Birmingham Public Library Blog

So, you've moved to Jefferson County and haven't got the chance to make it out to one of our 40 libraries to get your library card. Understandable—life gets busy! Or say it's late at night when your teenager suddenly remembers there is a school report due tomorrow that requires an  encyclopedia that's not Wikipedia. Getting to a library location might not be feasible, but  with a Jefferson County Library eCard , you can have instant access to our catalog of digital books, magazines, and other online resources.

You are in for the ride of your life. Towards the end of every year, I have a tradition where I rank my favorite films of the year. Surprise! Surprise! My number one favorite film of 2022 is Everything Everywhere All at Once . I cannot think of a single thing wrong with this movie about family dynamics and its connection to visiting different multiverses. In fact, a fight might ensue if you dare to criticize this highly original story that took a little over more than a decade to write on paper and then film it.

North Birmingham Regional Branch Library has a bunch of great programs lined up for our patrons in February, so please come join us! February will not only feature our regular programs, such as Slide City (line dancing); Stich and Chat (quilting); and Stop, Drop, and Breathe (meditation); but also new and exciting programs celebrating Black History Month and Valentine's Day. 

I finally saw Hamilton this week. I know—it's been a Broadway hit for over seven years now, and it's been available to watch on a paid streaming service for two years. But the national touring company finally made it to Birmingham, and I was there opening night. I'm neither a theatre nor musical fanatic, so I went into it skeptical of being entertained for the whole two and a half hour run time.  Suffice to say, I was overwhelmed.

Did you know "brain games" such as chess may help seniors keep their minds sharp? Chess is an engaging activity that has a significant positive impact on mental function, which can be especially beneficial for older adults as they age. Plus, chess can provide multiple social and emotional benefits.

Are you looking for a fresh experience in the new year? Have you ever thought about starting a business of your own? Beginning such an entrepreneurial endeavor can be a daunting prospect, but also a very rewarding one. Luckily, you do not have to take this consequential step all on your own. The Birmingham Public Library is here to help!

The Central Library 's third floor is undergoing repairs at this time. The third floor remains open to the public with the  Business, Science, & Technology department  closed off to patrons. The men's restroom on the third floor is currently closed, and we ask that patrons please use the men's restroom on the first floor. 

Libby is the award-winning, updated version of Overdrive, which allows you to read books and magazines through an app! This app is like having a whole library's catalog in your hand. Here are the 5 reasons you should be using Libby.

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and the Birmingham Democratic Socialists of America (BDSA) present a FREE brake light repair clinic at the Central Library on Saturday, February 25, 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. There will also be vegetarian food while supplies last. If you are interested in volunteering to help with a variety of tasks related to this program, you can sign up here . Keep reading to learn more details about the brake light repair clinic. 

Soloist entries are full! But there are 3 spots still available for  Groups/Choirs to compete in Soulful Sunday on Sunday, February 19, at 3:00 p.m. at the Central Library.  Soulful Sunday is a gospel music competition and the second program in the Winter Music Series. One  gospel choir/group will win $500! The deadline to register to compete is Friday, February 10. 

  The Birmingham Public Library (BPL)  is more than just a place to check out books & DVDS. We offer the public access to computers and free Wi-Fi. We offer Bards & Brews ,  our award-winning  monthly spoken word poetry/craft beer event . Plus, BPL hosts free concerts throughout the year.  At 6:30 p.m. in the  Central Library  downtown this  Thursday, January 19, 2023, BPL will host its first ever punk rock concert.  Three local punk bands—Joyboy, B.O.R.N., and the Sugarplums—will offer a chance for many to experience what punk rock music sounds like—inside a library. Best part is that it's FREE.     You can listen to the bands ahead of the show by using the links below:    •  B.O.R.N.  •  Sugarplums  •  Joyboy  This show is a part of the Birmingham Public Library's new  Winter Music Series . Once a month throughout the winter season, different musical acts will p...

The free tutoring program at the Central Library launches today—and there are still spots available for your 2nd and 3rd grade students to get in! Starting today, the  Central Library  is providing free literacy tutoring and homework help for 2nd and 3rd grade Birmingham City School students. This tutoring program ends on Thursday, May 4. 

Join us for—or compete in— Soulful Sunday at the Central Library on Sunday, February 19, at 3:00 p.m.!  Sign-ups to compete are open now and still available. Act fast—there are only 5 entry slots per category! Registration is limited to the first 5 entries per category. The best gospel choir/group will win $500, and the best soloist will win $200. 

