Literary Lights, presented by the Associates of the Boston Public Library, is a black-tie event held each Spring to honor outstanding writers from the Northeast and to celebrate their contributions to literature. In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of these outstanding writers, proceeds from Literary Lights support the David McCullough Conservation Fund, William O. Taylor Art Preservation Fund, Associates Endowment Fund, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library's operations.

The Associates created the McCullough Fund in 2001 to provide a consistent source of funding for the conservation and preservation of books, manuscripts, works of art and historic documents in the BPL's Special Collections.