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96-556: The McKim Building is the main branch of the Boston Public Library at Copley Square in Boston , Massachusetts. The building, described upon its 1895 opening as a "palace for the people", contains the library's research collection, exhibition rooms, and administrative offices. The building includes lavish decorations, a children's room (the first in the nation), and a central courtyard surrounded by an arcaded gallery in

192-503: A grain elevator , a gazebo and a bridge. Objects are usually artistic in nature, or small in scale compared to structures and buildings. Although objects may be movable, they are generally associated with a specific setting or environment. Examples of objects include monuments, sculptures and fountains. Sites are the locations of significant events, which can be prehistoric or historic in nature and represent activities or buildings (standing, ruined, or vanished). When sites are listed, it

288-513: A public library in Boston beginning as early as 1826. At the time, Ticknor could not generate enough interest. In 1839, Alexandre Vattemare , a French philanthropist, suggested that all of Boston's libraries combine into one institution for the benefit of the public. The idea was presented to many Boston libraries, however, most were uninterested in the idea. At Vattemare's urging, Paris sent gifts of books in 1843 and 1847 to assist in establishing

384-472: A National Register nomination, although historians and historic preservation consultants often are employed for this work. The nomination consists of a standard registration form (NPS 10-900) and contains basic information about a property's physical appearance and the type of significance embodied in the building, structure, object, site, or district. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) receives National Register nominations and provides feedback to

480-738: A café. The Boston Public Library hosts thousands of free public programs each year, including Author Talks, Local and Family History lectures, the Lowell Lecture Series, Concerts in the Courtyard, and art and history exhibitions. The Boston Public Library also offers many daily events for children, teens, adults, and seniors, including story times, therapy dog story times, book discussions, film showings, ESL conversation groups, and research and technology classes. The Boston Public Library offers desktop computers with pay-for-print services for public use and free wireless internet at

576-687: A capacity of 2 million books. Charles Follen McKim's design shows influence from a number of architectural precedents. McKim drew explicitly on the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris (designed by Henri Labrouste , built 1845 to 1851) for the general arrangement of the facade that fronts on Copley Square , but his detailing of that facade's arcaded windows owes a clear debt to the side elevations of Leon Battista Alberti 's Tempio Malatestiano in Rimini . The open-air courtyard at

672-563: A historic district are united historically or aesthetically, either by choice or by the nature of their development. There are several other different types of historic preservation associated with the properties of the National Register of Historic Places that cannot be classified as either simple buildings or historic districts. Through the National Park Service, the National Register of Historic Places publishes

768-476: A letter enclosed with Gibran's generous bequest to the library. Bates Hall is named for the library's first great benefactor, Joshua Bates . Boston Globe writer Sam Allis described "Bates Hall, the great reading room of the BPL, vast and hushed and illuminated with a profusion of green lampshades like fireflies" as one of Boston's "secular spots that are sacred." The form of Bates Hall, rectilinear but terminated with

864-515: A major collection of Daniel Defoe , records of colonial Boston, the 3,800 volume personal library of John Adams , the mathematical and astronomical library of Nathaniel Bowditch , important manuscript archives on abolitionism , including the papers of William Lloyd Garrison , and a major collection of materials on the Sacco and Vanzetti case. There are large collections of prints, photographs, postcards, and maps. The library, for example, holds one of

960-464: A major collection of Daniel Defoe , records of colonial Boston, the personal 3,800 volume library of John Adams , the mathematical and astronomical library of Nathaniel Bowditch , important manuscript archives on abolitionism , including the papers of William Lloyd Garrison , and a major collection of materials on the Sacco and Vanzetti case. There are large collections of prints, photographs, postcards, and maps. The library, for example, holds one of

1056-563: A new building on Boylston Street . Designed by Charles Kirk Kirby to hold 240,000 volumes, the imposing Italianate edifice opened in 1858. Eventually the library outgrew that building as well; in 1878, an examining committee recommended replacing it with a new one at another location. In 1870, the library opened the East Boston branch, the first branch library in the United States. With the aim of increasing its reach throughout

