Birmingham Public Library Blog

CBSSports.com The NBA Playoffs are well underway.   The first round has proven how strong the competition is among the teams this season.   In fact, four of the eight teams in the Eastern Conference finished with the same regular season record (Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte).   Not surprisingly, Charlotte and Miami are headed to a Game 7 matchup to determine who enters the second round.   Indiana and Portland will also play a Game 7.   It took six games for Atlanta to get past the Boston Celtics.   Cleveland swept its series against Detroit, but a couple of those games were very close.   In the Western Conference, the regular season records were not as tightly clustered.   The Golden State Warriors won a record-high 73 games, while their first-round opponents, Houston, finished with a 41-41 record.   Last season’s MVP Stephen Curry got injured in the first round, so he was unable to help clinch the series over Houston.   Nevertheless, Golden State won the series in five

The Central Library is hosting three free workshops from May through July that will cover the process of applying for Jefferson County jobs, and how to master pre-employment tests, including oral interviews. The workshops are presented by the Jefferson County Human Resources Department , and scheduled for  Monday, May 9; Monday, June 13; and Monday, July 11,  2:15-3:15 p.m., in the Linn-Henley Research Building, 4th floor, Regional Library Computer Center. To register for the workshops and to find out more information about small business resources available at Birmingham Public Library, contact Jim Murray of Central Library’s Business, Science and Technology Department by email at jmurray@bham.lib.al.us or by calling 205- 226-3691. Visit the BPL blog or the events calendar for information on other upcoming business and financial workshops available at the Birmingham Public Library.

Younger Kids of 80th Place South Birmingham, 1955, Cubert A. Wood Birmingham Memory Project The Birmingham Public Library’s Southern History Department is taking its popular genealogy workshops on the road to other libraries. The Beyond the Basics of Genealogy workshop, Piles of Paper and Digital Dilemmas: Organizing Your Genealogy Research, will be going to the Trussville Public Library on May 4. The workshop will cover both paper and digital file organizational systems, and is designed for everyone from the beginner to the experienced genealogist. Staff from the Southern History Department at the Central Library will also be teaching Introduction to Genealogy for the first time in Shelby County at the Mt. Laurel Public Library . Here is a listing of genealogy workshops BPL is offering during the month of May: Sunday, May 1, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Luther Ray Watts and Friend across from AOH Church of God Birmingham, 1975, Juliette Watts Birmingham Memory Project Introduct

The A, B, C, & D's of Medicare: Free Monthly Medicare Workshop Jefferson County and Shelby County public libraries are pleased to invite you to a free Medicare educational workshop conducted by Karen Haiflich, an independent benefits advisor specializing in Medicare. Haiflich is volunteering her time to help you better understand your options as you embark upon this important milestone. She will cover the following information from the official U.S. Government Medicare handbook: Defining Medicare and its four parts (A, B,C & D). How and when to enroll in Medicare (what happens when you're already on Medicare and turn 65). When you can change plans (annual open enrollment, special enrollment periods). Medicare health plan coverage choices (Medigap/Medicare supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans). Medicare prescription drug coverage. How to get help paying your Medicare premium, prescription drugs, and other Medicare costs. What if I keep working?

WHO: Birmingham Public Library WHAT: Bards & Brews Performance Poetry/Beer Tasting WHEN: Friday, May 6, 2016 WHERE: Central Library TIME: Music starts at 6:30 p.m. and poetry performances begin at 7 p.m. Birmingham Public Library's (BPL) popular Bards & Brews poetry performance/beer tasting series returns with a poetry slam on Friday, May 6, at the Central Library. Usually held the first Friday of each month, the event will feature free craft beer sampling provided by Yellowhammer Brewing . The J. Clyde will handle the pouring. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. with live music by Susan Lawrence, beer tasting, and light refreshments. The poetry begins to flow at 7:00 p.m. with Brian "Voice Porter" Hawkins serving as host. The event is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts . Admission is free and open to the public; however, attendees m

Chances are that you, a relative, friend, or coworker has someone in their family affected by autism, one of the nation’s fastest-growing ailments. The UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center and the Avondale Regional Branch Library are partnering to offer a free autism educational workshop on Tuesday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. The Reading Brain and Its Role in Autism workshop will be presented by Rajesh Kana, associate professor of psychology at UAB. Kana is director of the Cognition, Brain, and Autism Laboratory and co-director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program at UAB. For more information, call the Avondale Library at 205-226-4000 or visit the library. You can also get information on the UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center at www.uab.edu/CNC .

