Boston Literary and Library Love
Here are two snippets of Boston literary/library love for you today.
1) One of my very first posts on this account back in 2018 was sharing about a Yinka Shonibare installation called The American Library. (It was actually a repost of a video from the Cleveland Public Library and I have to tell you that figuring out how to do that back in the day felt like quite an accomplishment!) Shonibare uses colorful Dutch wax printed fabric to cover thousands of books, and the books’ spines host names — some are names of people who (or with ancestors who) immigrated to the United States and some are names of “African Americans who relocated or whose parents relocated out of the American South during the Great Migration.” (Names range from Steve Jobs to Toni Morrison to W.E.B. Dubois, to yes, Donald Trump). The website dedicated to the installation explains that “A further set of books within the library features the names of people who have spoken out against immigration, equality or diversity in America.”
Anyway, months ago a sponsored post for the Four Seasons in Boston popped up in my Facebook feed (pictured) and despite its small size, I knew immediately what the backdrop was — part of Shonibare’s installation. You can see other images below. The hotel acknowledges that in addition to its thematic appeal, The American Library serves as a nod to the Boston Public Library, about half a mile away.
2) Last week, a friend forwarded me WBUR’s newsletter, which included information about a partnership between the MBTA, Mayor Michelle Wu, and the BPL to offer a “digital pop-up library.” The CNN piece pictured here describes how sidewalks near 20 bus stops boast QR codes that will take riders directly to “Browse, Borrow, Board,” the website that allows for library-card-free borrowing of all sorts of digital content. Fare-free transit has been a cornerstone of Mayor Wu’s platform, and here’s what BPL President David Leonard had to say: “We share in the value that knowledge and transportation could both be ‘Free to All.’ This opportunity connects public library and public transit offerings around learning and movement in our city.”
originally published on instagram