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1152-508: A not-for-profit organization comprising the research libraries of North America. The New York Public Library is the only other public library that is a member of the ARL, and it also has a private endowment. The library has established collections of distinction, based on the collection's depth and breadth, including subjects such as Boston history, the Civil War, Irish history, etc. In addition,

1248-646: A policy developed early in its history. The United States Supreme Court ruled in the 1971 case Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe that parklands could have the same protected status as " historic sites ". Listed properties are generally in one of five broad categories, although there are special considerations for other types of properties that in anyone, or into more specialized subcategories. The five general categories for National Register properties are: building, structure, site, district and object. In addition, historic districts consist of contributing and non-contributing properties. Buildings, as defined by

1344-509: A public library there. Because of the cultural and economic rivalry between Boston and New York, this bequest prompted more discussion of establishing a public library in Boston. In 1848, a statute of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts enabled the creation of the library. The library was officially established in Boston by a city ordinance in 1852. Mayor Benjamin Seaver recommended to

1440-408: A semi-circular apse on each end, recalls a Roman basilica . A series of robust double coffers in the ceiling provide a sculptural canopy to the room. The east side has a rhythmic series of arched windows with light buffered by wide overhanging hood on the exterior. Heavy deep green silk velvet drapery installed in 1888, and again in the 1920s and 1950s, was not recreated in the 1993 restoration of

1536-607: A series of bulletins designed to aid in evaluating and applying the criteria for evaluation of different types of properties. Although the criteria are always the same, the manner they are applied may differ slightly, depending upon the type of property involved. The National Register bulletins describe the application of the criteria for aids to navigation, historic battlefields, archaeological sites, aviation properties, cemeteries and burial places, historic designed landscapes , mining sites, post offices, properties associated with significant persons, properties achieving significance within

1632-419: A unified public library. Vattemare made yet another gift of books in 1849. Josiah Quincy Jr. anonymously donated $ 5,000 to begin funding a new library. Quincy made the donation while he was mayor of Boston . Indirectly, John Jacob Astor , businessman and philanthropist, also influenced the establishment of a public library in Boston. At the time of his death, Astor bequeathed $ 400,000 to New York to establish

1728-536: Is only an exception to the criteria that shape listings within the National Register of Historic Places. Of the eight "exceptions" [or criteria considerations], Consideration G, for properties that have achieved significance within the past fifty years, is probably the best-known, yet also misunderstood preservation principle in America. The National Register evaluation procedures do not use the term "exclusions". The stricter National Historic Landmarks Criteria, upon which

1824-528: Is required to "take into account the effect of the undertaking" on the National Register property, as well as to afford the ACHP a reasonable opportunity to comment. While Section 106 does not mandate explicitly that any federal agency director accept the advice of the ACHP, their advice has a practical influence, especially given the statutory obligations of the NHPA that require federal agencies to "take into account

1920-570: Is the United States federal government 's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts , and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic value". The enactment of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 established the National Register and the process for adding properties to it. Of the more than one and a half million properties on

2016-462: Is the locations themselves that are of historical interest. They possess cultural or archaeological value regardless of the value of any structures that currently exist at the locations. Examples of types of sites include shipwrecks , battlefields , campsites , natural features and rock shelters . Historic districts possess a concentration, association, or continuity of the other four types of properties. Objects, structures, buildings and sites in

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2112-596: The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has the most significant role by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The section requires that the director of any federal agency with direct or indirect jurisdiction of a project that may affect a property listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places must first report to the Advisory Council . The director of said agency

2208-579: The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), to confront adverse effects of federal activities on historic preservation. To administer the newly created National Register of Historic Places, the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, with director George B. Hartzog Jr. , established an administrative division named the Federal Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP). Hartzog charged OAHP with creating

2304-483: The Muses of Inspiration and allegories of academic subjects by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes . The Puvis murals, which were painted on linen and applied to the library walls using the marouflage technique, are his only murals outside of France. McKim chose to have monumental inscriptions, similar to those found on basilicas and monuments in ancient Rome , in the entablature on each of the main building's three façades. On

