Celebrate National Library Week @ the Birmingham Public Library, April 12-18

Ever since April 1958 the American Library Association has sponsored the National Library Week to call attention to the great impact libraries have on individuals and organizations in our society. Not only does it honor libraries and librarians but it also honors the many patrons (customers, if you will) who support these institutions that offer a plethora of knowledge and information that uplifts the user at no personal expense other than the small portion of their tax dollars that help support it.

The mission of the Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life long learning, cultural enrichment and enjoyment.

Our focus is truly on you and we invite you to celebrate with us this week (and every week) by visiting us in person and/or online.

Walk through the doors of any of our 19 locations and expect world class service and amazing resources. If for some reason what you need is not there, take advantage of the county-wide courier service that will bring materials you reserve to a public library convenient to you. And remember, the 19 Birmingham Public Libraries cooperate with 20 other nearby libraries under the umbrella of the Public Libraries of Jefferson County. Materials can be shifted about for your convenience and your library card is valid at all locations. Birmingham and Jefferson County are undeniably blessed with outstanding library services. Take advantage.

The Infinity of Knowledge, Prague Municipal Library
Photo: David Blake

You can even visit the Birmingham Public Library without even leaving your armchair. Simply visit us at http://www.bplonline.org. Here you will find access to the county-wide Catalog where you can search for materials and reserve them. You can manage your own library account and even set up a chart of your reading history.

Other resources are available on our home page as well.

BPL subscribes to databases that offer scholarly articles not available on the Internet at large. These subscription rates would be prohibitive to many individuals but are free to our library members and most of these are available from your home. BPL’s signature Digital Library offers digitized photographs and documents from our outstanding Archives Department. This collection will continue to grow, but already much is available including items pertaining Birmingham’s presence in the Civil Rights Movement and more.

Want to study another language? Try Mango. You don’t have to pay for a subscription; the library already does. Tap in et bonne chance.

We have downloadables galore. We have audio and e-books available from our partnership with OverDrive. TumbleBookLibrary is available on our website and offers e-books for kids. Music lovers will want to embrace Freegal and you can even access some of your favorite magazines on Flipster.

Fans of social media should take to our homepage and discover the Birmingham Public Library’s presence in a larger world. Check out our links to the BPL Blog, Pinterest, Flickr, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook,, and of course be sure to “Like" us.

Display window at Central Library for National Library Week 

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 15. All locations of the Birmingham Public Library will be celebrating with cookies and lemonade from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. We hope to see you there.

The theme for National Library Week 2015 is:

Unlimited Possibilities

@

Your Library

Find out for yourself. Check us out.

David Blake
Fiction Department
Central Library