Birmingham Public Library Blog

The Titusville Branch Library (at 2 6th Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35211) is starting off November with its monthly celebration of Titusville Branch Resource Days. Do not miss out on the experience of Community Resource Days at the Titusville Library! Due to the growth of the program, the following resources will be distributed on specific days. For all events, registration is mandatory.

The changing leaves and cooler weather mean that it's officially Cozy Time™ where we spend more time staying warm indoors. Why not spend some of that time crafting ? Stop by the North Birmingham Library to get crafty this fall. 

It is the final Bards & Brews of 2022! Join us next Friday, November 4, 6:00—8:00 p.m., at the North Birmingham Regional Branch Library for our last Open Mic featuring guest poet Lee J. Green. Keep reading to get all the details and learn more about our featured poet. 

As someone who doesn't regularly gravitate towards horror and suspense genres when reading, I still find myself craving a bit of a fright near Halloween. I am wildly impressed with the authors and  readers who are able to create and consume horror media so readily. It takes guts to engage in such dark world-building.

It's my favorite time of the year. The heat is abating, the days are getting shorter, and everything has a spooky, sinister shadow to it. Halloween is nearly upon us, and if you are still looking for fall activities to do with your child or preteen that don't include candy or pumpkin guts, I suggest taking a trip into the world of Coraline by Neil Gaiman .

"Why can't I get my Bluetooth ear buds to connect to my tablet?" "My friend sent me a file that I can't open...what is a PDF?" "I just got a new phone, and everything is different from my old one. I can't find anything!"  We have all been there a time or two.

  October is National Family History Month  and Birmingham Public Library’s Southern History Department is wrapping up a month's worth of genealogy workshops.  Throughout October, BPL has hosted  a variety of free workshops to help patrons research their family tree and connect with others who share passion about learning about genealogy. Events conclude at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 31, as Southern History holds the final of a series of workshops A Few of Our Favorite Things.   These unique workshops offered by library staff highlight our favorite quirky and “under the radar” genealogy resources. Print and online sources that staff use and want to share will be featured. The workshop will take place at the Central Library, 2100 Park Place in downtown Birmingham,  in the Research Building's 4th Floor Computer Center.   For more information, check out our  BPL Events Calendar.  All events are in-person and are also online via Zoom. For...

What : 2022 Birmingham Public Library Local Authors Expo When:  10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., November 5, 2022 Where: Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 Details: The 2022 BPL Local Authors Expo will showcase Alabama authors, including many from metro Birmingham. It is free for attendees. Booth spots are still open for authors desiring to participate through Monday, October 31. Registration is $50 per author.  Birmingham, Ala. - Interested in writing a book? If you are an author, do you need advice on how to push your book sales to the next level? Then make plans now to come to the 2022 Birmingham Public Library Local Authors Expo, taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 5 at the Central Library downtown.  This year's theme is  "Marketing: How to Market Your Self-Published Book."  Attendees will gain valuable advice from three published authors - Moderator Ruby Davis, Tania De'Shawn and book coach Dr. Fred Jones.  The...

Those wanting to show off their boardroom fashion sense should plan to be present at the October 31st session of the 12 Months to Become Your Own CEO! A prize will be awarded to the attendee who is wearing the best business/CEO/entrepreneur costume. Costumes will be judged on creativity, originality, and overall aesthetic.

Youth Open Mic is pairing up with Read-In-For-Justice to raise awareness of teen dating violence during Domestic Violence Awareness month 2022 #WeAreResilient . October's Youth Open Mic is this Thursday, October 27, 6:00—8:00 p.m., hosted at the Central Library , 2100 Park Place, on the first floor in the Grand Reading Room. 

Mystery at the Library is a program designed to give fans of the cozy mystery genre a chance to test their detective skills by solving a fictional murder mystery is a real-world setting. From Tuesday, October 25, to Thursday, October 27, a room at the North Birmingham Regional Branch Library will be turned into a crime scene complete with all of the elements you'd expect to see in a scene from a crime novel.

The Birmingham Public Library's premier  Classic Cocktails, slated for 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. next Tuesday, October 25,  is the perfect way to kick off your Magic City Classic week by reconnecting with alumni from Alabama State and Alabama A&M, and making new friends.   The Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University not only draws the largest crowd among the nation's HBCU football classics. It is also the biggest networking event for African-Americans in Alabama, drawing as many tailgaters or more outside Legion Field than the more than 60,000 who pack into the stadium to watch the football game and the Battle of the Bands between the Alabama A&M Marching Bulldogs and the Alabama State Marching Hornets. Black football classics are the epicenter where sports, HBCU culture and Black history converge. They are far bigger than the game - and the Birmingham Public Library is now a part of the Magic City Classic networking scene for ...