2400-664: The National Historic Landmarks designated before the Register's creation, as well as any other historic sites in the National Park System. Approval of the act, which was amended in 1980 and 1992, represented the first time the United States had a broad-based historic preservation policy. The 1966 act required those agencies to work in conjunction with the SHPO and an independent federal agency ,

2496-661: The Norman B. Leventhal Map Center , historical images, prints, and photographs, sound archives, and silent films. Many of the library's digitized works can be found either through the Boston Public Library Flickr page or through their collections on the Digital Commonwealth. As of August 2017, the library arranges for its patrons access to digital content from several providers: Boston Public Library has two digital partners-in-residence at

2592-569: The United States Department of the Interior . In February 1983, the two assistant directorates were merged to promote efficiency and recognize the interdependency of their programs. Jerry L. Rogers was selected to direct this newly merged associate directorate. He was described as a skilled administrator, who was sensitive to the need for the NPS to work with SHPOs, academia and local governments. Although not described in detail in

2688-624: The 1966 act, SHPOs eventually became integral to the process of listing properties on the National Register. The 1980 amendments of the 1966 law further defined the responsibilities of SHPOs concerning the National Register. Several 1992 amendments of the NHPA added a category to the National Register, known as Traditional Cultural Properties: those properties associated with Native American or Hawaiian groups. The National Register of Historic Places has grown considerably from its legislative origins in 1966. In 1986, citizens and groups nominated 3,623 separate properties, sites and districts for inclusion on

2784-677: The BPL's staff of two full-time conservators is significantly less than the thirty-five employed at the New York Public Library. Many colonial records and John Adams manuscripts are brittle, decaying, and so in need of attention that the Library's acting Keeper of Rare Books and Manuscripts said that "they are falling apart." In 2011, the library completed a strategic plan, the BPL Compass, which featured eight community-identified "Principles for Excellence". The principles in

2880-944: The Central Library and all 24 branches for anyone who has a wireless-enabled mobile device and a library card. Plug-in Ethernet access is also available in the McKim building's Bates Hall and the Honan-Allston Branch's Adult Reading Room for up to 2 hours. Library-card holders can also borrow laptops for in-library use for 2 hours at any location. The library offers a variety of digital services and collections. The online catalog, also available for mobile devices, allows users to browse and place holds on materials including books, audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs. Users can also download ebooks, e-audiobooks, music, and video through BPL's OverDrive site and check out Zinio magazines for

2976-475: The Central Library in Copley Square. The first is Internet Archive , a nonprofit digital library that offers permanent access to historical collections in digital format for researchers, historians, and the general public. The Digital Public Library of America provides access to digital content from American libraries, archives, museums, and historical societies. In the latter half of the 19th century,

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3072-587: The Mason Street space was small and poorly lit, a new building opened at 55 Boylston Street in 1858. It cost $ 365,000 to build and held 70,000 volumes. By 1880, the Boston Public Library again needed a larger building to accommodate its holdings, and architect Charles Follen McKim of McKim, Mead, and White was chosen to design a new building at the corner of Dartmouth Street and Boylston Street. It opened in 1895 and cost $ 2.268 million, with

3168-587: The McKim Building and the Johnson Building, which are attached and interconnected with interior passageways. The central library as a whole with the two buildings combined contains 930,000 square feet (86,000 m ) of space and houses 21 million items in its collections as of 2015. The McKim building houses the BPL's research collection. Designed by Philip Johnson , this late modernist addition, which predated postmodernist architecture ,

3264-585: The NPS history programs affiliated with both the U.S. National Park system and the National Register were categorized formally into two "Assistant Directorates". Established were the Assistant Directorate for Archeology and Historic Preservation and the Assistant Directorate for Park Historic Preservation. From 1978 until 1981, the main agency for the National Register was the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (HCRS) of

3360-643: The National Park Service, including National Historic Sites (NHS), National Historical Parks , National Military Parks /Battlefields, National Memorials and some National Monuments . There are also 35 listed sites in the three island countries with a Compact of Free Association with the United States, as well as one site in Morocco, the American Legation in Tangier . Listing in the National Register does not restrict private property owners from

