Birmingham Public Library Blog

The Blood D.J. MacHale Narrated by Nick Podehl Although there is a brief overview given of the first two books in the trilogy, the concept of the Morpheus Road, using visions to move from spot to spot, and the differences between Watchers and Guardians, creates some confusion if The Blood is the first of the trilogy one is listening to. This reinforces the problem of most audios in a series of any sort as it can be hard to fill in the missing pieces, just as it would be if one were reading the print version instead of listening to the audio. It also makes me feel that the appeal will be limited if 12- to 18-year-olds haven’t listened to the first two in the trilogy. The narration provided by Nick Podehl certainly creates excitement, terror, fear, and a sense of doom that is perfect for this concluding volume of the worlds of life and death. People exist in the Light [living], the Black [spirit world], and the Blood [home for really bad spirits]. Marshall and Coop take on the task of ...

Young professionals groups—sometimes called junior boards—are gaining popularity in most cities around the country, and Birmingham is no exception. If you consider yourself a young professional (usually defined as between the ages of 20 and 40), joining a group can benefit you by providing networking opportunities, leadership experience to add to your resume, and the good feelings that come from helping a worthy non-profit organization. One of the greatest advantages of being involved in a young professionals group is placing yourself in a position to someday be on an organization’s “senior” board. Young professionals groups are most often associated with a non-profit organization, and they exist to raise funding, awareness, and support for that organization. Most groups consist of a leadership level that plans social, volunteer, and fundraising events and a membership level that attends regular social and fundraising functions and gives some volunteer hours to the organization. You...

“It’ll make kids laugh until soda comes out of their noses.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books The 9th book in the Captain Underpants series, Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers , came out on August 28. The series is written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey , whom USA Today calls "the savior of the reluctant reader." Pilkey's other popular series are Super Diaper Baby , The Adventures of Ook and Gluk , and The Dumb Bunnies . I can personally attest to the popularity of this series. Like a lot of boys, my son was not all that interested in drawing and coloring as a preschooler or even throughout first grade. He is an avid reader though, and as he progressed through picture books and on to chapter books in second grade, he discovered Dav Pilkey's funny potty humor books about two elementary school boys, George and Harold, who create an unlikely superhero out of their principal when they hypnotize him. What interests him most is t...

All locations of the Birmingham Public Library will be closed Sunday and Monday, September 2-3, for Labor Day.

This past August 17 marked an important 70th anniversary. Although not among the most well remembered dates of World War II, August 17, 1942, proved to be a very significant day in the subsequent development of American military strategy and foreign policy. At approximately 3:30 in the afternoon that day, twelve B-17 bombers from the U.S. 8th Army Air Force took off from Grafton Underwood Airfield in southwest England with the purpose of striking a blow against the growing industrial might of Nazi occupied France. The target for this mission was the Sotteville railroad yards, near Rouen, which is located on the banks of the Seine about 85 miles north of Paris. As a major transportation hub linking the ports on the English Channel with a variety of Nazi military installations located throughout the French countryside, the railroad yards were viewed by the Allies as an important piece of infrastructure whose destruction would signify a long awaited move from the defensive to the off...

Sally Forth, Poppy Happy-Go-Lucky A Film By Mike Leigh I’m a repeat viewer when it comes to movies directed by Mike Leigh. Except for a couple of cases, I’ve watched all of his movies at least twice and usually six or eight times. They are dense, multi-layered and as close as movies get to viewing actual life-dramatic, captivating real life, that is. A better comparison is that they’re as close as movies get to a good novel you want to read again and again. Leigh and his actors prepare like no one else. They spend months developing characters through extensive improvisations. (To give an idea of how rare this is, the late director Stanley Kubrick used his considerable clout to arrange an almost unheard-of couple of weeks for rehearsals). They start from nothing and build characters until they’re at the point where they react and emote like their characters would in a large variety of situations. Then they’re introduced to characters they haven’t met. In theory, it’s like two actual pe...