Erotica and erotic literature have been around for a long time. You can find all kinds of erotic literature out there to meet whatever fantasy a person may have. Some of my favorite authors: Jay Bell (Something Like… series) Sylvia Day R. G. Alexander Kindle Alexander Damon Suede Jaci Burton Opal Carew Emma Holly Lora Leigh Laurell K. Hamilton Great erotic literature sources: Fantastic Fiction   –  Wonderful information about all kinds of fiction, especially series. Fantastic Fiction for Adults Only  – This is the erotic literature site for Fantastic Fiction. Must be viewed at home. Goodreads  – User created information about books of all kinds. The lists feature is very useful. Samuel Rumore Springville Road Regional Branch Library

What Stands in a Storm: Three Days in the Worst Superstorm to Hit the South’s Tornado Alley Kim Cross Foreword by Rick Bragg Anyone who has grown up in Alabama knows that tornadoes are a fact of life and it’s best to be prepared for them. Experienced citizens of a strip of territory known as Dixie Alley, similar to the Tornado Alley of the Great Plains, watch the skies for cloud formations and odd colors that signal an impending storm. One report on the so-called Dixie Alley—ironically updated as of 4/26/2011—claims that the Southern corridor of land may be even more of a tornado target than the Great Plains. As if to underscore that claim, April 27, 2011, ushered in a devastating storm that has gone down in history as one of the worst disasters ever to strike this area. In her book What Stands in a Storm , Kim Cross has compiled years of research and eyewitness reports into a brilliant and terrifying account of the destruction in areas that lay in the path of a nightmarish “wed

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) will host several small business seminars over the next several months beginning Monday, April 4, 2016. The seminars will take place at the Central Library. The small business seminars are being offered by BPL in partnership with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and the City of Birmingham’s Office of Economic Development.  The second Steps to Starting Your Business seminar will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, May 2 , in the Central Library ’s Arrington Auditorium, located on the fourth floor of the Linn-Henley Research Building. That same seminar will also be offered on Monday, June 6 . Seminar presenters will be veteran mentors from the Birmingham chapter of SCORE, a national nonprofit comprised of volunteers willing to share their business knowledge and experience with prospective entrepreneurs and small business owners. For over 50 years, SCORE mentors have helped millions of business owners start or grow their bu

Money Smart Week  is an annual nationwide campaign aimed at increasing financial literacy and promoting better decision making on issues related to personal money management. This year, Money Smart Week will be held from April 23 to April 30. The Birmingham Public Library will be doing its part to celebrate the week by hosting three free public programs at the Central Library location: Fact vs. Fiction: Busting the Social Security Myths Monday April 25, 2016, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Central Library , Arrington Auditorium, Linn-Henley building, 3rd floor Get a jumpstart on your retirement planning by attending "Fact vs. Fiction: Busting the Social Security Myths." The program presenter is Briana Collins, public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration in Alabama. This program is free, but registration is required. Please register by contacting Jim Murray of the Central Library’s Business, Science and Technology Department by e-mail at jmurray@bham.lib.al.us.

