Shaw-Roxbury Branch
🏢 Boston Public Library · Boston, Massachusetts
Shaw-Roxbury Branch
The Shaw-Roxbury Branch — renamed in June 2025 to honor Sarah-Ann Shaw, Boston's first Black woman TV reporter — opened at 149 Dudley Street in April 1978 as the largest BPL branch outside the Central Library, and today serves Roxbury with a 3D printer, a Nutrition Lab, Arabic-language collections, and homework help for grades K–8.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12pm–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 149 Dudley Street, Boston, MA 02119
Phone: (617) 442-6186
Website: bpl.org
Plus Code: 87JC8WH8+6H (Boston, MA)
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📖 About Shaw-Roxbury Branch
The branch at 149 Dudley Street opened in April 1978, replacing both the Mount Pleasant Branch and the privately endowed Fellowes Athenaeum — the Athenaeum still sponsors programs at the branch today. The building is the largest Boston Public Library location outside the McKim-designed Central Library in Copley Square. In 2019 the branch underwent renovation and reopened in 2020. In June 2025 the BPL renamed it the Shaw-Roxbury Branch to honor Sarah-Ann Shaw, a pioneering Roxbury native who broke barriers as Boston's first Black woman television reporter; Shaw advocated for the community she covered for decades, and the renaming reflects the neighborhood's own history and aspirations. The branch serves Roxbury — one of Boston's most ethnically and linguistically diverse neighborhoods — with Arabic-language collections, a MakerBot Sketch 3D printer, a dedicated Nutrition Lab for nutrition literacy programming, and homework help for K–8 students.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Renamed June 2025 to honor Sarah-Ann Shaw, Boston's first Black woman TV reporter and longtime Roxbury advocate
- Largest BPL branch outside the Central Library in Copley Square — opened April 1978 at 149 Dudley Street
- MakerBot Sketch 3D printer available for patron use — maker technology in the heart of Roxbury
- Dedicated Nutrition Lab serving as a hub for nutrition literacy programming and food-health education
- Arabic-language collections reflecting Roxbury's diverse linguistic community
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Shaw-Roxbury cardholders can borrow, stream, and research for free through the full BPL digital collection:
📚 Services
- MakerBot Sketch 3D printer for patron use
- Nutrition Lab — hub for nutrition literacy and food-health programming
- Arabic-language collections
- Public computers, printing, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- Laptop lending
- Homework help for grades K–8
- After-hours book return
- Accessible entrance & bike rack
- Lucky Day collection (no holds, no waitlists)
- Reservable community space
- Museum pass: TACC x Paddle Boston (branch-specific)
- Interlibrary loan via the Boston Library Consortium
🎸 Programs
- Storytimes for all ages
- Homework help (grades K–8)
- Crafternoon sessions
- Nutrition Lab programming & nutrition literacy workshops
- Community events sponsored by the Fellowes Athenaeum
📍 Nearby BPL Branches in Boston
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Boston · Browse all Massachusetts libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sarah-Ann Shaw, and why was this branch renamed for her?
Sarah-Ann Shaw was a Roxbury native who became Boston's first Black woman television reporter, working for decades at local stations and covering the community she grew up in. In June 2025, the BPL renamed the Roxbury Branch the Shaw-Roxbury Branch in her honor, recognizing her decades of advocacy for Roxbury and her barrier-breaking career in Boston media.
What is the Nutrition Lab at the Shaw-Roxbury Branch?
The Nutrition Lab is a dedicated program hub at the branch focused on nutrition literacy — teaching community members about healthy eating, food access, and food-health connections. It hosts hands-on workshops and regular nutrition-focused programming, making the branch a community wellness resource as well as a library.
Does Shaw-Roxbury have a 3D printer I can use?
Yes — the branch has a MakerBot Sketch 3D printer available for patron use, part of BPL's commitment to maker technology in its branches. Check with branch staff for availability, project guidelines, and any training requirements.
What is the Fellowes Athenaeum, and what is its connection to this branch?
The Fellowes Athenaeum was a privately endowed cultural institution that formerly served Roxbury. When the Shaw-Roxbury Branch opened in April 1978, it replaced both the old Mount Pleasant Branch and the Athenaeum. The Athenaeum did not disappear entirely — it continues to sponsor programs at the branch today, maintaining a thread of private cultural patronage alongside the public library mission.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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