Join Dave Holland, founder and primary performer of Beatin’ Path Rhythm Events , as he drums up some exciting stories. With stories chosen from places like Ghana, India, and Ireland, young audiences are introduced to new cultures, languages, and life lessons, all woven together through drumming, song, and creative interaction. It promises to be an event you won’t soon forget! Event: Drumming Up Stories Performer: Dave Holland Target audience: Mixed ages Cost: Free Registration: Not required Dates/Times/ Locations Monday, September 24 Central Library - 10:30 a.m. Inglenook Library - 3:30 p.m. Five Points West Library- 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 25 Powderly Library- 10:30 a.m. Titusville Library - 3:45 p.m. Avondale Library - 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 26 Springville Road Library - 10:00 a.m. North Avondale Library - 1:30 p.m. North Birmingham Library - 4:00 p.m. (Due to North Birmingham Library being closed for renovation, this performance will be held at the North Birmingham Recr...

Alabama author Tim Hollis has written a new book that recalls more childhood memories, and you don’t have to have been raised in the South to reminisce along with this one. In Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era , Hollis explores a time in TV history when cereal mascots were more popular than the products they advertised; when commercial catch phrases became part of childhood lingo—“They’re magically delicious” and “They’re grrreat!” The book covers the years from 1950-1979. Hollis digs up the backstories of some of the most fondly remembered product characters in advertising history. In early stages of development, did you know that Lucky the Leprechaun humored cereal-stealing children a little less and hated them a little more, and that Tony the Tiger walked on all fours and had claws and teeth? What were they thinking? Part of a Complete Breakfast (yeah, like kids actually eat that piece of toast shown as part of the "complete breakfast,"...

Award-winning poet and community activist John Paul Taylor will lead free adult poetry workshops the first Tuesday of the month through November 2012 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Central Library. "Gifts of a Wordsmith'' will take place on the library's second floor in the Story Castle. The class will cover how to get your thoughts down on paper, overcoming writer's block, copyright issues, self-publishing, how to perform, and more. Future classes will be held the first Tuesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at the Central Library. The Friends of the Birmingham Public Library will fund the workshops. Taylor is one of the founders of Real Life Poets, a nonprofit creative writing program based in Birmingham. This summer he presented two workshops as part of BPL's adult summer reading program. Participants enjoyed the adult classes so much that they wanted to see them continue. "We offered it this summer and the people wanted it back. That's why I wanted to d...

The Birmingham Public Library system is getting a head start on celebrating the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement in Birmingham by showing the Academy Award-nominated film The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement , September 12-October 22, 2012. The film is about Birmingham barber and civil rights activist James Armstrong and what he did to fight for equality in Alabama. There will be 14 free screenings at 13 library branches. Discussions will follow each screening. This event is a collaboration with POV (Point of View), the award-winning independent nonfiction film series on PBS. The film was produced by Gail Dolgin, who died in October 2010, and Robin Fryday. Both women are from California. Starting in January 2013, Birmingham will mark 50 years since the start of the civil rights movement. In 1963, Armstrong won his fight to integrate Birmingham's Graymont Elementary School. His two sons would become the school's first black students...

Fiction 's David Blake's display in the Birmingham Public Library East Building touts the up-coming Eat Drink Read Write Festival (EDRW) with pictures and mementos form his personal travels. The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) has partnered with local food establishments to feature various cuisine and drinks, hoping to present an international flare with a down-home feel. The festival runs September 8-15. For more information or to keep up with the event, you can go to BPL's EDRW site . You can also go to the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BirminghamPublicLibrary or search for #EDRW on Twitter . Don't forget to follow @bpl while you're there.

Well, it’s another school year. I’ve been watching the back to school buying frenzy and thought it would be nice to offer something relatively free or inexpensive. The following websites offer free information and printable materials to students, parents, and teachers. Disney FamilyFun - Offers printable back-to-school bookmarks, stationary, book and binder labels, homework charts, and kids calendars. Parents, you never have to write another note to the teacher, just print out the form letter, fill in the blanks, and sign. FamilyEducation – Gives your child printable skill building exercise sheets, homework completion chart, printable back-to-school budget and bedtime routine checklist. They also have puzzles, games, and craft ideas. The printables and activities are divided according to age: toddlers, preschool, kids, and teens. LD Online: The World’s Leading Website on Learning Disabilities and ADHD - Has back-to-school tips and expert advice for parents and teachers. LD OnL...