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) will host several small business seminars in 2016 beginning in April and ending in November that will take place at the Central Library. The small business seminars are being offered by BPL in partnership with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and the City of Birmingham’s Office of Economic Development. Seminar presenters will be veteran mentors from the Birmingham chapter of SCORE, a national nonprofit comprised of volunteers willing to share their business knowledge and experience with prospective entrepreneurs and small business owners. For over 50 years, SCORE mentors have helped millions of business owners start or grow their business. “How to Use Legal Strategies to Protect Your Business" is presented by Josh Andrews, a Birmingham lawyer specializing in legal issues of concern to small business owners. It is scheduled for Thursday, April 28, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. , in the Central Library’s Arrington Auditorium, loc

Registration is now open for staff and the public for the May 2016 Computer Class Schedule .  During this month, we include our popular computer classes, such as Basic PC and Internet Safety.  All classes are held in the  Regional Library Computer Center (RLCC) of the Central (downtown) Library .  PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL CLASSES. Please note that registration does not necessarily guarantee you a spot in the class. You will receive an email confirming your registration for classes.  You may also call to confirm your registration. To register for any class, please email us at cenrtc@bham.lib.al.us  or call 205-226-3681.   You may also download and print a pdf copy of   May 2016 Computer Class Schedule  to bring to a Computer Commons staff member on your next library visit. Please note that the May 2016 Class Schedule pdf can be sent to us as an email attachment.

Hunter Killer: Inside America’s Unmanned Air War Lt. Col. T. Mark McCurley “They also serve who only stand and wait." –John Milton, "On His Blindness" In 2003 the U.S. military was fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan. T. Mark McCurley found himself wearing a U.S. Air Force officer’s uniform but not flying a fighter jet or bomber. He was a pilot with years of experience and certified to fly multiple types of planes, including the AWAC, but in the Air Force only the best of the best fly fighters and bombers, and engage the enemy directly. Men and women in any branch of the military want to make a contribution that will end their country’s war honorably, and bring their brothers in arms home safely. He felt he was not making a difference. The men and women who fly fighters and bombers must maintain constant control of their plane and weapons. Even a slight error could result in death or friendly fire. The Fokker Dr1 triplane that the bloody Red Baron flew in Wor

Sales is the most crucial function of a small business. No matter what kind of goods or services a small business produces, the sales of these good and services is the single greatest determinant of the amount of revenue the small business can expect to generate. Without sufficient revenue, a small business cannot survive for very long. So, if sales are flat, or worse, in decline, this should be an alarm to the business owner to take action and investigate ways to improve the situation before it becomes irreparable. Are you a small business owner or entrepreneur who is concerned about your sales performance? If so, please plan to attend “Boost Your Sales,” a program aimed at providing you with both a new slant to your sales approach and ideas for crafting a more effective sales plan. The program will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 , in the Arrington Auditorium located on the fourth floor of the Central Library’s Linn-Henley Research Building. The

To view the 2017 Money Smart Week, click here. Money Smart Week  is an annual nationwide campaign aimed at increasing financial literacy and promoting better decision making on issues related to personal money management. This year, Money Smart Week will be held from April 23 to April 30. The Birmingham Public Library will be doing its part to celebrate the week by hosting three free public programs at the Central Library location: "Fact vs. Fiction: Busting the Social Security Myths" Monday April 25, 2016, 12:00-1:00 p.m. Central Library , Arrington Auditorium, Linn-Henley building, 3rd floor Get a jumpstart on your retirement planning by attending "Fact vs. Fiction: Busting the Social Security Myths." The program presenter is Briana Collins, public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration in Alabama. This program is free, but registration is required. Please register by contacting Jim Murray of the Central Library’s Business, Sc

The purpose of the Social Security System is to provide income support for people who do not work, either due to old age or disability. As a function of the federal government, the system is made up of a complex array of policies, procedures, and regulations. This complexity invariably creates for us some confusion and prompts some questions: Is Social Security going bankrupt? Will Social Security fully fund your retirement? Will you get out of Social Security the amount you put in? Should you enroll in Social Security as soon as you’re eligible? Can you work and receive benefits? Unfortunately, incorrect answers to these kinds of questions have proliferated and have helped to spawn quite a few myths and misconceptions regarding Social Security. Get ready for a reality check. In this presentation, attendees will get informed answers to common questions and learn the facts about the agency’s different benefit programs. The presenter will be Briana Collins, Public Affair