On Tuesday, October 25, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and the Friends Foundation of the BPL will host their first-ever Classic Cocktails fundraiser . Scheduled to take place at downtown’s Central Library from 5:30 to 9:00 P.M., Classic Cocktails is a kickoff party leading up to this year's Magic City Classic football game between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University – one of Birmingham’s most anticipated annual events.    If you’re looking for a chance to reconnect with old friends or make new ones, come join us for a night of entertainment and fun at Classic Cocktails. It’s also an opportunity to mingle with former classmates from Alabama State and Alabama A&M Universities! Tickets may be purchased through Eventbrite by clicking here.  Classic Cocktails is being presented by the Birmingham law firm of Petway French & Ford.  Among the entertainment in store for guests is a tasting of locally distilled spirits from Redmont Disti...

  Willie Pace Winter is almost here! Let’s gear up for the season with a few ideas to spice up your home by dropping by Titusville Branch Library 's Lunch & Learn program at noon on Wednesday, October 19.  The days are shorter, and the weather is colder. Understandably, patrons are more likely to stay at home than venture out during the winter season. But with winter depression and social isolation risks, it may be the most important time of year to make sure you understand what LIBRARY RESOURCES are offered to support the community.  Come learn about energy saving tips , programs to weatherize your home for this upcoming winter.  Advanced registration is required. Call Titusville Library at (205) 322-1140.  Wednesday's guest speaker will be Willie Pace of Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama. By Reba Williams|Titusville Library Branch Manager 

  The Birmingham Public Library 's public Wi-Fi is a popular feature for patrons visiting our 16 locations across the city. Did you know BPL also offers mobile Wi-Fi hotspots for checkout at each of our libraries? Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots are devices that allow you to have Internet access when you are traveling, away from home, or working outside the office.  BPL's hotspots can connect more than just laptops to the web. They'll work with up to 10 devices at once, including tablets, cameras, and pretty much any other Wi-Fi-enabled device.  Here are the details you need to know:  * BPL's hotspots can be checked out for up to 1 week. You must be a BPL patron with an active library card to checkout.  * Patrons must be at least 21 years old and fill out a mobile hotspot checkout form. You must be a Birmingham resident. * Hotspots can also be placed on reserve so that the patron can be contacted when they are available for pickup.  * If not returned on time, the ho...

The next Comic Strip Challenge is open! Submissions are due on Friday, November 7. This month's prompt is "Time to Dine!" In partnership with  Create Birmingham  and CreateHubs, the  Birmingham Public Library  is hosting a monthly Comic Strip Challenge with cash prizes awarded for three different age groups.

  Titusville Branch Library Celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month Oct. 17-21, 2022   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 during October. Titusville Branch Library is joining in with the community in effort to highlight the importance for early detection and prevention. In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, Titusville Branch Library will join I am Greatness & Susan B. Komen’s Breast Cancer Foundation “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 at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, October 21.  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 kn...

  The Pratt City Branch Library has weekly Wednesday craft programs throughout October to help patrons fellowship with friends and family.  Events kicked off on Wednesday, October 12 with an Earring Program as patrons created pretty earrings for themselves and others.  The other programs are as follows:  Wednesday, October 19, 10:00 a.m. - Come create a fall craft!  Create something that will bring the fall inside! Wednesday, October 26, 10:00 a.m. - Bingo!  Come and enjoy a great game of bingo with friends. We provide the food and entertainment, you bring the fun!  Please call Pratt City Library at (205) 791-4997 to register for the programs. We have limited supplies and want to make sure your place is secured.  If you have questions or want to register, you can also drop by Pratt City Branch at 509 Dugan Avenue, Birmingham. Cheryl Burgess|Pratt City Branch Library 

The October edition of the Birmingham Public Library 's SCORE small business development program has been moved to Tuesday, October 18, at 12:00 p.m. in the Central Library's Arrington Auditorium.  It was originally scheduled for Tuesday, October 25. The topic of the 10/18 presentation is "How To Write A Business Plan."  The program is free, and everyone interested in starting their own business is welcome to attend.

As I read You Are My Sunshine by Sean Dietrich ,  I found myself falling for the trail madness—thinking that maybe it would be fun to endure the combined 519 miles of The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP)   and the C&O Canal Towpath . Horrifyingly, I began to believe that I could do it, too.  Thankfully, Dietrich endured that suffering on a trike so that readers may traverse those trails in the passages of a book instead. 

