Mission Through its Research Library Services Program, the Boston Public Library seeks to acquire, make available, preserve, and service significant research materials in all fields of knowledge. In order to ensure that highly specialized research collections and information are available, the Library maintains professionally skilled staff and in-depth resources in a variety of fields. In 1972, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts officially recognized the Boston Public Library's unique role within the state and designated the Library to serve as Library of Last Recourse. All Departments of the Research Library respond to telephone, in-person, and mailed reference requests. In addition to answering questions from individuals and showing people how to use the resources of the Library, Research Library staff regularly give tours of their departments to school groups, other librarians, and other organizations.
Staff are also responsible for the development of the collections in their subject areas.
This requires reading publishers' announcements, review journals, looking through Library of Congress galley cards, and being familiar with the needs of the collections in order to make selections of materials to be purchased. The Research Library collections are in closed stacks and are non-circulating. There is no charge for either card.