Resources for Tornado Victims and Ways to Help

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) hopes that the following list may be of assistance to those affected by the recent storm and to those who would like to volunteer to help. If you would like to add additional information to help those in need, please post in the comments section below.

RESOURCES

Call 2-1-1 in Alabama for assistance/information of any kind. It's like 9-1-1, except for non-emergency questions of any sort.

Legal Services Alabama Disaster Manual covers housing, insurance, bankruptcy, family issues, unemployment compensation, nutrition assistance, taxes plus many other topics. (pdf version)

Red Cross Mid-Alabama Region
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its congressional charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Salvation Army

A Guide to Homeowners Insurance, Alabama Department of Insurance

Social Security Benefits
1-800-772-1213
1-800-325-0778 (TTY)

Social Security Card Replacement

Insurance Claims' Department Numbers for Major Insurance Companies

Greater Birmingham Humane Society--locating lost dogs

VOLUNTEER AND ADDITIONAL SITES WITH WAYS TO HELP INFO

Alabama hit by deadly tornado on Jan. 23, how you can help (Magic City Post)

FBI Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes

Hands On Birmingham

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

Children's of Alabama Health and Safety Tip - Kids and Storms Useful suggestions on educating and comforting kids during storms.

Recovery: After a Tornado (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

The Art of Science February Program: Science of Optics

Drawing's too hard?
A camera is near.
What eyes regard,
A lens "sees" clear.

February's program is Science of Optics. Participants will learn about the lens and mirrors inside the camera, and will have an opportunity to compose and take photographs.

February Programs
Five Points Regional Branch Library, February 7, 4:00 p.m.
North Birmingham Regional Branch Library, February 9, 4:00 p.m.
Avondale Regional Branch Library, February 10, 3:15 p.m.
Springville Road Regional Branch Library, February 15, 4:00 p.m.
East Lake Branch Library, February 21, 3:30 p.m.
Powderly Branch Library, February 28, 4:00 p.m.

The Art of Science is a grant-funded after-school program conducted by Elinor and Winfield Burks at six Birmingham Public Library branches: Avondale, East Lake, Five Points West, North Birmingham, Powderly, and Springville Road. The program will run nine months—from September 2011 through December 2012—and will cover the science of nutrition, geometry, sound, plants, optics, recycling, and materials engineering in a hands-on atmosphere. Each program will begin with a science principle and end with a craft or group project. Supplies for the crafts are provided.

At each session, the library will showcase books and videos about the program’s topic, and introduce age-appropriate databases for children to further explore what they learned at each program.

The Art of Science is made possible by the Kresge Arts in Birmingham, a partnership with the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham.

BPL Receives “Community Education Organization of the Year” Award from the Metro Birmingham Branch of the NAACP

On January 21, 2012, the NAACP chose BPL as its “Community Education Organization of the Year.” The library is humbled by this marvelous honor. With branches in all corners of the city, the Birmingham Public Library strives to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment.

In addition to this honor, Livability.com has chosen the Birmingham Public Library as one of the “Top 10 Libraries for Children.” According to their website, the staff of Livability “has spent more than 20 years finding the good stuff in small to mid-sized communities across America.” The group chose BPL for all the great programs the library provides the city’s youth, such as 1-2-3 Play with Me, WORD UP!, Ghoul’s Ball, and the library’s popular Summer Reading program featuring NFL wide-receiver Jerricho Cotchery.

For 125 years, the library has served as a community education and youth resource center. With your help, we can continue. You can join us in our mission http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifto educate and enlighten all ages of the Birmingham community. You have an opportunity to affect two million visitors a year by donating to the Birmingham Public Library.

Your tax-deductible donation will help us offer current technology and creative programs at all 18 library locations. Also, your gifts will help us keep the shelves stocked with books and media.

Anyone may donate in person, online or through the mail at 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, 35203. Please make checks payable to “BPL Campaign.”

For additional information, please click here or contact Development Assistant Hunter Murphy at 226-3761.

Friends Book Sale Ends Sunday

The Friends book sale to clear the shelves of overstock will last through Sunday, February 5. The sale is taking place outside the bookstore on the second floor of the Central Library. Only $6 for as many books as you can stuff into a bag. They'll even throw in a Friends cloth book bag in the deal!

The sale is making way for new donations: nonfiction books on the subjects of history, politics, religion, self-help, and biography; Christian fiction hardbacks; magazines, including foreign language publications; some Russian magazines and books; LP albums and album sets from the '50s, '60s, and '70s; specially-priced Marvel and DC comic books; VHS movies and lots of books on tape.

As always, think of the Friends Bookstore when you have books, media, and lightly used knick-knacks to donate. Remember: One man's clutter is another man's stock.

City’s Library Lauded as Tops for Children

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) has been recognized by Livability.com as one of the “Top Ten Libraries for Children,” http://livability.com/top-10/top-10-libraries-for-children/birmingham/al. In developing the Top Ten List, Livability looked at 500 libraries to determine those with the best kid appeal, and BPL with numerable kid-centric programs and activities earned a place on the list.