On Wednesday, October 26, representatives from Alabama's State Health Insurance Assistant Program (SHIP) will be at the Birmingham Public Library to assist any Medicare beneficiaries wanting to reevaluate and modify their health insurance coverage during the Medicare Open Enrollment period.

Do you want to learn more about staying healthy? Do you have unanswered medical questions?  Come to the West End Branch Library to visit with a Cahaba Medical Care Doctor for a short health talk. These programs take place on the first Wednesday of every month at 11:00 a.m.

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and the Friends Foundation of the BPL are excited to announce that Petway, French & Ford, LLP , will be the presenting sponsor of the upcoming fundraiser, Classic Cocktails . A kickoff party leading up to this year's Magic City Classic football game, Classic Cocktails will take place on Tuesday, October 25, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at downtown's Central Library .

Smithfield Branch Library is observing World Mental Health Day on Monday, October 10, with a special guest speaker, Ronnesha Hughes.  She will be at the Smithfield Library starting at 3:00 p.m. You can contact their library for more information at 205-324-8428.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia   It’s National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) and also spooky October, so what better time to tell you about my new favorite author, Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Silvia is a Mexican-Canadian author who crafts books and stories that have a macabre and dark shadow to them. When she’s not writing her own books she is an editor at a company that is a purveyor of weird fiction. Her first publication , “ This Strange Way of Dying ” , was a collection of short stories that were previously published in various magazines. Her work is steeped in Mexican folklore and tradition. She has almost created a new reality by combining modern day Mexico City with the fantastic creatures of old tales and dark stories from the past.  Her first published novel was “Signal to Noise” about a young girl going back to Mexico City for her father’s funeral. While there she remembers the origins of her spell casting abilities that she derives from listening to songs....

October is right around the corner, which means we're getting closer and closer to my favorite holiday—Halloween! North Birmingham Regional Branch Library has a variety of Halloween-themed activities scheduled for patrons of all ages.

Following World War Ⅱ, a phenomenon known as the " Second Red Scare " was occurring in America. Communism was spreading in a sphere influenced by the powerful Soviet Union. The U.S. backed Chiang Kai-shek lost the Chinese civil war to Mao Zedong. High profile convictions of espionage were taking place, such as the Rosenbergs . Communist China went on to back North Korea against U.S. ally South Korea. 

The Titusville Branch Library (at 2 6th Ave SW Birmingham, AL 35211) is starting off October with its monthly celebration of Titusville Branch Resource Days. Do not miss out on the experience of Community Resource Days at the Titusville Library!

  As the nation this week remembering the  71st anniversary of the death of Henrietta Lacks, the Birmingham Public Library is honoring her life and the impact her cells had in the field of cancer treatment.  Tonight, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., the Central Library is hosting a free screening of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," a film about this trailblazing starring Oprah Winfrey  in the title role.  From 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Central Library on Tuesday, October 4, which is the anniversary of Lacks' death, UAB philosophy professor and bioethicist Dr. Gregory Pence will host a discussion and Q & A session about how the Henrietta Lacks story  became a political and ethical issue regarding medical consent, as well debate on race and bodily rights. You can check out both the book and DVD of " The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks " at the Birmingham Public Library by clicking here.  Dr. Gregory Pence  In a Q&A with BPL, Dr. Penc...

Get ready to use your thinking cap while watching The Turin Horse . If I told you that one of the most important films of the 21st century is a black-and-white Hungarian film about potato farmers and their horse, I hope you would not look as me as if I lost my mind. 

  Want to get a head-start on 2022 holiday gifts for friends and family? Then take advantage of the BPL Friends Bookstore Fall Book Sale , kicking off at the Central Library  downtown on Tuesday, October 4.  The sale will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Tuesday, October 4 through Thursday, October 6. Shop our $15 bag sale (plus tax) and we will have a $6 bag sale (plus tax) as well.  Come check out the selection of DVD's, LP's, CD's and books for everyone! We will have a special gift table, vintage books, and even some books  to help those who are decorating their homes!  Shop our $15 bag sale (plus tax) and we will have a $6 bag sale (plus tax) as well.  We have an amazing inventory of children's books including easy readers, early chapter books, and great older elementary fiction. We are not leaving the teens out of this sale either - plenty of fiction for these young readers . Adults, it's your turn to shop till you drop!  T...