3456-448: The National Register criteria are based, do specify exclusions, along with corresponding "exceptions to the exclusions", which are supposed to apply more narrowly. A multiple property submission (MPS) is a thematic group listing of the National Register of Historic Places that consists of related properties that share a common theme and can be submitted as a group. Multiple property submissions must satisfy certain basic criteria for

3552-686: The National Register program mandated by the 1966 law. Ernest Connally was the Office's first director. Within OAHP new divisions were created to deal with the National Register. The division administered several existing programs, including the Historic Sites Survey and the Historic American Buildings Survey , as well as the new National Register and Historic Preservation Fund . The first official Keeper of

3648-569: The National Register when they become administered by the National Park Service. These include National Historic Landmarks (NHL), National Historic Sites (NHS), National Historical Parks , National Military Parks , National Memorials , and some National Monuments . On October 15, 1966, the Historic Preservation Act created the National Register of Historic Places and the corresponding State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO). The National Register initially consisted of

3744-605: The National Register, 95,000 are listed individually. The remainder are contributing resources within historic districts . For most of its history, the National Register has been administered by the National Park Service (NPS), an agency within the United States Department of the Interior . Its goals are to help property owners and interest groups, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation , and coordinate, identify and protect historic sites in

3840-601: The National Register, a total of 75,000 separate properties. Of the more than one and a half million properties on the National Register, 95,000 are listed individually. Others are listed as contributing members within historic districts . It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States Government that special effort should be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. Any individual can prepare

3936-530: The National Register, are distinguished in the traditional sense. Examples include a house, barn, hotel, church, or similar construction. They are created primarily to shelter human activity. The term building, as in outbuilding, can be used to refer to historically and functionally related units, such as a courthouse and a jail or a barn and a house. Structures differ from buildings in that they are functional constructions meant to be used for purposes other than sheltering human activity. Examples include an aircraft,

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4032-460: The National Register. After the nomination is recommended for listing in the National Register by the SHPO, the nomination is sent to the National Park Service, which approves or denies the nomination. If approved, the property is entered officially by the Keeper of the National Register into the National Register of Historic Places. Property owners are notified of the nomination during the review by

4128-526: The National Register: religious properties (e.g., churches); buildings that have been moved; birthplaces or graves of important persons; cemeteries; reconstructed properties; commemorative properties (e.g., statues); and "properties that have achieved significance within the last fifty years". However, if they meet particular "Criteria Considerations" for their category in addition to the overall criteria, they are, in fact, eligible. Hence, despite

4224-548: The Register was William J. Murtagh , an architectural historian . During the Register's earliest years in the late 1960s and early 1970s, organization was lax and SHPOs were small, understaffed and underfunded. However, funds were still being supplied for the Historic Preservation Fund to provide matching grants-in-aid to listed property owners, first for house museums and institutional buildings, but later for commercial structures as well. In 1979,

4320-426: The Register, as well as those located in and contributing to the period of significance of National Register Historic Districts, became eligible for the federal tax benefits. Owners of income-producing properties listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places or of properties that are contributing resources within a National Register Historic District may be eligible for a 20% investment tax credit for

4416-527: The SHPO and state's historic review commission. If an owner objects to a nomination of private property, or in the case of a historic district, a majority of owners, then the property cannot be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. For a property to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, it must meet at least one of its four main criteria. Information about architectural styles , association with various aspects of social history and commerce and ownership are all integral parts of

4512-407: The United States. While National Register listings are mostly symbolic, their recognition of significance provides some financial incentive to owners of listed properties. Protection of the property is not guaranteed. During the nomination process, the property is evaluated in terms of the four criteria for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The application of those criteria has been

4608-711: The Wisdom door states There is in Wisdom a spirit subtil, clear in utterance, loving what is good, pure, stedfast . On the Truth door is the inscription Truth is The Strength and The Kingdom and The Power and the Majesty of all Ages A Romance to Rede and Drive the Night and the Romance door states Away from me thought it Better Play than Either at Chesse or Tables . Flanking the entry are allegorical representations of Science , to

