The photos above were taken at the Boston Public Library's Central Library in Copley Square, Boston, MA, on three separate days from 7 July to 8 August 2006.
What I found most striking about the BPL was its Tagalog collection, about half of which was made up of romances. I tried to find out what the circulation patterns were, but this was not readily available. I was told that I would find other Filipinos (i.e., nurses) at hospitals, but except for one former classmate, I didn't run into any other Filipinos. So I don't really know whether the romances were acquired to fill an expressed need.
Something else worth mentioning is that it was with BPL that I was first able to ask an online reference question via its "Ask A Librarian" service—even without a library card. Those with library cards can even access databases—from anywhere around the world—just by inputting their library card numbers.
The photo of the map in "Islands Philippines" is from the Journeys of the Imagination exhibit, which can now be viewed online, of the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center.
Category: Libraries
Boston Public Library
