Birmingham Public Library Blog

Sarah Bryant's The Index Students, graduates and faculty from the University of Alabama Book Arts Masters Program will present their work at an exhibition in Central's Fourth Floor Gallery at the Birmingham Public Library January 3-February 12. The exhibition will highlight the three labor-intensive stages of the bookmaking process—papermaking, printing, and book binding—with work by artists from the region who are affiliated with the University of Alabama’s graduate program. The painstakingly crafted paper, prints, and books on display at the Birmingham Public Library will demonstrate a remarkable craft that—in a world of mass-produced white paper, speedy laser printers, and efficient printing presses—most of us are unaccustomed to seeing. Book artists begin papermaking by using a variety of natural fabrics and fibers: a second-hand linen dress found at a thrift store, bark from a tree native to Alabama, or an old pair of denim blue jeans. Flecks of color, unexpected textur...

Gerald R. Ford July 14, 1913 - December 26, 2006 “. . . The ultimate test of leadership is not the polls you take, but the risks you take. In the short run, some risks prove overwhelming. Political courage can be self-defeating. But the greatest defeat of all would be to live without courage, for that would hardly be living at all.” Ford's Remarks upon receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage AwardMay 21, 2001 To read about Gerald R. Ford, his presidency and funeral services see the links below: Many books about Gerald R. Ford are available for check out at your local library. Online links: Biography of Gerald R. Ford Encyclopedia Britannica Online articles (a library card is required to access these articles) Gerald R. Ford Presidental Library and Museum Send condolences online at the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Web site Funeral services schedule Presidential Proclamation Announcing the Death of Gerald R. Ford A President's Legacy National Public Radio's (NPR) col...

Are you searching for the history of Kwanzaa, special recipes for New Year's Day, or holiday crafts? Let BPL's Kwanzaa and New Year's Day subject guides give you a helping hand.

Joyce Carol Oates' novel Black Girl / White Girl "is a searing double portrait of 'black' and 'white', of race and civil rights in post-Vietnam America". Book reviewer Arlene McKanic states "Joyce Carol Oates is masterful at depicting ugliness, and the list of what is ugly in her world seems endless: the smell of unwashed flesh with its grease and pimples, overflowing trash, ill-fitting clothes, dying canals gleaming with toxins, the indignity of the female body and its processes. Moreover, there's the ugliness of her characters' dark, unspeakable and sometimes murderous impulses. The Bryn Mawr-like campus in her latest novel, though pretty enough to an outsider, partakes of this general ugliness. As one might guess from the book's title, the perversity of American race relations is one of the themes of Black Girl / White Girl ." To read the rest of the review, click here .

Birmingham Public Library Press Release December 19, 2006 Celebrating 30 years of service to the Birmingham community, the Birmingham Public Library’s Archives will embark on an ambitious project to make its extensive collection more accessible to teachers, students, researchers, and the general public. With a state-of-the-art overhead scanner—purchased with grants from the community—the Archives will scan Birmingham’s founding documents including the original survey for the city. The 133-year-old volume contains the original maps and field notes of the survey team that laid out Birmingham's streets in 1872. The Archives will also now be able to digitize atlases such as the Beers and Ellis Atlas of Birmingham—a rare 1887 atlas containing full color maps of downtown Birmingham; Baist's Property Atlas of Birmingham—a rare 1902 atlas of full-color maps of downtown Birmingham; and other historic maps and illustrations of early Birmingham. “With this type of overhead scanner, the Ar...

Birmingham Public Library and Jefferson County Library Cooperative are excited to announce our newest online resource, Rosetta Stone . Now any time of the day or night you can learn to speak, write and understand new languages using your natural language-learning abilities and fully-interactive technologies. Take a tour or start learning a new language.

Birmingham Public Library Seeks High School Yearbooks The Birmingham Public Library is seeking donations of high school yearbooks from the Birmingham area. If you would like to donate annuals for the library's permanent collection, please call (205) 226-3728 or fill out our online form . View the yearbooks already in the library's permanent collection

Kids win 5 free tickets to Alabama Shakespeare Festival's production of James and the Giant Peach plus a family dinner and one night hotel stay. Children ages 4-13 have an opportunity to win a chance to see this wonderful show with 4 of their family members. To Enter: Submit an essay of 200 words or less discussing your favorite James and the Giant Peach character or draw a picture of them. The deadline to submit is January 8. Turn all submissions in to one of our branch libraries . Parental or guardian signature is required to enter the contest. ( Entry Form ) Good luck!