4704-407: The active planning for the new library. In 1852, financier Joshua Bates gave a gift of $ 50,000 to establish a library in Boston. After Bates' gift was received, Ticknor made lists of what books to purchase. He traveled extensively to purchase books for the library, visit other libraries, and set up book agencies. To house the collection, a former schoolhouse located on Mason Street was selected as

4800-455: The center of the building is based closely on that of the 16th-century Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome; in its center is a copy of the, once controversial, statue Bacchante and Infant Faun one of the most well-known works by Frederick William Macmonnies . McKim also exploited up-to-date building technology, as the library represents one of the first major applications, in the United States, of

4896-519: The central entrance is a twentieth-century monument to the Lebanese-born poet and philosopher Gibran Khalil Gibran , or Kahlil Gibran (as he is usually referred to in English) who as a young immigrant educated himself in the Boston Public Library. The monument's inscription responds to the McKim building reading " IT WAS IN MY HEART TO HELP A LITTLE, BECAUSE I WAS HELPED MUCH ", an excerpt from

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4992-526: The city and providing services to residents everywhere, the library opened 21 more branches in Boston neighborhoods between 1872 and 1900. By 1880, the Massachusetts legislature authorized construction of an even grander library building. A site selected was in Back Bay on Copley Square , the prominent corner of Boylston Street and Dartmouth Street, opposite Richardson 's Trinity Church and near

5088-463: The city council that a librarian be appointed. In May 1852 the city council adopted the recommendations of the mayor and Edward Capen was chosen to become Boston Public Library's first librarian. Eager to support the library, Edward Everett collected documents from both houses of Congress , bound them at his own expense, and offered this collection to help establish the new library. At the time of Everett's donation, George Ticknor became involved in

5184-548: The city, in coordination with the library, began a renovation of the Central Library's Johnson building. In February 2015, the first phase of renovation opened on the Johnson building's second floor, including the new Children's Library, Teen Central, a community reading area, and the Adult Reference area. The renovated second floor cost a total of $ 18 million. The second phase of the Johnson building renovations opened in

5280-478: The computer, tablet, or smartphone. Library card holders and e-card holders can also stream movies, television shows, music, and audiobooks through Hoopla Streaming Media. Many of the Boston Public Library's collections are available to the public online, including rare books and manuscripts, the anti-slavery manuscript collection, historical children's books, the John Adams Library, historic maps from

5376-538: The effect of the undertaking". In cases where the ACHP determines federal action will have an "adverse effect" on historic properties, mitigation is sought. Typically, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is created by which the involved parties agree to a particular plan. Many states have laws similar to Section 106. In contrast to conditions relating to a federally designated historic district, municipal ordinances governing local historic districts often restrict certain kinds of changes to properties. Thus, they may protect

5472-590: The figure of Music is a quote from Arcades by Milton Such sweet compulsion doth in music lie, to lull the daughters of Necessity, And keep unsteady Nature to her law. Beneath Poetry is the inscription True Poetry is Like the Loadstone Which Both Attracts the Needle and Supplies it With Magnetic Power . The Knowledge door contains a quote from Proverbs 24:3: By knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all pleasant and precious riches ;

5568-603: The first Boston Museum of Fine Arts . After several years of debate over the selection of the architects and architectural style for the new library, in 1887 the prestigious New York firm of McKim, Mead, and White was chosen to design the new library. In 1888, Charles Follen McKim proposed a Renaissance style design based on the Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève in Paris. The trustees of the library approved, and construction commenced. The vast new reading room

5664-556: The five most important libraries in the United States, the others being the federal Library of Congress , the New York Public Library , and the university libraries of Harvard and Yale . In the mid-19th century, several people were instrumental in the establishment of the Boston Public Library. George Ticknor , a Harvard University professor and trustee of the Boston Athenaeum , proposed establishing

5760-523: The forbidding language, these kinds of places are not actually excluded as a rule. For example, the Register lists thousands of churches. There is a misconception that there is a strict rule that a property must be at least 50 years old to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In reality, there is no hard rule. John H. Sprinkle Jr., deputy director of the Federal Preservation Institute, stated: [T]his "rule"

