Shaw-Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library

10/05/2026

Tonight, at 6:00p, author and Black Girls Run Boston member Tiffany Gayle Chenault discusses her new book, Black Woman Runner: A Memoir, a powerful story about grief, healing, identity, and the experience of being a Black woman in the running world. Jeff Davis, of Black Men Run Boston, will be moderating the event.

Join us for the discussion and purchase your copy of Black Woman Runner from Frugal Bookstore Inc., who will be at the event.

09/26/2026

Kevin Powell at Frugal Bookstore Inc. on October 2!!!

Writer, author, activist and Grammy-nominated poet, Kevin Powell will be here on Friday Oct. 2nd at 6pm. Come out, share the space, grab your copy and ENJOY!!

08/31/2026

TODAY 8/31! Join us outside on the library plaza between 3pm and 8pm and jam with us at the 2026 Back-to-School Summer Jam; presented by Pearl City Live Entertainment.

Swing by to check out the resources, incredible performers + vendors - and more…

08/31/2026

The winners of our recent Library Card Design Contest are here just in time for Library Card Sign-Up Month!🦁

With over 400 entries from BPL library card holders, the following patrons were selected as winners!

Elly Otharsson, Adult (18+)
Carolyn Taylor, Teen (13-17)
Julianna Peng, Youth (0-12)
*Congratulations to all!

The three new designs printed on library cards will be available starting on Sep 1, 2026, at all locations, and will remain in circulation throughout 2027 while supplies last.

Learn more: https://www.bpl.org/news/boston-public-library-unveils-three-new-cardholder-designed-library-cards/

08/29/2026

TODAY 8/29! Join us outside on the library plaza for this weekend's edition of The American City Coalition's Savor the Square: Peace, Love, & Hope Gospel Festival 🎶

Swing by to check out the incredible performers + vendors - and purchase something from a vendor to enter the raffle! 🎟️

Free to all!

08/29/2026

Something good is always cooking in the Shaw Roxbury Nutrion Lab

08/29/2026

Join us in the Shaw-Roxbury Branch Nutrition Lab for Casseroles that Care with Chef in Residence Suman Shah
on Monday, September 28, 2026 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.

September is National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate healing in all its forms, and there is nothing quite like a warm casserole pulled straight from the oven to make that feel real. In this class, we'll build one from scratch, layering vegetables, grains, and warming spices into something that feels like a hug on a plate.

Food has a way of bringing people together and reminding us that taking care of ourselves can be joyful, not just necessary. You will learn how to build a hearty, satisfying meal from scratch, blending spices, lentils, and vegetables into layers of flavor and comfort, a technique you will come back to again and again.

By the end, you will walk away with a delicious recipe worth sharing, and a little reminder that healing can taste really, really good.

08/28/2026

Sizzle and Spice: Nigerian Buns and Fresh Hot Sauce with Chef Sola Ajao - Saturday, September 26, 2026 - 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Join Destiny African Market for an intimate culinary journey exploring the bold and vibrant flavors of West Africa. In this hands-on cooking program participants will learn how to prepare traditional Nigerian Buns—a popular, golden-brown fried street food snack—paired with a freshly crafted, flavorful hot sauce from scratch.

Attendees will explore key concepts in nutrition literacy, including working with traditional pantry staples, balancing deep-flavor spice profiles, and making mindful, cost-effective snack choices at home.

Participants will gain practical cooking techniques, cultural insight, and simple recipes to recreate at home, with discussion and tasting included.

08/28/2026

Join us in the Shaw-Roxbury Branch Nutrition Lab for: Spices Behind the Season - What's in Pumpkin Spice with Chef in Residence Suman Shah - Monday, September 21, 2026 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Pumpkin spice has become shorthand for autumn, but few of us know what's actually in it or where it comes from. In this class, we will pull apart the blend piece by piece, tracing cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger back to the corners of the world they call home, and the centuries-old trade routes that brought them together.

We will also look at how cultures across the globe have long turned to warming spices in the colder months, not just for flavor, but for their medicinal properties.

Come learn to make this blend at home, and recipes beyond the drink.

*The syrup was never the point. The spice always was.