Birmingham Public Library Blog

Looks like a howlin' good time. By Chelsea Rodriguez | Librarian Ⅰ, North Birmingham Regional Branch Library The Birmingham Public Library's (BPL) North Birmingham Regional Branch Library is partnering with the Birmingham Zoo during October 2021 for their daytime Halloween event, Hoots & Howls ! And it is the last weekend to catch Hoots & Howls at the Birmingham Zoo.

  The "Steampunk Librarian" showed up today as the Birmingham Public Library staff celebrated Halloween. For years, Mary Anne Ellis has used Halloween as a time to transform herself from a mild-mannered Southern History Department Librarian into the "Steam Punk Librarian." Several patrons and fellow employees love taking photos with her.  "It's my way of paying tribute to the steam punk movement depicted in science fiction movies, a world run by steam or diesel power instead of electricity," Ellis said.  A website, The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences , is dedicated to the steampunk movement. It says: "Steampunk is an inspired movement of creativity and imagination. With a backdrop of either Victorian England or America's Wild West at hand, modern technologies are re-imagined and realized as elaborate works of art, fashion, and mechanics." Authors Jules Verne and H.G. Wells are considered among steampunk’s most revered heroes. While Ver...

Tutoring programs at the BPL keep growing! By Cheyenne Trujillo | Library Assistant Ⅲ, Public Relations The  Powderly Branch Library offers a new, FREE tutoring program on Mondays and Wednesdays, adding  to the  Birmingham Public Library's  (BPL) growing list of tutoring services! Now your children have even more opportunities to improve their grades (and parents have more time to themselves). 

Blaque Diamond at a Bards & Brews open mic. The Birmingham Public Library received a $3,900 grant from the Alabama Council on the Arts to help fund its popular spoken word poetry program.      Birmingham, Ala. - The Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library has received a $3,900 grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to help fund the Birmingham Public Library 's popular Bards & Brews spoken word programs.  The grant will allow BPL to provide its ongoing showcase for Birmingham metro area spoken word performers, both established voices and first-time poets, as well as to spotlight the city’s emerging craft breweries. Through Bards & Brews, BPL is making Alabama’s communities stronger and the state’s arts and culture sector more vibrant. The grant announcement comes as BPL prepares to host its first in-person Bards & Brews poetry slam in nearly two years at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 5, at the Central Library. During the slam, 1...

The cover may promise a cute love story, but you'll have to read to find out more.   By Caleb  Calhoun |  Library Assistant Ⅱ, Powderly Branch Library Whereas books typically inspire movies, Tell Me How You Really Feel may owe much of its success to shirking that norm. Author Aminah Mae Safi described the 2019 release, which became an instant cult classic in the YA LGBTQ+ community, as “My love letter to rom-coms .”

  West End Arlington Neighborhood Association members join West End Library staff in dedicating a new banner to promote the importance of access to computers, books and tutoring at the library.    Birmingham, Ala.  - A banner promoting reading enrichment programs provided by Birmingham’s neighborhood libraries was dedicated today, Wednesday, October 27, in front of the  West End Branch Library,  1348 Tuscaloosa Ave. SW.  Walter Umrani of the West End Arlington Neighborhood Association donated the banner to encourage people in the community to use the West End Branch Library and to promote the importance of reading and public computer access. West End Library recently began offering free weekly tutoring for students in the Birmingham City School System. The instructor is Mary Richardson, a part-time West End Library employee who recently retired from a 30-year career as a teacher in the Bessemer school system. The free Counting Stars Tutoring is offer...

The album cover for her debut single "Cream With Your Coffee" By Cheyenne Trujillo | Library Assistant Ⅲ, Public Relations    Monica King Slater’s new single, "Cream With Your Coffee," is releasing on all digital platforms this Friday, October 29!

  Looking for holiday gifts? The BPL Friends Bookstore has a $12 Friends Bag sale.    Has the toy shortage and shipping delays made it tougher for you to find that perfect gift this year? Then come down to the BPL Friends Bookstore inside the   Central Library  downtown. We can help you with some great gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season! Take advantage of the $12 Friends Bag book sale! Take the opportunity this year to start your child or grandchild's very own library. Toys are great but books are better! Every child deserves a library of their very own. You can share your favorite books from your own childhood and spend some time reading with your favorite children.  No other activity makes a lasting memory like spending time reading together - and it is proven to help children with their vocabulary and their reading comprehension.  Sandi Lee, president of the  Friends of the Birmingham Public Library , said the book store sale has ...

These familiar faces are back and at the Birmingham Public Library. By Charlie Simonton | Librarian Ⅱ, North Birmingham I put a spell on you, and now you’re mine!  —Winifred Sanderson,  Hocus Pocus. If you’ve ever had to move to a new town, especially several states away or even across the country, you know how hard it can be to leave all your friends behind and try to make new ones.