5856-401: The future. Thus, additions to an MPS can occur over time. The nomination of individual properties in an MPS is accomplished in the same manner as other nominations. The name of the "thematic group" denotes the historical theme of the properties. It is considered the "multiple property listing". Once an individual property or a group of properties is nominated and listed in the National Register,

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5952-543: The group of properties to be included in the National Register. The process begins with the multiple property documentation form which acts as a cover document rather than the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The purpose of the documentation form is to establish the basis of eligibility for related properties. The information of the multiple property documentation form can be used to nominate and register related historic properties simultaneously, or to establish criteria for properties that may be nominated in

6048-539: The largest municipal public library systems in the United States. The vast majority of the collection—over 22.7 million volumes—is held in the Central Branch research stacks. Between July 2012 and June 2013, the annual circulation of the BPL was 3.69 million. Because of the strength and importance of its research collection, the Boston Public Library is a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL),

6144-480: The last fifty years, rural historic landscapes, traditional cultural properties and vessels and shipwrecks. Properties are not protected in any strict sense by the Federal listing. States and local zoning bodies may or may not choose to protect listed historic places. Indirect protection is possible, by state and local regulations on the development of National Register properties and by tax incentives. By contrast,

6240-466: The library began a major renovation project on the Johnson building. The first phase of the renovation opened in February 2015. The second phase included renovations to the building's first floor, mezzanine, and exterior, and opened in the summer 2016. The $ 78 million renovation includes a new business innovation center and business library, a radio broadcasting studio for WGBH (FM) , a 3D printer , and

6336-518: The library established a new philanthropic fund: The Fund for the Boston Public Library, announced by Mayor Marty Walsh . It began with a $ 2.8 million investment by "Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Barr Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Liberty Mutual Foundation, State Street Foundation, Inc. and an anonymous donor." The Boston Central Library is located in Copley Square in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. The central library consists of

6432-562: The library is both a federal and state depository of government documents. Included in the BPL's research collection are more than 1.7 million rare books and manuscripts. It possesses wide-ranging and important holdings, including medieval manuscripts and incunabula , early editions of William Shakespeare (among which are a number of Shakespeare quartos and the First Folio ), the George Ticknor collection of Spanish literature,

6528-547: The library worked vigorously to develop and expand its branch library system. Viewed as a means to extend its presence throughout the city, the branch system evolved from an idea in 1867 to a reality in 1870, when the first branch library in the United States was opened in East Boston . The library currently has 25 branches serving diverse populations in the city's neighborhoods. National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places ( NRHP )

6624-460: The library's Board of Trustees. Another inscription, above the keystone of the central entrance, proclaims: " FREE TO ALL ". Below each second-story arched window on the three façades are inscribed lists of the names of great historical writers, artists, scientists, philosophers, and statesmen. A document created in 1939 by Frank N. Jones provides a comprehensive list: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1680001075 Across Dartmouth Street from

6720-519: The library's first home. On March 20, 1854, the Reading Room of the Boston Public Library officially opened to the public. The circulation department opened on May 2, 1854. The opening day collection of 16,000 volumes fit in the Mason Street building, but it quickly became obvious that its quarters were inadequate. So in December 1854, the library's commissioners authorized the library to move to

6816-481: The major collections of watercolors and drawings by Thomas Rowlandson . The library has a special strength in music, and holds the archives of the Handel and Haydn Society , scores from the estate of Serge Koussevitzky , and the papers of and grand piano belonging to the important American composer Walter Piston . For all these reasons, the historian David McCullough has described the Boston Public Library as one of

6912-419: The major collections of watercolors and drawings by Thomas Rowlandson . The library has a special strength in music, and holds the archives of the Handel and Haydn Society , scores from the estate of Serge Koussevitzky , and the papers of the important American composer Walter Piston . Boston Public Library Boston Public Library has a collection of more than 23.7 million items, which makes it one of

7008-476: The manner of a Renaissance cloister . The library regularly displays its rare works, often in exhibits that will combine works on paper, rare books, and works of art. Several galleries in the third floor of the McKim building are maintained for exhibits. Boston Public Library was founded in 1852. The first Boston Public Library location opened in 1854 in two rooms in the Adams School on Mason Street. Because

