What is the name and address, both in street and email, of the oldest
and largest library in Boston, MA?

Hello Bovine-ga,

Thank you for your question.

The library you are referring to is the Library of the Boston
Athenaeum. Here are some references which should help to verify that
this is the correct library.
 
“THE BOSTON ATHENĈUM, one of the oldest and most distinguished
independent libraries in the United States, was founded in 1807 by
members of the Anthology Society, a group of fourteen Boston gentlemen
who had joined together in 1805 to edit The Monthly Anthology and
Boston Review.”

(..)

“For nearly half a century the Athenaeum was the unchallenged center
of intellectual life in Boston, and by 1851 had become one of the five
largest libraries in the United States. Today its collections comprise
over half a million volumes, with particular strengths in Boston
history, New England state and local history, biography, English and
American literature, and the fine and decorative arts.”
http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/general.html


“Predating all American public libraries, the Boston Athenaeum was
founded in 1807 by a group of gentlemen who wished to provide
themselves with “a reading room, a library, a museum and a
laboratory." Past members of the Athenaeum include John Quincy Adams,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Amy Lowell, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Daniel
Webster, and Lydia Maria Child.”
http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/membership.html


Contact information:

Library of the Boston Athenaeum
10½ Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 227-0270
E-mail: reference@bostonathenaeum.org


Search Criteria:

oldest and largest library in Boston, MA
libraries in Boston, MA largest oldest


If any part of my answer is unclear or if this is not the library you
are looking for, please post a clarification before rating my
answer and I will resume my search.


Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by bovine-ga on 11 Apr 2003 10:38 PDT

Sir:

     Please list the largest and oldest PUBLIC Library in the City of
Boston, MA.  Thank you.

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Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 11 Apr 2003 10:46 PDT

Thank you for your clarification request.
I will resume my search for the oldest and largest PUBLIC library in Boston.
Bobbie7

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Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 11 Apr 2003 11:03 PDT

Hello again Bovine-ga,

Thank you for your patience.

The largest and oldest PUBLIC library in Boston is the Boston Public
Library with over 6 million books and 27 branches.

“The Boston Public Library, established in 1848, was the first
publicly supported municipal library in America, and the first public
library to allow people to borrow books and materials, a truly
revolutionary concept at the time.

Today, the BPL has more than 6 million books; serves more than 2
million people in its 27 branch libraries around the city; and is one
of only two public libraries in the country that are members of the
Association of Research Libraries.”

The Boston Public Library
http://www.bpl.org/


CENTRAL LIBRARY:

The Boston Public Library
Phone: 617-536-5400 
E-mail:  info@bpl.org 
Central Library 
700 Boylston St., 
Boston MA 02117
http://www.bpl.org/general/hours.htm


The Boston Public Library: Contact Information
http://www.bpl.org/general/hours.htm


I hope this helps. If anything needs clarification please ask *BEFORE*
rating my answer.

Best wishes
Bobbie7