(left to right) Ed Fields of AL.com, BPL Director Angela Fisher Hall, BPL Deputy Director Sandi Lee, and Fox 6 reporter Jeh Jeh Pruitt AL.com , Alabama’s leading news website, donated 240 books to the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) in celebration of National Library Week . The donation includes 20 copies of 12 different titles, including Birmingham's Best Bites , a best-selling food book that is donating $2 from each sale to the Birmingham Public Library. Ed Fields, director of Events & Community Engagement at Alabama Media Group , made the donation live on Fox 6’s Good Day Alabama to BPL Director Angela Fisher Hall on April 14, 2016. Hall said the Birmingham Public Library is appreciative of the book donation, adding that they will play an important role in helping serve patrons of BPL’s 19 locations across Birmingham. “This is a continuation of the great partnership the Birmingham Public Library has had with AL.com over the past two years through their printing

Kala Davis, left, with Inglenook branch manager Karnecia Williams Patrons of the Inglenook Branch Library were greeted with cookies and lemonade on April 13 as the 19 locations of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) system joined the Public Libraries in Jefferson County in celebrating National Library Week. For Kala Davis, a longtime patron of the library, the Inglenook Branch is a vital part of her neighborhood. “I love it. It’s close to where I live. This library is an important part of our community,” Davis said after chatting with Inglenook branch manager Karnecia Williams. The annual observance, from Sunday, April 10 through Saturday, April 16, celebrates the dynamic changes happening in today's libraries. This year's National Library Week theme—“Because Transformation is Essential to the Communities we Serve”— mirrors a multi-year public awareness campaign led by the American Library Association. Libraries in Birmingham and Jefferson County are exchanging libr

Checking out a patron at Pratt City Library Did you know that every item you check out helps your library? I’ve sometimes heard patrons tell me, “Oh, I don’t want to take too many,” as if they were depriving someone else of using those items. What you may not know is that every single time an item is checked out of any of our public libraries, it helps all of our public libraries! So do a little “retail therapy” that won’t cost you a dime—browse your library’s collections, and take home a book, audiobook, magazine, music CD, DVD, or one (or more!) of each. Silly stories and crafts courtesy of Pete the Cat:   I Love My White Shoes at Avondale Library There are many items available from your library website that you can access 24/7—and that’s not by accident. Librarians looked at patrons’ needs for information and we have changed a lot of the ways we provide services, from downloadable audio and e-books to database accessibility. But believe it or not, not ev

Be a Shakespearean actor for an evening! On Tuesday, April 19 , there will be a drop-in reading of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing at 5:30 p.m. at the Central Library . In recognition of the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death, this is a participatory reading of his work. Parts will be assigned at 5:30 p.m. and the reading will begin at 5:45 p.m. At the beginning of each act, parts will be reassigned based on attendance. The event will end at 7:45 p.m. A copy of the play will be provided—or bring your own if you'd like! Come any time you are able during the program and leave when you must! For more information, call 205-226-3670 or e-mail agraham@bham.lib.al.us.

2016 WORD UP! winners from left to right:  Emma Camp, a sophomore at  Alabama School of Fine Arts (1st place);  Jeralyn Langford, a senior at  Clay-Chalkville High School (2nd place);  and Ellie Goldstein, a junior  at Homewood High School (3rd place) Three of Jefferson County’s most talented young spoken word artists were crowned winners after participating in WORD UP!, a poetry slam for students enrolled in high schools or homeschooled in Jefferson County, on Sunday, April 10, 2016, at the Central Library. The first place winner ($300 prize) is Ellen Camp, a sophomore at Alabama School of the Fine Arts. Winning the second place $200 prize is Jeralyn Langford, a senior at Clay-Chalkville High School. The third place winner ($150) is Ellis Goldstein, a junior at Homewood High School. The slam is sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and Real Life Poets, a nonprofit creative writing organization based in Birmingham. Ten students in grades 9 through 12 performed