7104-835: The multiple property documentation form, combined with the individual National Register of Historic Places nomination forms, constitute a multiple property submission. Examples of MPS include the Lee County Multiple Property Submission , the Warehouses in Omaha , the Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia and the Illinois Carnegie Libraries . Before the term "Multiple Property Submission"

7200-797: The nine buildings included in the University of Connecticut Historic District in Storrs, Connecticut (listed in 1989, demolished in 2017), and the Terrell Jacobs Circus Winter Quarters in Peru, Indiana (listed in 2012, demolished in 2021). In France , designation of monument historique is similar to NRHP listing. In the French program, however, permanent restrictions are imposed upon designated monuments, for example requiring advance approval for any renovation of

7296-553: The nominating individual or group. After preliminary review, the SHPO sends each nomination to the state's historic review commission, which then recommends whether the State Historic Preservation Officer should send the nomination to the Keeper of the National Register . For any non-Federally owned property, only the State Historic Preservation Officer may officially nominate a property for inclusion in

7392-639: The nomination. Each nomination contains a narrative section that provides a detailed physical description of the property and justifies why it is significant historically with regard either to local, state, or national history. The four National Register of Historic Places criteria are the following: The criteria are applied differently for different types of properties; for instance, maritime properties have application guidelines different from those of buildings. The National Park Service names seven categories of properties that "are not usually considered for" and "ordinarily ... shall not be considered eligible for"

7488-403: The now-defunct Save America's Treasures grants, which apply specifically to properties entered in the Register with national significance or designated as National Historic Landmarks . The NHPA did not distinguish between properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places and those designated as National Historic Landmarks concerning qualification for tax incentives or grants. This

7584-628: The plan and all of the related outcomes were the result of a two-year community engagement process for which Boston Public Library received national recognition. In 2012, the city of Boston spent 1.26% ($ 27,836,648) of its budget on the library, or $ 43.74 per person. In 2013, the library unveiled its Collections of Distinction, an initial group of 18 collections that represent the most outstanding, expansive, and renowned of its holdings. Boston Public Library gives priority to Collections of Distinction with respect to public access, acquisition, digitization, preservation, and staff development. In fall 2013,

7680-463: The preservation of income-producing historic properties. The National Park Service was given the responsibility to ensure that only rehabilitations that preserved the historic character of a building would qualify for federal tax incentives. A qualifying rehabilitation is one that the NPS deems consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Properties and sites listed in

7776-792: The properties that were demolished or otherwise destroyed after their listing are the Jobbers Canyon Historic District in Omaha, Nebraska (listed in 1979, demolished in 1989), Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California (listed in 1978, destroyed in a fire in 1989), Palace Amusements in Asbury Park, New Jersey (listed in 2000, demolished in 2004), The Balinese Room in Galveston, Texas (listed in 1997, destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008), seven of

7872-498: The property more than a National Register listing does. The Department of Transportation Act , passed on October 15, 1966, the same day as the National Historic Preservation Act, included provisions that addressed historic preservation. The DOT Act is much more general than Section 106 NHPA in that it refers to properties other than those listed in the Register. The more general language has allowed more properties and parklands to enjoy status as protected areas by this legislation,

7968-615: The rehabilitation of the historic structure. The rehabilitation may be of a commercial, industrial, or residential property, for rentals. The tax incentives program is operated by the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, which is managed jointly by the National Park Service, individual State Historic Preservation Offices and the Internal Revenue Service . Some property owners may also qualify for grants, like

8064-433: The room. The drapery helped to muffle sound and lower light levels. Included in the BPL's research collection are more than 1.7 million rare books and manuscripts. It possesses wide-ranging and important holdings, including medieval manuscripts and incunabula , early editions of William Shakespeare (among which are a number of Shakespeare quartos and the First Folio ), the George Ticknor collection of Spanish literature,

8160-582: The south and Art , on the north, completed by Bela Pratt in 1912. On the panels above the arches are seals of Massachusetts, the Library and the city of Boston. The McKim building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 for its architectural and historical significance, given Boston Landmark status by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 2000. It