Thursday, December 14 (inventory) Saturday, December 23 Sunday, December 24 Monday, December 25 Tuesday, December 26 Sunday, December 31 Monday, January 1 Happy Holidays!

The Birmingham News recently published two articles about BPL's downloadable audiobooks and the Web site Teachers' Pet. Teachers' Pet provides links to original history documents and photographs for classroom use. " Libraries offer books for download " " Library site helps teach history " List of new downloadable audiobooks

Birmingham author Tim Hollis reminiscences about visiting Santa, the Enchanted Forest and the holidays of his childhood in Downtown Birmingham during this Wednesday's Brown Bag Lunch program. The program takes place in Central's Arrington Auditorium at noon.

Visit Central library Dec. 13 at noon to hear Birmingham storyteller and actress Dolores Hydock present “A Christmas Memory”. The event will be held in the Arrington Auditorium. Come early to get a seat at this popular event.

Bebe Moore Campbell, best-selling author of several books, journalist and NPR commentator, died November 27 of brain cancer complications. Celebrate her life by reading one of her books , listening to her commentaries , or reading more about her life and career . Additional links: BookLetters Interview with Bebe Moore Campbell Bebe Moore Campbell's official Web site Official Press release (November 27, 2006) Biography Resource Center (requires Birmingham residency and library card) Wikipedia article

Join Birmingham storyteller Lee Smith this Wednesday, November 29 at noon in Central's Arrington Auditorium . She will share stories of love, laughter, loss and secrets that are never discussed at the Thanksgiving table.

Join Kwanzaa Year-round at Five Points West Regional Branch as we explore the wacky world of Rube Goldberg and construct our very own hiliarious machine using everyday objects. Learn basic concepts of engineering and robotics as we work together to build a machine to accomplish a simple task. Then, hit the road with us the following Saturday as we travel to see Alabama's Best Robotics Competition at Auburn University. Details: Workshop at Five Points West Regional Branch Library Saturday, December 2, 2006 2:00 p.m. FREE Field Trip Meet at Five Points West Regional Branch Library Departing at 7:00 a.m. for Auburn University BEST Robotics Competition FREE Appropriate for children of all ages. For additional information call (205) 223-0186 or (205) 226-0828

Over 30 local authors will have their books for sale December 1-2 at the downtown library . Come to Central's first floor from 10 a.m-3 p.m., buy a book or two, and have the authors autograph your purchases. This expo is sponsored by the Friends of the Birmingham Public Library .

With BPL's Thanksgiving resources guide , you can read about the history of the holiday, discover a new recipe, or find a clever craft for your children to create. Check it out and Happy Thanksgiving from all of the staff at your Birmingham Public Library.

Kids win 5 free tickets to Alabama Shakespeare Festival's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast plus a family dinner and one night hotel stay. Children ages 4-13 have an opportunity to win a chance to see this wonderful show with 4 of their family members on Dec. 23. To Enter: Submit an essay of 200 words or less discussing your favorite Disney's Beauty and the Beast character or draw a picture of them. The deadline to submit is Monday Dec. 4. Turn all submissions in to one of our branch libraries. Parental or guardian signature is required to enter the contest. Good luck!

Sharon Draper, author of the Read It Forward book, Tears of a Tiger , will be visiting Birmingham Public Libraries and speaking about her book. Monday, December 11 Five Points West Branch 10 a.m. Woodlawn Branch 1 p.m. Springville Road Branch 4 p.m. Tuesday, December 12 North Birmingham Branch 10 a.m. Smithfield Branch 1 p.m. Southside Branch 4 p.m. Central -Arrington Auditorium 6:30 p.m.

Lynne Berry, author of Duck Skates and The Curious Demise of a Contrary Cat will be present several storytimes and two interactive writing programs for children at the following branches: Tuesday, November 28 Southside Branch Library - 9:30 a.m. Preschool storytime Five Points West Branch Library - 11 a.m. Preschool storytime Ensley Branch Library - 1 p.m. Preschool storytime West End Branch Library - 3:30 p.m. An interactive writing program for children Monday, December 4 Inglenook Branch Library - 9:30 a.m. Preschool storytime Avondale Branch Library - 11 a.m. Preschool storytime Wylam Branch Library - 3:30 p.m. An interactive writing program for children

In celebration of Children's Book Week, John McCutcheon will perform at several branches . Please come and join in the fun. "Children's Book Week introduces young people to new authors and ideas in schools, libraries, homes and bookstores. Through Children's Book Week, the Children's Book Council encourages young people and their caregivers to discover the complexity of the world beyond their own experience through books. " http://www.cbcbooks.org/cbw/

Come and spend an evening with Eric Essix at the Central Library on November 16th at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free but you must have a ticket. For tickets call (205) 226-3610. There is a limit of four tickets per person.