The Birmingham Public Library has joined forces with several Birmingham food organizations to present the second Eat Drink Read Write Festival, September 8-15, 2012. Presentations will include good food and good conversation from national and local food and beer experts. All events are free and will feature food tastings, a cooking class, a food documentary, and more. Events will be held at the Central Library, Pepper Place, and the Desert Island Supply Co. in Woodlawn. "It's going to be a fun way to explore food, literature, books and film," said Shaun Chavis, founder of the Birmingham Foodie Book Club, one of the participants in this year's festival. "There will be opportunities to taste things that you read about here in Birmingham and opportunities to tell your own food stories." EDRW coordinator and BPL employee Haruyo Miyagawa said last year's festival had a large attendance and proved that food is a topic that's near and dear to many. She sa...

Despite the proliferation of social media, many adults still describe themselves as lonely. If you'd like an opportunity to socialize casually in a safe, local environment, as well as be entertained and/or learn a new craft, come to the Springville Road Library this fall. Beginning in September, we will show a morning matinee for adults at 10:00 every Friday, followed by Zumba at noon. On Monday mornings at 11:00, join our crafting group for adults: Let Us Bee. No experience required, all materials provided, and all adults welcome. Movies, Zumba, and Let Us Bee programs are free. So come see and be seen! Also ask about the fall series of programs we're offering on growing, preparing, and preserving fresh fruits in urban settings. For more information about all programs, please call the Springville Road Library at 226-4081 or check for upcoming library events on Birmingham365 . Kelly Laney Springville Road Library

Has there been a bigger influence on horror and science fiction writers than Howard Phillips Lovecraft ? Born August 20, 1890, Lovecraft turns 122 today. He has influenced contemporary authors Stephen King , Caitlin Kiernan , Bentley Little , Joe Lansdale , and Neil Gaiman . His dark fiction has inspired movie directors John Carpenter and Guillermo Del Toro . Lovecraft's own influences were Ambrose Bierce , Algernon Blackwood , Walter de la Mare , M.R. James , and Edgar Allan Poe , whose stories he started reading at age eight. Lovecraft made a name for himself by writing stories for Weird Tales . His cult following is traced to the 60 stories for this magazine that created the Cthulhu Mythos, which believes that in ancient times Earth was inhabited by fish-like beings called the Old Ones (first mentioned in "The Call of Cthulhu") who worshiped Cthulhu, an anthropomorphic creature that communicates with insane and/or creative people and who will emerge from his underwat...

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman is a beautifully written novel about making difficult choices and how these choices can affect the lives of others. Often, the distinction between right and wrong is not always clear. Themes of isolation, morality, love and relationships are evident in this book. Stedman’s novel, powerful psychological fiction, shows us how we come to be who we are, how we think, and what may influence our decisions. Tom Sherbourne returns home to Australia after being in the war on the Western Front. He takes a job as lighthouse keeper on the remote island, Janus Rock, and later brings a young wife, Isabel. “On clear summer days, Janus seems to stretch up right to its tiptoes: you’d swear it’s higher out of the water at some times than at others, not just because of the rising and ebbing of the tide.” Stedman writes descriptively about the beauty of the ocean and the night sky. “There are times when the ocean is not the ocean-not blue, not even water,...

How many kings have their own fan club? Next Wednesday, August 22 nd , marks the anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth Field, in which Richard the Third became (as of this date) the last English king to die in battle and Henry Tudor began his reign as Henry the Seventh. Even now, more than five hundred years after the decisive battle, controversy rages around the man who died on the field but lives in the arguments of hundreds of his defenders who claim that Richard Plantagenet is the target of one of the worst smear campaigns in history. In popular culture, the Richard-as-villain image is supported by Shakespeare’s brilliant drama: Richard the nightmare, the “bottled spider” and “poisonous bunch-back’d toad” with a twisted soul and deformed body to match is one of the Bard’s most chilling characters and has been memorably portrayed by actors such as Laurence Olivier, Ian McKellen, Antony Sher, Kenneth Branagh, and Kevin Spacey. This Richard is a schemer of the first order, a...