Libraries are often one of the first encounters with life-long learning for children, and a visit to the library is one of the best ways to spark the interest of children in reading. Birmingham Public Library Director Renee Blalock says, “We are extremely pleased with this recognition. In developing youth programs and services, our goal is to create opportunities that appeal to children by stimulating their imaginations and interest in the library and its resources. As one of the ten libraries on this list, this accolade is for our entire BPL team as we provide high quality service to patrons of all ages.”

Youth programs at BPL include weekly story times and 1-2-3- Play With Me programs for the youngest children. The Summer Reading initiatives include at least 350 programs reaching more than 18,500 youth participants. Teenagers have several poetry-related activities from the monthly Teen Poetry Workshops, to the annual Word Up! Poetry Slam which marks its fifth anniversary in April 2012.

In addition, the library has outreach and youth program partnerships with community non-profit organizations including the City of Birmingham Division of Youth Services, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and the Birmingham Museum of Art.

Livability.com specializes in providing information and resources by taking an in-depth look at the “livability” of communities through detailed research and interviews with community leaders, businesses, and local residents.

The mission of Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life-long learning, cultural enrichment and enjoyment. This system—with eighteen locations and serving the community for 125 years—is one of the largest library systems in the southeast. For additional information, visit the website at www.bplonline.org or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BPL.

Genealogy Database Heritage Quest Discontinued as Countywide Library Service

Heritage Quest, a popular genealogy database, will be discontinued as a countywide resource February 1, 2012. This is one of several resources that have recently been discontinued. After 33 years of funding, the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) was recently eliminated from the Jefferson County budget.

Local library buildings, staff, and operations are funded at the local level. But JCLC, a non-profit organization, provides all 40 Jefferson County city public libraries with essential services such as Internet access, book and DVD delivery between libraries, eBooks, one centralized catalog and one centralized library card. In the past JCLC provided free countywide access to databases such as Heritage Quest for genealogy and the BirminghamNews Online.

Here’s what you can do to help keep our “One county – One library card” cooperative system alive, and to continue JCLC’s core services:

Make a monetary gift online February 2 for Alabama Gives Day at www.alabamagivesday.org or www.jclc.org, mail your check, or donate at your local library. All donations are tax deductible.

For more information contact the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203.

The Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization composed of the 40 public libraries throughout Jefferson County. These include the 22 municipal libraries, which includes the 19 locations of the Birmingham Public Library System, as well as The Library at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The mission of JCLC is to link our member libraries to provide better, more efficient centralized services for all county residents. Visit our website @ www.jclc.org.

Today's Brown Bag Lunch Program: Treasures of African Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art

Emily Hanna, Curator of Arts of Africa and the Americas at the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA), will talk about great works of African art from the BMA permanent collection. Wednesday, February 1, noon.

Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Lunch programs. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Wednesdays at noon in Central Library’s Arrington Auditorium.

African-American History Month

We are a few days away from the beginning of African-American History Month. Many students will be looking for books and information to help them complete assignments. A good place to start is the subject guide for African-American History Month. The guide provides a list of reference books, databases, magazines, newspapers, and websites you can use to find the information you need. A separate list of reference books for younger students is also included in the guide.

The library subscribes to two databases that focus specifically on African Americans: Oxford African American Studies Center and African-American History Online. There is also a local database on the Birmingham Black Barons compiled by the Government Documents Department. It provides a keyword index to local newspaper articles written about the Negro League baseball team from 1919 to 1962.

Several new reference sources have been added to the subject guide this year, so be sure to keep these in mind as you begin your research.

• Black America: A State-By-State Historical Encyclopedia
• Encyclopedia of African American History 1619-1895
• Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present
• Who's Who in Black Alabama

Brown Bag Lunch Program: Treasures of African Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art

Emily Hanna, Curator of Arts of Africa and the Americas at the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA), will talk about great works of African art from the BMA permanent collection. Wednesday, February 1, noon.

Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Lunch programs. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Wednesdays at noon in Central Library’s Arrington Auditorium.

Birmingham Public Library Spotlights the Arts for Black History Month

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) celebrates Black History Month with a series of programs on the Arts. February’s Brown Bag Lunch topics include visual arts, performing arts, language arts, and theatre arts. This program series promises to be thought-provoking, enlightening, and enjoyable. Mark your calendar and join us on the following dates at noon:

February 1
Treasures of African Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art
Emily G. Hanna, the Curator of Arts of Africa and the Americas at the Birmingham Museum of Art, will discuss great works of African art from the museum’s permanent collection and the re-installation of the African art gallery.

February 8
Alabama School of Fine Arts Presents
The Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) Music Department will present a performance featuring the ASFA Choir, String Orchestra, and Jazz Combo groups performing music by African American composers. Directed by Kimberly Scott, Laura Doss, and Robert Janssen, these ensembles are sure to inspire and entertain. This noon hour program promises to be the break you deserve during the day.

