Birmingham Public Library Blog

  Brews Returns to Downtown Birmingham Public Library This Friday,  August 7 What: Bards & Brews Open Mic When: Friday, August 7, 2026 Time: 6:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.) Where: Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 🎤 Join us for an evening of poetry, connection, and creativity  this Friday, August 7, for   Bards & Brews, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s popular free monthly spoken word poetry/craft beer event. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for an open mic  at the downtown Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place. Come show off your talents on the mic as poetry will begin to flow at 6:30 p.m. Ava Walker will be our featured poet. You must be 18 or older to enter and participate, and 21 or older to drink free beer samples. Bards & Brews is sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts . Hosted by Thed Weller, this free event welcomes all voices, from first-time performers to seasoned spoken word artists. Step up...

  Loud at the Library Returns Aug. 21 with Free Punk Show at Birmingham Public Library What: BPL Loud at the Library Punk Show When: Friday, August 21, 2026 | 6–8 p.m. Where: Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 Admission: Free and open to all ages Details: Loud at the Library returns with its fourth punk show, featuring Birmingham bands Nowhere Squares, Tiffany Tears, and SUPERFUND. The concert is free and open to the public.  Loud at the Library is sponsored through a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts awarded to the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library. Birmingham Public Library Presents “Loud at the Library Punk Show on August 21  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Punk music is returning to the Birmingham Public Library. The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) will host its fourth fifth Loud at the Library Punk Show from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, at the Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place. The free, ...

  Author/Drummer YOGI DADA will be featured speaker Meet Alabama authors. Discover new books. Celebrate local stories. Join Us for the 2026 Local Authors' Expo Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Birmingham Public Library 2100 Park Place Birmingham, AL 35203 Admission: Free Visitors will have the opportunity to: Meet 36 Alabama authors Purchase signed books Discover new favorite writers Hear featured presentations by YOGI DADA and Hope Fortenberry of Rocky Heights Print & Binding Learn about writing, book production and independent publishing Pt. 2: Meet These Amazing Writers at the 2026 Local Authors' Expo — Eight More Alabama Authors to Discover Saturday BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The countdown is almost over. The 2026 Local Authors' Expo is tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 1) at the Birmingham Public Library, where readers will have the opportunity to meet 36 Alabama authors, purchase signed books and discover the remarkable stories behi...

Jaynea "Coach Tru" Milhouse, instructor of Chair Yoga at downtown Birmingham Public Library   Inside Downtown Birmingham Public Library's Chair Yoga Class: A First-Peron Experience   I Came to Take Photos of Chair Yoga. I Joined the Class & Left Feeling Relaxed. By Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Specialist, Birmingham Public Library Birmingham, Ala. - I walked into the Chair Yoga by Coach Tru class in the downtown Birmingham Public Library carrying my camera. An hour later, I walked out carrying something I hadn't expected: a sense of calm. My assignment that afternoon was straightforward: photograph the second week of Birmingham Public Library's new Chair Yoga series,  and gather material for another blog story. Then something unexpected happened. About halfway through the class, I put my camera down. Instead of watching from behind the lens, I pulled up a chair and became one of the students. I'm glad I did. What to expect: One-on-one ...

  By Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Specialist, Birmingham Public Library One of the Birmingham Public Library's own is about to achieve one of the highest academic honors possible. Dr. Reba Patton Branch Manager of the Titusville Branch Library, has earned the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Communication and Information Sciences from The University of Alabama. She will be formally conferred her degree during the University’s commencement exercises on Saturday, August 1, at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. The completion of this distinguished academic achievement represents years of sustained scholarship, personal sacrifice, perseverance, and faith. Throughout her doctoral studies, Dr. Williams-Patton successfully balanced the extensive demands of advanced research with her professional responsibilities as a full-time manager and adjunct professor, as well as her commitments as a wife and mother. Demonstrating exceptional academic distinction, she completed the rigorous d...

  What: How to Make It Back Home: An Introduction to Self-Defense When: Tuesday, August 4, 2026 @3 – 4 p.m. Where:   Springville Road Regional Branch Library 1224 Springville Road, Birmingham, AL 35215 Details: In this free workshop, instructor Zyon Thomas will teach participants how to be aware of their surroundings and basic self-defense techniques if attacked by someone. For more info, call (205) 226-4083 or drop by Springville Road Regional Library during library hours. Springville Road Regional Library to Host Free Self-Defense Workshop on August 4 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Knowing how to recognize danger and respond in an emergency can make all the difference. The Birmingham Public Library is inviting the public to attend a free self-defense workshop designed to help participants improve their personal safety and confidence. "How to Make It Back Home: An Introduction to Self-Defense" will take place on Tuesday, August 4, from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Springville Road...

  Meet Jaynea "Coach Tru" Milhouse, Instructor of Chair Yoga at  The Central Library  Birmingham, Ala. - When most people think of yoga, they picture stretching and flexibility. But for Jaynea "Coach Tru" Milhouse, Chair Yoga is about something much deeper. It's about slowing down, reconnecting with yourself and discovering that healing begins with something as simple as taking a breath. Coach Tru's own journey wasn't a straight path. She once planned to become a lawyer before life's unexpected challenges led her toward a career in mental health, mindfulness and yoga. Today, she combines her experience as a licensed mental health therapist, certified Hatha yoga instructor, certified Vipassana meditation teacher and life coach to help others improve their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. As the downtown Birmingham Public Library launches its free five-week Chair Yoga series this Thursday, July 30, , I had a deep conversation with...