  What:  Bards & Brews Poetry Slam When:  Friday, November 5, 2021, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Where:  Central Library Grand Reading Room, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL, 35203 Details:  10 talented spoken word artists will compete for a $300 grand prize in BPL's Bards & Brews poetry slam. For more information, call Bards & Brews Creative Director Candice Hardy at (205) 925-6178.  If you want to hear some of Alabama's most talented spoken word artists, join us at the Central Library on Friday, November 5, as the Birmingham Public Library hosts a  Bards & Brews Poetry Slam . 10 poets will compete for a $300 grand prize in a highly competitive poetry slam event.  A poetry slam  is a competition using elimination rounds in which individuals perform their own original poetry before an audience of volunteer judges chosen from the audience.  "Join us Friday, November 5, at 6:00 p.m. to cheer on local poets as they compete for the ...

Norfolk, VA put a lot of love into their mural. Photo by Matt Eich via Bloomberg Philanthropies. By Cheyenne Trujillo | Public Relations, Library Assistant Ⅲ Birmingham's mural collection is growing—and the Birmingham Public Library 's (BPL) Smithfield Branch Library is getting one!

  By Reba Williams, Branch Manager|Titusville Library October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time set aside to acknowledge and celebrate women who have fought and survived breast cancer.  Hearts are touched by the pink ribbons seen everywhere for October.   In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, Titusville Branch Library will join the community of North/South Titusville for “Pink Out Night,” a walk from Booker T. Washington K-8 School, 115 4th Avenue South, to Titusville Library, #2 6th Avenue SW in Birmingham. The walk will take place on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.  Join us in spreading the news to women that yearly mammograms help save lives. Help raise awareness about how to reduce risk factors that can cause breast cancer. If you are a survivor or know of a breast cancer survivor, share stories that can help others. 

By Cheyenne Trujillo | Public Relations, Library Assistant Ⅲ Happy Halloween from the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) ! The BPL is feeling the spirits of the season next week 👻. Our event calendar is stacked with fun, festive events next week, so check out the calendar for even more FREE Halloween programs .

  By Weston Flippo| Five Points West Regional Library  Five Points West Regional Library is trying to make everyone's upcoming winter a little warmer. Beginning on Monday, October 25 and concluding on Friday, November 12, Five Points West Library will be accepting new and gently used jackets, coats, sweaters, and socks. Donations will be accepted at the library,  located at 4812 Avenue W , between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.  Five Points West Library will give donated items through a local charity partner following the conclusion of the coat drive. As colder weather begins to move into the Birmingham and Ensley area, residents of the community must have access to clean, warm clothes. With the help of your donations, Five Points West Library hopes to help those folks in need of a warm coat and socks this upcoming winter. For questions, call Five Points West Outreach Librarian Weston Flippo at (205) 226-4013.

By Cheyenne Trujillo | Public Relations, Library Assistant Ⅲ Family History Month is not over yet! The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) Southern History Department kicked off October with their leading Family History Month program Hidden No More: Locating Enslaved Persons in Local Legal Records.

A thriller set in the book publishing industry? Intriguing. By Caleb Calhoun | Powderly Branch Library, Library Assistant Ⅱ The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris was one of the most heralded releases of 2021—and with good reason.

  Jo Bridges, a VISTA volunteer at Central Library, shares information on how to reduce stress.   By Jo Bridges|VISTA Volunteer in Central Library Arts, Literature & Sports Department    Hey y’all! My name is Jo Bridges, and I’m an AmeriCorps VISTA serving with Central BPL for a few months while awaiting admission for grad school. It feels surreal to be back in my hometown and down the hill from my alma mater, Ramsay High School. It overall is an honor to return and learn more about the streets I once used to roam after leaving Auburn University with my B.A. degree in Communication. Sure enough while I was away, I had to learn – and experiment – more about who I am and what I want to make the most out of life all without the constant and ever-knowing parental watch I’m sure we all experienced as minors. Being out there in “the real world” (meaning outside your physical, emotional, parental watch, etc. bubble or comfort zone) as an adult was challenging, ex...

Titusville Library Branch Manager Reba Williams with TikTok Club President Amari Pearson. Titusville Branch Library has found a new way for young patrons to express a love for reading. "Let's TikTok About Books" meets every Monday between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. at Titusville Library, #2 6th Avenue SW. Amari Peason, 12, a 7th grader at  Booker T. Washington K-8 School, serves as president of the new TikTok club.  Titusville Library Branch Manager Reba Williams said the TikTok at Titusville Library club idea came after she reached out to students who come to the library after school, asking them  what fun activities they want to do while there. TikTok is a social media video site popular among young people.  "The students will use the social media platform to post funny and fun videos about all genres and all types of readers," Williams said. "It will be a fun way for our library to engage with them about the importance of reading."  To join, call Br...