8256-411: The south is inscribed: " MDCCCLII • FOUNDED THROUGH THE MUNIFICENCE AND PUBLIC SPIRIT OF CITIZENS "; on the east: " THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON • BUILT BY THE PEOPLE AND DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING • A.D. MDCCCLXXXVIII "; and on the north: " THE COMMONWEALTH REQUIRES THE EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE AS THE SAFEGUARD OF ORDER AND LIBERTY ". The last quotation has been attributed to

8352-413: The state of Colorado, for example, does not set any limits on owners of National Register properties. Until 1976, federal tax incentives were virtually non-existent for buildings on the National Register. Before 1976 the federal tax code favored new construction rather than the reuse of existing, sometimes historical, structures. In 1976, the tax code was altered to provide tax incentives that promote

8448-769: The subject of criticism by academics of history and preservation, as well as the public and politicians. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District , may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property. Properties can be nominated in a variety of forms, including individual properties, historic districts and multiple property submissions (MPS). The Register categorizes general listings into one of five types of properties: district, site, structure, building or object. National Register Historic Districts are defined geographical areas consisting of contributing and non-contributing properties. Some properties are added automatically to

8544-832: The summer 2016 and included the first floor, mezzanine, and exterior. In 2017, the Boston Public Library received joint awards from both the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) for the Central Library Renovation of its Johnson Building, and for the East Boston Branch. In 2017, the library had 3,818,883 visitors to all locations; 4,933,786 items borrowed; and 9,839,461 visits to its website. The library also gained 82,911 new library card holders. In 2019, supporters of

8640-806: The system of thin tile vaults (or catalan vaults ) exported from the Mediterranean architectural tradition by the Valencian Rafael Guastavino . Seven different types of Guastavino vaulting can be seen in the library. Significantly, the ceramic tile patterns are exposed to view on the interior, while all previous projects by Guastavino Sr. covered the vaults with plaster. The center entrance consists of three arches flanked by large sconces. Within each arch are sets of bronze doors by Daniel Chester French added in 1904, which depict left to right, low-relief allegories of Music and Poetry; Knowledge and Wisdom; and Truth and Romance. Beneath

8736-418: The use of their property. Some states and municipalities, however, may have laws that become effective when a property is listed in the National Register. If federal money or a federal permitting process is involved, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 is invoked. Section 106 requires the federal agency involved to assess the effect of its actions on historic resources. Statutorily,

8832-414: Was built in 1967–1971 and opened in 1972. The Johnson building reflects similar proportions, and is built of the same pink Milford granite as the McKim building. Upon opening, the Johnson building became the home for the Boston Public Library's main circulating collection, which includes works in many languages. It also serves as headquarters for the Boston Public Library's 24 branch libraries. In 2013,

8928-404: Was called Bates Hall. In 1972, the Johnson building opened at the central Copley Square location, adjacent to the McKim building. The addition was designed by American architect Philip Johnson . In 1986, the National Park Service designated the McKim building as a National Historic Landmark . As of 2006 , the Library has had staffing and funding levels for conservation below that of its peers:

9024-501: Was deliberate, as the authors of the act had learned from experience that distinguishing between categories of significance for such incentives caused the lowest category to become expendable. Essentially, this made the Landmarks a kind of "honor roll" of the most significant properties of the National Register of Historic Places. As of 1999, 982 properties have been removed from the Register, most often due to being destroyed. Among

9120-671: Was introduced in 1984, such listings were known as "Thematic Resources", such as the Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource , or "Multiple Resource Areas". A listing on the National Register of Historic Places is governmental acknowledgment of a historic district, site, building, or property. However, the Register is mostly "an honorary status with some federal financial incentives". The National Register of Historic Places automatically includes all National Historic Landmarks as well as all historic areas administered by

9216-528: Was the first major Beaux Arts building in the United States, and it was also the first large-scale urban library building in the nation. Murals include a recently restored mural cycle by John Singer Sargent on the theme of The Triumph of Religion that is considered among the artist's masterworks; Edwin Austin Abbey 's most famous work, a series of murals which depict the Grail legend ; and paintings of

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