The Library was established in 1848 and is widely recognized as the first public library in the country. The Library is made up of circulating and non-circulating collections. Until now, items from our non-circulating collection were available only at the Library's Main Branch in Copley Square in Boston. However, using digital reproductions, the Library is pleased to provide these images over the web in an effort to increase access to the thousands of images in its many collections. The images come from photographs, lithographs, original prints, ephemera, newspaper articles and engravings. Many of these images are of Boston during different historic times and include building and locations that no longer exist.