Braintree Town Hall -1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive -Braintree , MA 02184 -Telephone 781.794.8000

Thayer Public Library
798 Washington Street, Braintree
Telephone Number: (781) 848-0405 ext. 4417
Fax Number: (781) 356-5447
Email: brref@ocln.org

The Thayer Public Library serves the Town of Braintree, a community of more than 34,000 residents. The new three level building, completed in 1999, is located in Braintree’s historic district.
In 1870, General Sylvanus Thayer made a proposition to the Town of Braintree for the construction of a fireproof building to be used as the public library. He asked the town to contribute $10,000, the remainder to be given by him. General Thayer died before plans could be worked out, but the executors of his will carried out the General’s wishes. $20,000 was used for the erection of the building, and $10,000 was also left by General Thayer to provide a permanent fund for the upkeep of the library.

The library was dedicated June 4, 1874, and was opened to the public in September of that year serving as the town library for 79 years, and was once the home of the Braintree Water Department

Adult Circulation Desk

The Adult Circulation Desk is located on the Messina Level (Main Level) of the library. You may apply for a library card here and borrow or return materials. Four online catalogs adjacent to the circulation desk are available to search for materials, place holds or review patron library records. The staff is always available to assist patrons and provide guidance in learning how to use the online catalogs.

You will also find these materials on the main level:

Audiobooks Fiction Large Print
Compact Discs Mysteries Current Newspapers
Videos & DVDs Science Fiction Current Magazines
Newest Items Paperbacks Library Displays

Library Cards
Braintree residents may apply for a Library Card at the Circulation desk. Identification with the applicant's address (e.g. a driver's license) is required in order to receive a card. The applicant must be a resident of Braintree or a non-OCLN town in order to receive a Thayer Public Library card. Residents of other OCLN member towns must apply for their card at their home library.
A patron must have a valid card with them to borrow materials. A $1.00 fee will be charged to replace a lost library card.
Children, up to Grade 6, should apply for their card in our Children's Department. Young Adults under the age of 16 must have their parent's signature and proof of residency in order to obtain a card.
Borrowing Privileges
A patron may check out unlimited library materials excepting Videos, DVDs, CDs and Audiobooks. Videos and DVDs are limited to a total of 3 per card. CDs and Audiobooks are limited to 10. Patrons may not check out items if there is a balance of $3.00 or more on their account.

Overdue Information
Patrons are encouraged to return library materials on or before their due date to avoid fines and to make the items available to other patrons. There is a three-day grace period on items that circulate for two weeks. Items returned within the grace period incur no fine. There is no grace period on one-week loan periods (videos and DVDs).

Lost/Damaged Material
Patrons are responsible for all library materials that they check out. If a patron loses a library item, they will be required to pay the replacement cost of the item plus a $5.00 processing fee. If the library staff determines that an item has been damaged beyond repair, the patron will be charged the replacement cost plus the processing fee.

Renewing Material
Most items can be renewed twice, with the exception of videos and DVDs, unless holds have been placed on them. Videos, DVDs and Baker & Taylor Lease books are not renewable. Renewals can be done in person with your card or the item, over the phone with your card number or online at http://www.ocln.org/. Most new items, such as bestsellers, are often not available for renewal.

Returning Material
When the library is open, all materials may be returned to the designated area of the circulation desk in the Adult and the Children's department. There is also a book drop at the rear of the building that remains open for returns at all times. There is a separate drop for videos only.

Placing Holds
The hold procedure is a way to reserve a particular item for oneself. This item may be checked-out or may belong to another OCLN library. By placing a hold, you ensure that you will receive a copy of the item.

You can place a hold on most items that you find in the online catalog. You may do this from your home computer, at the library's online catalog or over the telephone. To do this yourself, you need your library card number, referred to as User Id and a PIN number. The default PIN is ocln. If you call the library, you must have your card number available and the circulation staff will be happy to place 2 holds for you, time permitting. When the library receives the item, you will be notified by telephone or email. You have a one-week period to pick up the item
Driving Directions:
Take Route 3 to the Union Street Exit (exit 17). If exiting from the north, enter the rotary at the end of the ramp and take the first right, which is Union Street. If exiting from the south, enter the rotary at the end of the ramp and take the third right - also Union Street. Go straight through the first set of lights up to the lights at the end of Union Street, which forms a "T" intersection with Washington Street. (Thayer Academy faces the intersection). Turn left onto Washington Street (Mapquest has the wrong location for the Library) and go straight through an immediate traffic light. The library, a red brick building with a tower, is on the left, two blocks from the intersection of Union and Washington, directly across from French's Common. Library parking is visible and accessible from Washington Street at the far end of the building.


By Automobile

Take Route 3 to the Union Street Exit (exit 17). If exiting from the north, enter the rotary at the end of the ramp and take the first right, which is Union Street.

If exiting from the south, enter the rotary at the end of the ramp and take the third right - also Union Street. Go straight through the first set of lights up to the lights at the end of Union Street, which forms a "T" intersection with Washington Street. (Thayer Academy faces the intersection).

Turn left onto Washington Street and go straight through an immediate traffic light. The library, a red brick building with a tower, is on the left, two blocks from the intersection of Union and Washington, directly across from French's Common. Library parking is visible and accessible from Washington Street at the far end of the building.

By Public Transport

The Thayer Public Library is accessible by the "T". The Braintree Station, the southern terminus of the Red Line, is within walking distance of the library.

The directions are the same as by car, but you will leave the station and access Union Street above the rotary. Take a hard left onto Union after walking downhill from the station. You should walk under the subway tracks above after 50 yards or so and be walking uphill.

You can also take the #230 bus route marked "Quincy Center Station - Montello Commuter Station". Take "Montello" to go towards the library.

Go to www.mbta.com for additional route and scheduling information

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