  By Leslie Deason| Avondale Regional Branch Library  Join Avondale Regional Library on Saturday, October 30 at 3:00 p.m., for a spooktacular podcast discussion.  We will be discussing podcast episodes with a Halloween, mystery and supernatural theme. Be prepared for an afternoon of mystery, spooks and ghoulish delights!  Advanced registration is recommended. For more information on how to tune into this podcast, email Leslie Deason at Leslie.Deason@cobpl.org.  The playlist for this discussion is listed below. You don’t have to listen to all the episodes to participate. We hope to see you there!  Listening List:  Spooked-- Season 6, Episode 1: Fright At The Museum  (scroll down to find the episode) Hidden Brain-- 2015, Episode 6: Halloween And The Science of Fear  Criminal—Episode #159 (2/26/21): Spiritual Developments Sawbones—Episode 347: Angel’s Glow  Supernatural with Ashley Flowers— Episode 80: Haunted: The Winchester Mystery House...

New tutoring program starting this weekend. By Cheyenne Trujillo | Library Assistant Ⅲ, Public Relations Parents and guardians, reclaim your afternoons and weekends because the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is here to help your children with their homework!

The Smithfield Library staff has a lot of books to sort through! By Cheyenne Trujillo | Public Relations  The  Birmingham Public Library (BPL)   Smithfield Branch Library  is deeply grateful to the teens and mothers of  Jack  and  Jill of America,  Inc.   Birmingham  c hapter  for their thoughtful donation.

  All locations of the Birmingham Public Library will be closed to the public, Thursday, October 14, for staff training. 

Cover photo from publisher LSU Press. By Cheyenne Trujillo | Public Relations Birmingham Bound is back and virtual, hosting author Brandon T. Jett to discuss his book Race, Crime, and Policing in the Jim Crow South .

Bib & Tucker Sew-Op is holding quilting and sewing programs at Avondale Regional Library                                       .   Are you interested in learning how to sew quilts and other items?  Then take advantage of the Avondale Regional Library’s new partnership with Bib & Tucker Sew-Op, a Woodlawn-based nonprofit. Activities include Fun with Felt, a monthly sewing class designed for young folks on the second Tuesdays, and sessions for adults called Sew-Up Quilters, offered the first, third and fourth Tuesdays at Avondale Library.  The next Bib & Tucker Fun with Felt session is Tuesday, October 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. at Avondale Regional Library. Registration is required for this program. Email Ellen Griffin of Avondale Library at ellen.griffin@cobpl.org. Learn more about how Avondale Regional Library offered s...

  By Jennifer Hancock| BPL Collections Department Celebrate Halloween 2021 by taking advantage of resources at the Birmingham Public Library.    Click here to see a listing of our books and DVDs available for check out.   Hey kids, looking for fun Halloween activities to do? Are you scared of the dark, or the monsters that hide there? Sometimes if you meet the monsters face to face, they aren’t so scary anymore!   So put on your favorite costume and join us for a very special Storytime, October 17, from 4;00 to 6:00 p.m., at one of our local haunted houses, Nightmare at 3008 in Fultondale, Alabama.  Not only will you get to hear lots of stories about haunted houses, and why they might not be too scary, but afterwards you get to walk through the haunted attraction and get candy from the monsters! $5 per kid covers a snack bag with a hot dog, chips, a drink, and lots of treats. Bring your parents and join us for a frighteningly fun time! Click bel...

  What: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, a national traveling exhibition coming to the Birmingham Public Library  When: Thursday, October 21, through Thursday, December 30, 2021 Where : Central Library Grand Reading Room, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203  Details: FREE and open to the public during library operating hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturdays.  Opening Night Reception  Join us for an opening night reception on Thursday, October 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Central Library Grand Reading Room, 2100 Park Place. Free, but registration in advance is required.  To RSVP, click here Evicted Exhibit Opening Tickets, Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 5:30 PM |Eventbrite  Birmingham, Ala. -A traveling exhibition on a 10-city national tour to raise attention about the eviction crisis across the country is coming to the Birmingham Public Library for 10 weeks, beginning Thursday, October 21.  “Evicted: Poverty and Profit ...

Mary Harris Richardson assists young students at Counting Stars Tutoring By Lynn Hutchins | West End Branch Library  To all Birmingham area parents: Does your child need FREE tutoring help? Take advantage of Counting Stars Tutoring at West End Branch Library , 1348 Tuscaloosa Ave. SW., Birmingham, AL 35211. Counting Stars Tutoring happens every Wednesday from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at the West End Branch Library.