Tristan reports a water-main break shut the main BPL library in Copley Square today.

Our own eeka explains her first-hand experience with the new rule.

The Boston Public Library today announced a fine amnesty for three weeks to try to get people to return overdue books.

From Nov. 1 until Thanksgiving, you'll be able to return overdue books - and CDs and DVDs - to any BPL branch and you won't have to pay a cent in fines.

The Boston Business Journal reports city officials are considering leasing 150,000 square feet on three floors of the Johnson building (the newer one) to retailers - and that they are looking at changes to the building's exterior to make it more Apple Store-ish. Nordstrom at the BPL, anyone? Ooh, what about a Barnes and Noble?

In a tweet, BPL replies:

WBUR reports on the new branch, which will replace the current two branches - and be larger than both of them combined.

Several hundred people, including Mayor Menino, attended an MBTA service cut/fare hike meeting at the BPL in Copley Square tonight. Michael Ratty snapped a photo of one of the people wondering where Gov. Patrick was.

The Globe's Andrew Ryan tweets Mayor Menino has named the writer to the Boston Public Library board of trustees.

A $350,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant will let the Boston Public Library and MIT mount a traveling exhibition of the work of Rafael Guastavino, whose "thoughtful design of public spaces transformed American architecture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries:"

Guastavino and his family invented a colorful tiling that is lightweight, attractive, fireproof, and virtually indestructible. Excellent examples of his work grace buildings in 40 states. Examples include the Grand Central Terminal in New York City, the United Stated Supreme Court Building, and the Nebraska State Capitol. Guastavino used his extraordinary gift to elevate public spaces including transportation centers, government centers, libraries, and churches.

The exhibition will first open at the BPL main branch in Copley Square - which was the site of Guastavino's first major work in the U.S.

UPDATE: Thanks to commenters for noting the photo I posted from the McKim building was not of one of the ones Guastavino designed. See if you can spot his work in this collection of McKim construction photos.

The East Boston Times-Free Press reports the mayor is vowing to go ahead with the $11.3-million project even without the $8-million state grant the city had applied for, but probably won't get.

Last year, BPL trustees had targeted the Orient Heights branch for closure, in part on the assumption the city would build an entirely new branch to replace the tiny building and the neighborhood's other branch.