BPL's four regional branches Avondale , Five Points West , North Birmingham , and Springville Road now join Central to provide free wireless Internet access.

You are invited to the annual meeting of the Friends of the Birmingham Public Library to be held Thursday, November 9 in Central's Arrington Auditorium . Jackie Wuska with the Literacy Council of Central Alabama will discuss literacy in Birmingham. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting is at 6:00 p.m. Join the Friends TODAY and come to the annual meeting!

Between November 6 and November 22 the Avondale staff wants to talk turkey with you. Visit the Youth Department for your turkey conversational starter and let the fun begin. Who knows, all this talking may win you and your family a frozen turkey and a Thanksgiving tale or two.

Join us this Wednesday, November 1 at noon in Central's Arrington Auditorium to hear Birmingham historian Karen Utz discuss Glenn Miller, Ensley and the Big Band hit it inspired: "Tuxedo Junction".

BIRMINGHAM—Putting flesh on the bones of Birmingham’s civil rights history. That’s how Marjorie White, Birmingham Historical Society director, describes the new exhibit of 41 never-before-seen photos from the archives of the Birmingham News. Each depicts the turbulent and emotional events sweeping our city during the 1950s and 60s. The exhibit, entitled “Unseen. . . .Unforgotten/Civil Rights Photographs from The Birmingham News,” runs November 5-December 30 in the Library Gallery of the Birmingham Public Library . The Opening Reception is Sunday, November 5 from 3-5 p.m. The photos, shot by News photographers yet never published, reveal gripping and telling moments such as: A child bearing a sign reading “Can a Man Love God and Hate His Brother?” Mayor Albert Boutwell following the news of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing A youthful and determined Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth counseling Freedom Riders A pensive, brooding Dr. Martin Luther King Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor ...

John McCutcheon storyteller and folksinger, will perform at BPL Monday, November 13 through Wednesday, November 15 at the following branches: 11/13/06 Central 10:00 a.m. Springville Road Branch 6:30 p.m. 11/14/06 Five Points West Branch 10:00 a.m. North Avondale Branch 1:00 p.m. Avondale Branch 6:30 p.m. 11/15/06 North Birmingham Branch 10:00 a.m. Smithfield Branch 1:00 p.m. Pratt City Branch 3:30 p.m. One of America's most respected and loved folksingers, John McCutcheon is an award-winning recording artist and storyteller. He is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments including the banjo, guitar, fiddle, mountain dulcimer, and jaw harp. His 26 recordings have garnered multiple awards, including five consecutive Grammy nominations. Listen to some of McCutheon's songs such as " Dog's Life " and " Mud " at Amazon.com. This program is made possible, in part, by the Jefferson County Commission through the Jefferson County Community Ar...

This Wednesday (Oct. 25) at noon, join BPL Archivist Jim Baggett for a pre-Halloween virtual tour of some of our city's notorious historic sites. The virtual tour is part of Central's Brown Bag Program held in Central's Arrington Auditorium .

All branches of the Birmingham Public Library will be closed Thursday October 19 until 1 p.m. for staff training.

Need career information, knowledge about different professions, or employability skills? Explore the Career Guidance Center. The Career Guidance Center offers an all-encompassing online database on career information. With over 2,000 jobs and 23,000 resources, this database has all the information to help you choose, plan, and advance your career.

This October 21st celebrate Halloween and the beginning of Teen Read Week in Central's Youth Department . Bring your friends and watch classic monster movies with us from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Popcorn, drinks and good frights will be provided. Call (205) 226-3655 for more information.

Tony Leonard, inspirational poet and author, will be at the North Birmingham Regional Branch October 17th at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and light refreshments will be served. Leonard, who began writing poetry in the mid 1970s, has written some of the most heart warming and motivational poetry of our day. His numerous works include such titles as "Traces," "You Are," "When Mountains Cry," "Through the Eyes of God," "The Aftermath," and "The Rising Sun." In 2001, Tony was nominated for a Nobel Prize in literature for poetry."

