NPR Report: “Boston Public Library Aims to Increase Access to a Vast Historic Archive Using AI”

From National Public Radio (NPR):

Boston Public Library, one of the oldest and largest public library systems in the country, is launching a project this summer with OpenAI and Harvard Law School to make its trove of historically significant government documents more accessible to the public.

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“It really is an incredible repository of primary source materials covering the whole history of the United States as it has been expressed through government publications,” said Jessica Chapel, the Boston Public Library’s chief of digital and online services.

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Library professionals say working with AI companies will provide broader access to information.

“ I think this is a really worthwhile partnership out of which we are going to get more accessible collections,” Boston Public Library’s Chapel said.

And, because librarians are involved in curating and categorizing that information, the integrity of the materials used by AI companies can be more easily protected.

Learn More, Read the Complete Article (about 700 words)

See Also: infoDOCKET First Shared News About this Project When it was Announced by the Boston Public Library on March 12, 2025.

Filed under: Libraries, News, Open Access, Public Libraries