February 15
Women in the Media
Malena Cunningham is President and CEO of Strategic Media Relations, Inc. In this one-hour segment, she shares her experiences as an award-winning journalist. Prior to launching Strategic Media Relations, Cunningham was evening news anchor for NBC13 covering numerous high profile stories including every gubernatorial race in Alabama since 1992 during her 12-year stint at NBC13. Cunningham is author of Savvy Leadership Strategies for Women; the book will be available for purchase and signing by the author.

February 22
Plays on the Go: A Poetic Glance at Black History
Christi Toyer, Artistic Director of Plays on the Go Touring Company, and members of her company will offer an energetic exploration of poetry, song and dance as they take us on a journey through the experiences of African Americans.

February 29
The Fight Continues in an Unlikely Place: African American Comic Art
Jeffreen M. Hayes is an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the Birmingham Museum of Art, where she will organize African American art exhibitions. She discusses comic artists Brumsic Brandon, Jr. (b. 1927) and Aaron McGruder (b. 1974), creators of the comic strips Luther and The Boondocks respectively. This talk will examine comic artists’ contributions to fostering dialogue about racism through comics. Her specialty is contemporary African American art and visual culture. Hayes is currently completing her doctoral studies at the College of William and Mary in the American Studies program.

Bards & Brews Travels to Avondale Library in February

The Birmingham Public Library’s (BPL) popular Bards & Brews Poetry Slam is hitting the road in February. Held the first Friday of each month, the February edition of Bards & Brews will travel to the Avondale Regional Library. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with live music. This particular session on February 3, 2012 is open mic rather than a slam. Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins is the emcee. He will deftly guide both novice and veteran poets through an evening of verbal banter ranging from comic to social commentary. The Avondale Regional Library is located at 509 40th Street South.

Bards & Brews is one of the ways the Birmingham Public Library is reaching out to a younger demographic. The craft beer movement in which beer is elevated to the level of fine wine as something to be savored and appreciated has really taken hold especially among the younger generation. The pairing of beer tastings along with poetry slams which have grown in popularity in recent years makes the program a natural fit for the library. This combination has broad appeal. The slams held last year attracted some of the most diverse audiences BPL has had for any programming.

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company will provide the brew available for sampling, along with light refreshments. You must be 18 to attend Bards and Brews, and age 21 to sample the beer. This program is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, contact Jon Newman at the Avondale Regional Library by phone at 205-226-4000 or e-mail jnewman@bham.lib.al.us. You may also visit www.bplonline.org.

Federation of Genealogical Societies National Conference Coming to Birmingham

The Federation of Genealogical Societies is bringing their 2012 national conference to Birmingham from August 29-September 1, 2012. This year's theme is "Indians, Squatters, Settlers and Soldiers in the 'Old Southwest'" and is hosted by the Alabama Genealogical Society.

VisitFGS Voice for registration information and the FGS Conference News Blog for breaking news about lectures, speakers, vendors, events, and more.

Whether you’re a beginner in genealogy or an advanced researcher, there is sure to be something for you at this year's FGS conference.

Today's Brown Bag Lunch Program: It Could Be Harvard: Managing Your 529 College Investment Account

Join Merrill Lynch financial adviser Ricky Bruni to learn more about 529 college investment accounts and how you can save for your child’s or grandchild’s college education. Wednesday, January 25, noon.

Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Lunch programs. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Wednesdays at noon in Central Library’s Arrington Auditorium.

Textile Artist Presents Gallery Talk On Quilts of African American History Makers

Lumumba’s textile art of the late Billie Holiday is one of the quilts on display and available for purchase.

“Stitch your stress away,” is a quote that quilter Aisha Lumumba has taken to heart. Many hours of hard work are visible in the more than 20 quilts depicting noted African Americans currently on display in the Fourth Floor Exhibition Gallery at the Birmingham Public Library. This exhibition includes likenesses of President and Mrs. Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and the late Billie Holiday. Each piece reflects the textile artist’s heritage and interest in history. The African American History Makers Quilt Exhibition opened earlier this month and runs through February 24 at the Central Library located at 2100 Park Place.

Lumumba will present a Gallery Talk on Saturday, January 28, in the 4th Floor Gallery of the downtown library at 2:00 p.m. The artist will focus on the inspirations and stories behind her striking quilts. As a youngster, Lumumba sewed and created art projects with fabric. She learned quilting by watching elders stitch colorful cloth swatches together; she began her first quilt as a teenager. With more than 25 years of experience working with textile arts, Lumumba strives to capture the musical rhythm of the colors, designs, and texture of the pieces she creates. “I want my quilts to tell a story and maybe even sing,” Lumumba states.

Press release for the Aisha Lumumba Gallery Talk

Details
Gallery Talk Presented by Aisha Lumumba
Central Library, 4th Floor Gallery
Saturday, January 28, 2012
2:00 p.m.