The Oxford African American Studies Center database provides information about the lives and events which shaped African American and African history and culture. There are more than 7,500 articles by top scholars in the field. The core content includes: a Africana which presents an account of the African and African American experience a Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895 which documents the full range of the African American experience from the arrival of the black explorer, Esteban, who arrived with the Spanish in 1527, to the death of Frederick Douglass a Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present , offers a treatment of African American history into the twenty-first century a Black Women in America a Africanican American National Biography a Concise Oxford Companion to African American Literature a Over 1,000 images, primary sources with specially written commentaries a Over 100 maps a Over 100 charts and tables offer information on every...

Alabama citizens are being asked to share their views on public libraries during an October online statewide survey. Their opinions will help shape the future of the state’s public libraries, said Alabama Public Library Service Director Rebecca Mitchell. The online survey will be available through October 31. To access the survey online, visit http://webapp.slis.ua.edu/goals07 and follow the directions. Mitchell urged citizens to take the survey. “We need input from the public to evaluate current services and to ensure libraries remain a vital part of the community in the future,” she said. APLS will use the information to develop a five-year plan for the state’s public libraries for 2008-2012. The library wish-list of some citizens was heard at eight meetings held in the summer at locations throughout Alabama. The survey will allow anyone who did not attend a meeting to be heard. The 2002-2007 plan identified priorities for the state’s public libraries, including reading programs for...

Birmingham Public Library selected to host “ Great Stories CLUB ” book discussion program for teens. The Birmingham Public Library in partnership with The Opportunity Academy at Riggins (T.O.A.R.), a Birmingham City School, has been selected to host a three-part reading and discussion series called the “Great Stories CLUB.” The library is one of over 180 libraries nationwide, and the only one in Alabama, selected to receive this grant from The American Library Association (ALA). The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books) is a reading and discussion program designed to give teens a chance to read and discuss great books that are relevant to the challenges in their lives. The books and resources for the Great Stories CLUB have been provided by a grant from the American Library Association Public Programs Office and the Young Adult Library Service Association. Each title selected for the program focuses on a character who struggles with a serious challenge...

The Arts/Literature/Sports Department has many framed art prints that can be checked out. The prints cover a wide variety of subjects and periods. These include reproductions of works by well-known artists, a variety of landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and photographs, as well as some children's art. These art prints are a great way to enhance your home décor at no cost. The check out period is for 60 days and a maximum of two prints may be checked out per library card.

The Gingerbread Boy will be presented by the Birmingham Children's Theater tomorrow, September 28th at the Springville Road Regional Branch . The play begins at 4 p.m. Call June Lacanski (205) 226-4085 for additional information.

Catcher in the Rye . . . Harry Potter . . . Captain Underpants . . . Every year, there are hundreds of attempts to remove books from schools and libraries. Celebrate YOUR freedom to read and right to choose your book during Banned Books Week, September 23rd to the 30th. Banned Books Week "celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met." ( American Library Association ) 10 most challenged books in 2005 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990-2000 American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression's banned and challenged book list Google's explore banned books Join the banned books virtual panel discussion this Monday at 9 a.m. with frequently banned a...

BPL's newest database, Obituary Index: Birmingham Area Newspapers , is now available online. The index includes the name of the deceased and the newspaper, page number and date of the published obituary. Obituaries from three Birmingham area newspapers are included ( The Birmingham News , Birmingham World , and the Methodist Christian Advocate ) This is an ongoing project of the Government Documents Department and the years covered (as of 9/21/06) are December 1960 - December 1976. There are already almost 100,000 entries in the database.

The Business, Science & Technology Department at Central subscribes to the property information database RealQuest . With this database you can locate current Jefferson County real estate information such as the names of property owners, street addresses, parcel numbers, sales and financing data, property descriptions, maps, taxes, etc. So, if you find yourself in need of such information, drop by the Central Library and we will be happy to assist you.

BPL's new Web homepage design was lauched this morning with several new features. The new features include an online calendar of events, database spotlights, and a drop down menu with links to new books and DVDs, jobs at the library, FAQs, genealogy, and meeting rooms. Check it out and let us know what you think: http://www.bplonline.org

Is trying to buy a home getting you down? Attend West End's Credit Smart Workshop tomorrow (September 14) at 5:30 p.m. to learn how to improve your credit rating in preparation for home ownership. The workshop will be taught by Sarita J Womack, Director of Housing for the Birmingham Urban League . Snacks will be provided. Call Denise Allen at (205) 226-4089 for additional information.