Alabama Power Company Building, designed by Warren Knight & Davis, built in 1925 The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) announces an ambitious and ongoing effort to expand its newly named Birmingham Architecture & Design Collection, which is part of the library’s Department of Archives & Manuscripts . The project is a proactive effort to acquire materials documenting the most significant historic and contemporary buildings, designed landscapes, places, and communities in the Birmingham area as well as representative work of the most significant architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, and developers based in the Birmingham area. The mission of the Birmingham Architecture & Design Collection is to serve as an authentic record of the significant architectural and design heritage of the Birmingham area through collecting, preserving, promoting, and providing access to records of the built and landscaped environment of the city and surrounding region. With this c...

The Woodlawn Neighborhood Association will be hosting Get to Know Your Neighbor Day on Saturday, August 25, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. in Willow Wood Park Recreation Center (5312 Georgia Road, Birmingham, AL 35212). The Woodlawn neighborhood invites people from their area to come out and get to know others in the community. Several representatives from various community organizations, including the Birmingham Public Library, will have tables set up to distribute information to those in attendance. Bring your own bagged lunch and have a picnic. Drinks will be provided to the public. Pam Jessie Woodlawn Library

The Knipples of Memphis will lead a discussion of their book, The World in a Skillet: A Food Lover's Tour of the New American South , which focuses on restaurants run by first generation immigrants in the South. Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking of Hoover is featured in the book and will cater the event. Event: Birmingham Foodie Book Club Presents The World in a Skillet Presenters: Paul and Angela Knipple Place: Central Library Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 Time: 6:00 p.m. Cost: Free Reservations required: http://worldinaskillet.eventbrite.com/

Join us as Lou Anders, editorial director of Pyr books, discusses how an approach to screenplay writing—based on the three-act classic formula but rooted in character rather than plot—can serve novelists in plotting their manuscripts. If your literary ambitions lie in screenwriting or novel writing (or both), come and benefit from the experience of this Hugo-Award winning editor in the science fiction/fantasy field. Lou Anders is the editorial director of Prometheus Books' science fiction and fantasy imprint Pyr and has edited anthologies such as Masked , Swords and Dark Magic , and Sideways in Crime . He has published over 500 articles in such magazines as Publishers Weekly , Dreamwatch , DeathRay , Star Trek Monthly , Star Wars Monthly , Babylon 5 Magazine , Sci Fi Universe , Doctor Who Magazine , and Manga Max . He is the 2011 Hugo Award winner for Best Editor and his articles and stories have been translated into Danish, Greek, German, Italian and French. Wednesday, August 15, ...

Award-winning poet and community activist John Paul Taylor will lead free adult poetry workshops on the first Tuesday of every month through November 2012 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Gifts of a Wordsmith will take place on the library's second floor in the Story Castle. The class will cover how to get your thoughts down on paper, overcoming writer's block, copyright issues, self-publishing, how to perform, and more. Future classes will be held the first Tuesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at the Central Library. The Friends of the Birmingham Public Library will fund the workshops. Taylor is one of the founders of Real Life Poets, a nonprofit creative writing program based in Birmingham. This summer he presented two workshops as part of BPL's adult summer reading program. Participants enjoyed the adult classes so much that they wanted to see them continue. "We offered it this summer and the people wanted it back. That's why I wanted to do it,'' Taylor said. ...

Interested in family history? Wondering where you might be able to attend a staggering number of genealogy workshops over the course of a few days? Well, wonder no more. Beginning on Wednesday, August 29, 2012, Birmingham will host the national conference of the Federation of Genealogical Societies at the BJCC. Everyone, not just those who belong to the member societies, is invited to the four-day conference. This year’s theme is “Learn. Connect. Succeed.” Almost 160 workshops are scheduled beginning as early as 8:00 a.m. on some days and going well past 5:00 p.m. Many notable speakers in the genealogy world will be on hand, such as Elizabeth Shown Mills, J. Mark Lowe, John Phillip Colletta, Christine Rose, and Alabama’s own Robert Davis. A huge variety of sessions is on the schedule. Many courses are offered on such tried and true topics as military records, DNA testing in genealogy, searching courthouse records, and using the census. Some of the more esoteric sessions are ab...

