2-5 accompanied by an adult. 

Little Groove Music
Tuesday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 12 at 10:30 a.m.
Little Groove presents music classes for toddlers and preschoolers.  Come sing, move play instruments and more.  For ages 2-5 accompanied by a caregiver.

Countdown to Kindergarten Playgroup
Fridays at 10 a.m.
For children 1-5 years of age.Moms, dads, grandparents and other caregivers are welcome! Children will start to build on their school readiness skills. 

Translation and Social Justice
Monday, June 4th, 6-7:30 p.m.
GrubStreet and the Boston Public Library present Translation and Social Justice, a bilingual creative writing workshop. Instructors: Denise Delgado and Gabriel Sosa.  This workshop welcomes participants comfortable in either English or Spanish and is open to anyone with any level of writing experience or skill.

Drop-In Tech Help for Adults & Seniors
Mondays from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Tech confusion? We can help!
If you have questions about a laptop, Chromebook, Android or iPad tablet, Kindles and eBook readers, iPods, or about smartphones of all sorts, drop by with your fully-charged device and we can help you learn a new technique or trick to get your tech device working for YOU!

Yu-Gi-Oh Club -meets every Saturday from 1:30-3:30. 

English Conversation Groups 
Mondays at 6:30 and Tuesdays at 1 p.m.
Come practice speaking English with our conversation group.  It meets  meet on Mondays.These groups are free and open to the public.  No registration needed.

Legendary Locals of East Boston
June 7th at 6:30 p.m.
Join us for this lecture by Dr. Regina Marchi, a fourth-generation East Bostonian and professor of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University. Dr. Regina Marchi will tell the history of East Boston through the experiences of its diverse residents. East Boston is the site of key developments in the nation’s history, including the first naval battle of the American Revolution, the creation of the world’s fastest sailing ships, the country’s first underwater tunnel, and the nation’s first public branch library. Learn about its famous residents from colonial governor, John Winthrop and repentant Salem witch trial judge, Samuel Sewall, to clipper ship builder Donald McKay and the world’s first female clipper ship navigator, Mary Patten. (Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library.)

Eastie Makes a Cookbook
Have you learned how to cook something amazing from your grandparents?  Have a recipe you want to pass down?  Invented a new recipe? Add your recipe, your culture, and your voice to our cookbook!

We will be collecting recipes, stories about your favorite foods, and photos of meals you’ve made from now until the end of June. Share your recipe with librarian Djaz in person, by posting to this event, or by emailing Djaz at jidakaar@bpl.org!


Read to a Dog
Monday,  June 4th and June 18th at 4-5 p.m.
Nellie loves to listen to stories. Come read a book to her and make a new dog friend. She’s available on a first-come, first-served basis.
•Special thanks to Dog B.O.N.E.S. of Massachusetts

Boston Looks Seaward
Thursday, June 14th at 6:30 p.m
In the nineteenth century in his East Boston yards Donald McKay built clipper ships whose sailing records have yet to be broken. Today Boston continues to look seaward as we embrace our maritime heritage. Learn more about that history in this slide lecture by William Fowler, Professor Emeritus at Northeastern University (Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library.)

For information any of these programs, call or come in to the East Boston Branch Library, 365 Bremen Street, (617) 560-0271.

Google Map to Bremen Street

Press release: June 19 EB Public Library event on the Tall Ships

(EAST BOSTON, May 29, 2017) Sail into history on Monday, June 19 with the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library as they present a special program in conjunction with the arrival of the Tall Ships.

The celebration begins at 5:30 p.m. with “A Touch of Class Singers” led by Ed Meridith, followed by 6 p.m. by a reading by actress Kathleen Monteleone of John Masefield’s ‘Sea Fever” accompanied on keyboard by Ed Meridith.

From 6:15-6:30 the restored painting  ‘The Flying Cloud’ will be unveiled.  Art restorer Peter Tysver from the Oliver Brothers firm will describe the process.    

From 6:30 -  7:45 local historian Roberta Marchi will speak on the maritime history of East Boston.

The program takes place at the East Boston Branch Library at 365 Bremen Street.  It is free and open to the public.

Light refreshments will be served.

For more information call Susan Brauner at (617) 569-1749.