With a final wrap-up of 2022, here are the top 10 most viewed Birmingham Public Library (BPL) blogs! At a glance, 2022 was full of new programs that enriched the community and celebrations that honored the achievements of BPL staff and the legacies of iconic advocates. Keep reading to look back on the top 10 blogs of 2022.

This Thursday, January 19, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) will be hosting 3 local punk bands . Starting at 6:30 p.m., Joyboy, B.O.R.N., and the Sugarplums will be gracing us at the downtown Central Library . This is a special first-time—maybe one-time—event that you don't want to miss. Best part is that it's FREE. 

  BPL is hosting several programs honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Birmingham, Alabama - The Birmingham Public Library is honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by hosting several programs in locations across the city throughout the month, including a civil rights discussion at the 20th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Lecture at the Five Points West Regional Library this at 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, January 14. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national holiday celebrating the life and legacy of the famous civil rights leader, held annually on the third Monday of January (January 16 this year). His actual birthday is January 15. Click here for link to books at BPL about Dr. King.  King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for leading nonviolent protests to improve the lives of black Americans. His life and work continue to be celebrated long after his death in 1968.   MLK Day is also designated as a National Day of Service where people are ...

  What : Begin the Day: The Twentieth Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Lecture  When : January 14, 2023, 3:00 PM Where: Five Points West Regional Library, 4812 Avenue W Details : Free and open to the public. For More Information: Jim Baggett, 205-226-3631, jim.baggett@cobpl.org  Birmingham, Ala. - As part of the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, each January the Birmingham Public Library Archives Department sponsors Begin the Day: The Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Lecture . Now in its twentieth year, the King Lecture has featured civil rights activists, scholars, children’s book authors, and community leaders discussing civil rights history and contemporary human rights issues including immigrant rights, voting rights, human trafficking, and Islamophobia.   For the 2023 King Lecture, BPL is partnering with the Charles A. Brown-Birmingham Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History to present “Civi...

  What : Birmingham Public Library (BPL) Bookmobile Reveal  When: Tuesday, January 10, 2023, 3:30 p.m.  Where: Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203  Details:   The public and media are invited to join us as the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) executive team and BPL Board of Trustees reveal the BPL Bookmobile. The vehicle is a result of a collaboration between BPL and the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA), and local developer Ed Ticheli. In 2021, the BJCTA donated a para-transit bus to BPL, allowing the library system to provide mobile library services by bookmobile to the 99 neighborhoods of the City of Birmingham. This valuable service is an innovative approach to bridging the digital divide and expanding citizen services to underserved communities. Birmingham, Ala. –   The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) Board of Trustees invites the public, journalists and elected officials to attend the reveal of the new BPL bookmobile on Tu...

Bards & Brews returns the first Friday of January, kicking off 2023 with an open mic and featured poet Glennwood! This open mic will be at the Central Library on Friday, January 6, 6:30—8:30 p.m. Mersey Craft Spirits is providing mixed drinks for the night and this is their first time at Bards & Brews.  

With the cold weather setting in, there is no better time to snuggle in with a good book! But every time a new book is released by your favorite author, there are a hundred holds already on it, so you won't get to read it for a LONG time. How can you be one of the first to read the new releases from the most popular authors? Easy—join the Birmingham Public Library's (BPL)  Best Sellers Club !

There are 30 days, 13 hours, 15 minutes, and counting till the deadline for our partnered Comic Strip Challenge with CreateHubs and Create Birmingham!  After a break in January, the next prompt for February is love is in the air! Submit an original comic and you could win money. Winners are placed in three categories with prizes listed as follows: 8–12 win $25, 13–16 win $50, and 17+ win $100. 

  Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper, with Pinson Library Director Alison Scanlan, president of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative Board of Directors.  2021 Southern Exposure DVD cover. Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper have partnered to donate to the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) 22 copies of the latest editions of Southern Exposure, an award-winning film series dedicated to educating the public about Alabama’s natural resources.   Each of JCLC’s 40 locations will now have a DVD copy of the 2021 edition of Southern Exposure, a series of documentaries on various Alabama environmental topics by independent filmmakers. 18 of the JCLC’s 40 locations are part of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) system. In November, Black Warrior Riverkeeper donated 18 copies of the 2021 DVDs to the Birmingham Public Library. Copies of previous Southern Exposure editions are available at all JCLC locations due to A...