Boston Public Library not allowing browsing as city enters Phase 3

BOSTON — Boston Public Library will not yet allow patrons to browse for books due to safety concerns, even as state guidelines would have allowed the practice under Phase 3 of the reopening plan.

Boston’s Phase 3 starts Monday, a week after the rest of the state entered that phase. BPL will instead open six additional branches to its BPL To Go service Monday, bringing the total number of branches offering the reservation and pickup service to 16.

“[The state’s phases are] important to us because it gives us guidance about what we can do, but we’re basically on our own timeline,” said Michael Colford, BPL’s director of library services. “Our priority is to keep our staff and the public safe and healthy if they’re using our services.”

Branches offering BPL To Go include:

• Brighton
• Central Library in Copley Square
• Charlestown
• Codman Square
• Connolly
• East Boston
• Grove Hall
• Honan-Allston
• Jamaica Plain
• Lower Mills
• Mattapan
• Parker Hill
• South Boston
• South End
• West End
• West Roxbury

The library system is also launching a new remote printing service, Printing To Go, which Colford said will be particularly helpful to patrons without home access to a computer printer.  The service allows patrons to upload a document to be printed and pick it up at a BPL branch the next day. Patrons can request up to 10 pages per day free of charge.

Related:

Boston businesses readying for Phase 3 of reopening

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