Events this month at the East Boston Library

Big Joe the Storyteller on Tuesday, June 14th at 4 p.m.
Big Joe the Storyteller has stories that will delight and amaze his audience.  Some stories are classics that are very familiar, some stories have never been heard, and some were written by Big Joe himself.  No matter what type of stories Big Joe tells, they all have one thing in common; they are fun and exciting.  Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Author Lecture:
Join biologist Nathan H. Lents on Thursday, June 16th at 6 p.m. for a discussion of his book, Not So Different:  Finding  Human Nature in Animals.  Through a mix of colorful reporting and rigorous scientific research, Lents describes the exciting strides scientists have made in decoding animal behavior.  Whether Lents is discussing love, grief, greed or envy, he provides ample evidence that animals have a rich inner life. Following the lecture, Prof. Lents will sign books.  A limited number are available for purchase on-site.

Facebook Workshop:
Join us for Intro to Facebook on Friday, June 17th at 10:00 am. We will go over all of the ins & outs of how to get the most out of your experience on the world's most popular social network. For more information, call (617)569-0271.

Irish Music Concert:
Join us on Saturday, June 18th at 3 p.m. for an hour of Irish folk music performed by Boston’s Erin Og.  The band’s repertoire includes songs of Ireland’s 800 years of oppression as well as a wide range of Irish folk music.

Movie Showing:
The Student Immigrant Movement is presenting Indivisible:  Love Knows No Borders at the East Boston Branch Library on Monday, June 20th at 6 p.m. This documentary is about the fight to reunite families separated by deportation.

Teen Book Discussion and Movie:  The Hobbit
Join us as we discuss J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy novel on Tuesday, June 21 @ 2:30 pm. We will view the film on the next day, June 22nd, @ 2:30 pm. Refreshments will be served with the film on the 22nd. Copies of the book are available for checkout now at the library.


Matt Heaton Concert:
Matt  Heaton joins us for a rollicking children’s concert on Wednesday, June 22nd at 10:30 a.m. .  Mr. Heaton’s  music mixes surf, Amerian roots and Irish traditional.  It is delivered with a sense of humor, and is fun for both kids and adults.  For ages 2-5, accompanied by an adult.

Matt Heaton

USCIS Immigration Information Session:
Saturday, June 25th  from 9-1.
A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration officer will be at the branch to answer questions on immigration issues including eligibility requirements; filing procedures; finding knowledgeable, low-cost and safe legal advice and how to avoid scams. This is a cooperative effort of USCIS, BPL and the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement.

Wrap up from latest meeting of the Friends of East Boston Library

[Editor's Note: The following is from  Maddy McComisey, President Friends of the Library East Boston Branch, a wrap up of its November 25th meeting.]

The Friends of the Library East Boston Branch met on Nov. 25th 2013.  We had a full agenda beginning with a request that the library implement ongoing programs presenting authors, music, culture and art for adults, teens and children.  A collaboration of local schools, dance studios, music venues (locally Zumix) playing out their art, music, writing poetry etc. Things mentioned by patrons was the desire to have many, many, many more books on the bare shelves.  Not only are the shelves bare they said, but it is hard to find books look for books because of the bending down.  It was requested something be done to heighten the existing book shelves and again more more more books.  Compared to the 65,000 available at the old libraries in East Boston, 18,000 or 20,000 books is  skimpy

Commenting on the library everyone agreed it was a beautiful building and state of the art and it will win a prize but commented the adult reading room is small.  Where are rest of the the paintings (FLK)? How come there aren't any young children's tables and chairs? And where are the local artists and schools going to display their work?  There isn't a good display system anywhere in the library.  A good quality permanent hardware system to hang and display exhibits could be installed throughout the library.  It wouldn't be nice to hammer nails to hang a display.

Friends of the Library need an ongoing book sale.  Friends needs this to help fund the $400.00 Zoo passes every year.  Patrons like to buy books on the cheep.  Who doesn't like a bargain?

The community needs a large bulletin board in the front of the building.  Our community likes to know what is going on.

These comments were put together from comments from patrons who have called, stopped us in the street, walked to our houses to let us know what they thought because they know we are affiliated with the library somehow.  Patrons have commented on what they see and would like to have fixed.

We ended the meeting with the Friends agreeing to contact the people in command to request these things be fixed or implemented as soon as possible.

East Boston Branch Library to discuss Zadie Smith's "On Beauty"

The East Boston branch Library will hold a book discussion group on Zadie Smith's On Beauty on Monday, February 7th at 6:30 until 7:30. If you are need a copy of this book title please feel to go to the library of call (617) 569-0271. EBBPL looks forward to your attendance and being part of the conversation with patrons.