31 Things To Do Anytime on the Boston Public Library Website

Our easy list gives you 31 free things to do right now, whether you like to garden or need a book for a teen. If you don’t have a library card, It takes just 5 minutes to sign up for an e-card, free and available to any person who lives or works in Massachusetts.

1. Explore the big picture.

 

2. Borrow a book.

• You can borrow up to ten eBooks or audiobooks at a time from OverDrive and keep them for 14 days.

 

3. Find a Kindle eBook.

 

4. Peruse free streaming and downloading options.

 

5. Order Shelf-Service—3-5 book recommendations from a pro.

 

6. Find a free journal.

 

7. Get multiple adult, child, and teen reading recommendations.

• Subscribe to the Library’s monthly newsletter.

 

8. Get your question answered.

 

9. Make a suggestion.

 

10. Earn your high school diploma at Career Online High School.

 

11. Take a class.

• Browse 15,000+ video courses in business, software, technology, and creative skills, taught by experts.

 

12. Learn a language (adults).

• Choose from more than 70 languages.

 

13. Learn a language (children age 3 through 6).

• Arabic
• Chinese
• English
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Italian
• Japanese
• Russian
• Spanish

 

14. Learn in Spanish with Enciclopedia Moderna (high-school age or older). 

 

15. Learn in Spanish with Britannica Escolar Online (age 6 through 12).

 

16. Prepare for a test.

• K-12 subjects
• High school equivalency
• College and graduate admissions
• Military
• U.S. citizenship
• Professional licensing and certification
• Job & Career Accelerator

 

17. Prepare for your Massachusetts Driver’s License.

 

18. Pursue a hobby, from cooking to gardening.

 

19. Listen to opera, contemporary, and music from other genres.

 

20. Enjoy theatre, dance, and film.

 

21. Read your favorite newspapers and magazines, fresh off the press.

 

22. Listen to songs digitized from wax cylinders, 78 rpms, and LPs.

 

23. Stream children’s movies.

 

24. Find children’s eBooks and audiobooks.

 

25. Find eBooks for teens.

 

26. Stream or download audiobooks.

• Six at a time can be checked out for 21 days (and renewed for an additional 14 days).

 

27. Stream or download magazines.

• Issues do not need to be returned.

 

28. View the Boston Public Library website in:

• Arabic
• Chinese (simplified)
• Chinese (traditional)
• French
• Greek
• Haitian Creole
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Spanish
• Vietnamese
• Find the button available in the bottom right corner of every page of bpl.org. Look for the “G” followed by the words “Select Language.”

 

29. Read, listen or watch 10 items per month with Hoopla.

• Movies and TV shows: 3 days
• Music albums: 7 days
• eBooks and comics: 21 days

 

30. Get Bonus Borrows when you want more than 10 items per month. 

 

31. Watch a movie (up to four per month).