A Note from the Executive Director DEAR FRIENDS,

Since the relaunch of the Boston Public Library Fund, in 2019, my colleagues and I have been honored to work with individuals and institutional supporters to expand the resources and services offered by the Boston Public Library (BPL).

This year, two really exciting programs were introduced to meet the needs of the communities we serve — our Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program and the Boston Community History Project. Seed funded by the Nasdaq Foundation and Bank of America, respectively, these programs speak to the dynamic role of the public library as a community center for evolving patron needs.

Based in the Central Library’s Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center (KBLIC), the Entrepreneur in Residence program is available — free of charge — for one-on-one mentoring appointments and group workshops. This is an incredible resource for new citizens, who are 10 percent more likely to own their own business than are those born in the United States. (You can read about the EIR program on the cover and page 2.)

The Boston Community History Project also seeks to lift individuals traditionally marginalized and will center the telling and preserving of neighborhood stories and voices. (Turn to page 6 for all the details about this pioneering initiative.)