Shiloh Shelby Foote The 150th commemoration of the Civil War is taking place through 2015. There were several major battles with horrific casualties, but one that was fought in 1862 was the most devastating up to that point. (It eventually became the seventh most costly.) This was the battle of Shiloh (TN), April 6-7, 1862. The Confederate armies were led by Generals A. S. Johnston and P. T. Beauregard. Generals U. S. Grant, William T. Sherman, and Don Carlos Buell led the Union troops. The Confederates had 40,000 troops to the Union’s 65,000. After the two days of fighting, 1,700 men on both sides were killed, including General Johnston. A total of 16,500 were wounded. * The novel Shiloh by Civil War historian Shelby Foote approaches the events of this battle using six main characters: three Confederate soldiers and three Union soldiers. The Confederates are represented by an aide-de-camp for Johnston, a rifleman, and a cavalry scout. The Union soldiers are an adjutant, ...

BPL Archivist Jim Baggett speaking at Bessemer Public Library If you are in charge of putting together programming for your club, school, or organization, consider the Archives Speaker's Bureau the next time you need a compelling program on local, state, or regional history. From stories of historical intrigue like “John Wilkes Booth is Not Dead!”: Birmingham’s Louise Wooster and the Strange Afterlife of Lincoln’s Assassin to programs about art and literature like The Aesthetic of 19th Century Journalism: Newspaper Engravings as Works of Art , the Archives Speaker’s Bureau’s lecture selection is diverse to fit a variety of audiences. We also offer instructive talks for groups that want to preserve their organization’s or family’s history. Handle with Care: Preserving Your Family Papers and Photographs introduces the fundamentals of home archiving—basic and inexpensive things you can do to ensure that your family letters, scrapbooks and photographs are preserved for the future. Ol...

Quite often, patrons come into the library and ask us if we have a list of our new materials.  In the past, most departments printed a list of their new materials and kept them in binders.  Patrons would ask us to check the status of titles and if checked out, we would place the items on reserve for them. Our current library catalog allows us to create those lists online and make them available with the click of a mouse.  These are called Featured Lists and they highlight a variety of new materials including books, music, DVDs, and audio books.  Since these lists are on the catalog, you get real-time information about the status of an item.  If the title you want is checked out, you can click a link from the record (request this title) and place the item on reserve.  We love to see you in person, but this allows you to browse new materials from the comfort of your home.  Several libraries and Central Departments have featured lists on the catalog...

The Friends Bookstore at Central Library is having a two-day sale of children's, juvenile, and young adult books on Friday and Saturday, August 10-11, from 9:30-5:30. The sale will take place in the Friends Bookstore and the Youth Department Story Castle. For $6 you will receive a Friends book bag which you can fill with all the sale books it will hold. This is a great opportunity for teachers, school librarians, day care workers, literacy programs, and homeschoolers to stock up on fiction and nonfiction books. And parents who love reading to their children. And grown-ups who like reliving their childhoods. Come one, come all!

Syretta Powell helps a BPL patron in the Computer Commons Mary and Salmon Pullum were en route to a big job fair in downtown Birmingham this morning, when something stopped Mary cold. While reviewing her husband's resume, Mary found some mistakes. She wondered how they could get them fixed and get them fixed fast. Mary remembered how her daughter had spent recent afternoons, using the computer at the library near their Trussville home. Just like how her daughter had worked on the library computer near their home, Mary figured she could do the same at the Birmingham Public Library's Central location. Mary said she was pleased at what she found today. "They've been wonderful. They are very knowledgeable,'' she said of the staff in the Computer Commons area on the third floor of the Central location. "This is our first time here.'' The couple worked on the resume for about an hour before leaving for the job fair, which Congresswoman Terri Sewell pres...

Birmingham Bound Author Talk and Book Signing Hosted by the Birmingham Public Library Archives The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America Edward J. Blum and Paul Harvey NOTE: The article title in the September 7 newsletter shows the date of this event as September 14. That is an error. The event takes place on Tuesday, September 18. Join nationally known religious scholar Edward J. Blum as he discusses his new book The Color of Christ . How is it that in America the image of Jesus Christ has been used both to justify the atrocities of white supremacy and to inspire the righteousness of civil rights crusades? In The Color of Christ , Blum and Harvey weave a tapestry of American dreams and visions—from witch hunts to web pages, Harlem to Hollywood, slave cabins to South Park, Mormon revelations to Indian reservations—to show how Americans remade the Son of God visually time and again into a sacred symbol of their greatest aspirations, deepest terrors, and mightie...