BPL is joining over 430 libraries worldwide as a part of the September Project . Central and Pratt City libraries will feature window displays remembering the events of September 11, 2001. Avondale, East Lake, Eastwood, Inglenook, North Avondale, North Birmingham, Southside, Springville Road, and Titusville libraries will remember the day with book displays. "The September Project is a grassroots effort to get people together on September 11th to talk about issues that matter. September Project events take place in libraries, where all people are welcomed, and where the exchange of information and ideas flourish. The September Project encourages individual communities — neighbors — to make sense of the world together." For general information, photographs, first-person accounts, terrorism, and timelines concerning September 11, 2001 and beyond use the Web sites recommended by the Librarians' Internet Index . Books and videos are also available at BPL.

September 8 is International Literacy Day , established to celebrate literacy and put a focus on improving literacy throughout the world. Approximately 860 million of the world’s adults, nearly two-thirds of whom are women, do not know how to read or write, according to the International Reading Association . In Birmingham, AL, an estimated 38% of adults are functionally illiterate. This means they are unable to read and write well enough to fill out a job application. The Birmingham Public Library partners with the Literacy Council to provide the community with adult literacy services. Adults interested in learning to read, improving their reading skills, and learning English as a second language may contact the Literacy Council at 205-326-1925 or 1-888-448-7323. Tutors and students are encouraged to meet in the public library in order to utilize the many services and resources available. Facts about Illiteracy The high school dropout rate in Alabama is 37%, 10 points higher than th...

Join Birmingham historian Jim Noles September 13 at noon in Central's Arrington Auditorium to learn about the ship called Birmingham . Known as one of the Second World War's unluckiest ships, the cruiser Birmingham fought gallantly in the Pacific while surviving a torpedo attack, a direct hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane in which 51 crew members were killed, and an explosion that took the lives of 237 men. "A Ship Called Birmingham : The USS Birmingham in World War II" program is a part of BPL's Brown Bag Lunch Series .

Mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Great Garage Sale September 15th at the Central Library and come on down! We have something for everyone - baby gear, toys, kitchenware, decorative items, paintings, jewelry, electronics, gardening equipment, CDs, videos, music cassettes, stuffed animals, silent auction items and much more. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. in the Arrington Auditorium . Popcorn, cookies and soft drinks will also be available for sale. All proceeds benefit our annual Staff Day.

August 29th, 2005 Hurrican Katrina struck land and changed the Gulf Coast forever. Read about the disaster and view a comprehensive list of librarian reviewed web sites at Librarians' Index to the Internet .

The library catalog will be unavailable August 30 while we upgrade our system. The databases will also be unavailable for use outside the library.

BPL's librarians are participating in the national Jumpstart Read for the Record program today. The program hopes to bring the largest shared reading experience ever to the country by having librarians, educators, and parents read The Little Engine That Could to young children. BPL Director Barbara Sirmans, as well as other librarians and staff, read to Birmingham's children this morning.

Bring your laptop, lunch and a beverage to Central's atrium and enjoy the cool atmosphere beneath the trees.

View the work of Tom Barnes, Rob Cox and Uta-Marie Krapf in Central's 4th Floor Gallery . The artists' paintings will be on display until September 15. James R. Nelson, visual arts critic for The Birmingham News, reviewed the show at al.com.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Alabama State Fairgrounds and joined us for our annual Reading Rally . You made it a success and we hope to see you again next year! In case you weren't able to be there, look at some of the fun you missed .

Construction will begin at the Birmingham Public Central Library on August 15th to replace the ramp and make the parking lot entrance ADA compliant.The project is expected to take several weeks. The main entrance at the corner of Park Place and 21st street north and the entrance to the Linn-Henley building at Linn Park will be open as usual. Check the library’s webpage for progress reports and photographs .

Click here for additional information .

They are all in a database! Wednesday's noon time Brown Bag program at Central highlights four of our more specialized databases covering topics as diverse as car repair, legal forms, business information, and art. Come take a guided tour.

Public libraries offer help for homework By Rebecca Mitchell Sunday night, in any town in Alabama: "Mom, I have a three-page report on the planet Mars due at 8:15 in the morning!" Homework! Who dreads it more - children, parents or teachers? Luckily, there is help for Alabama's students. Best of all, it's free . Last year, Alabama became one of the first states in the nation to offer free online homework help for students grades four through college intro courses. Funded by a federal grant through the Alabama Public Library Service , homeworkalabama.org allows a student to log onto the Internet and get a live online tutor to help with a homework problem in math, social studies, science and English. http://www.homeworkalabama.org/ is available from 3 p.m. to midnight seven days a week. Any Alabama citizen can use the service by typing in an Alabama zip code, grade level and subject. Federal and state dollars will fund the service for fiscal year 2007. The homework ser...