Birmingham Public Library Blog

  Titusville Branch Library is hosting several Titusville Community Family History Harvest Programs as part of its 2024 celebration of Black History Month.   Embarking on a journey through time, the Titusville Black History Month Family Memory Wall is an initiative that seeks to uncover and celebrate the rich tapestry of familial narratives within our community. The objective of the Black History Month Family Memory Wall is to foster a deeper understanding of our roots.  During the week of February 5- 9, "Preservation of Heritage: Family History" provides a link between the past, present, and future. As a result, our stories, traditions, and experiences are preserved. Black History Month Family Memory Wall showcases the importance of safeguarding these treasures and aims to create a repository of shared memories for future generations. The Titusville Black History Month Family Memory Wall provides a platform for individuals and families to contribute to a collective archive o

Love is in the air at the Titusville Branch Library ! In honor of Black History Month and Valentine's Day, the library is hosting “Love Day at the Library" at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, February 13. This special event promises to be a celebration of love, laughter, and intergenerational connections. Get ready for an unforgettable Love Comedian Show with the charismatic Mattie J, along with complimentary massages, music, delicious food, and exciting games. This unique event is designed to bring the community together in a spirit of joy and unity.  To ensure a seamless experience for all attendees, registration is required. Please register by calling Titusville Library at 205-322-1140 in advance to secure your spot at this Love Day celebration.  Below is a synopsis of Love Day at Titusville Library   Love Comedian Show with Mattie J:  Prepare to be entertained by the humor and wit of Mattie J, a renowned love comedian who will light up the room with laughter. Mattie J's uniqu

  Create Birmingham, in partnership with CreateHubs leaders Eric Pertilla and Kristena Hatcher, is excited to launch a monthly comic strip competition and publication for the residents of Jefferson County, Alabama. This initiative is meant to encourage creatives of all ages to explore job opportunities and career pathways in creative industries.  In an effort to better engage with role models in the industry, Create Birmingham is delighted to share all submissions with an outstanding group of industry leaders who will serve as judges. Comic submissions are due the first Friday by 11:59 p.m. CST every month.  Winners are selected and announced the third week of each month. There will be up to one winner for each age group each month. The winner’s name and comic will be shared in the Create Birmingham newsletter and social media platforms. Applicants can share their social media handles if they want to be tagged. $50 prize for all three age groups: *  ages 8-12  * ages 13-16 *  ages

The Archives Department is hosting a Local Author Talk with Burgin Mathews on his latest book, Magic City: How the Birmingham Jazz Tradition Shaped the Sound of the South .  Mathews' Local Author Talk is happening at the Central Library this Saturday, January 27, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. He will play local jazz records, interspersed with archival film footage, photos, and audio artifacts from Birmingham's jazz history after the discussion.

Kick off your 2024 reading list with a pint in hand!  Today, Thursday, January 25, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Hi-Wire Brewing, come peruse the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library 's vast array of graphic novels, children's books, adult fiction and nonfiction, and vintage books. All books will be available for purchase at super-low prices. Since it's also Benefit Pint Night at Hi-Wire, one dollar from beer taps #5–8—Double Hi-Pitch, Pink Lemonade Sour, Mountain Water, Leisure Time Lager—will be contributed to the Friends Foundation to help support the programs, services, and partnerships of the Birmingham Public Library .  Hi-Wire's Mini Pop-Up Market  will also take place during the book fair, featuring a cast of local creators and cultivators.  About the Friends Foundation of the BPL The Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library is dedicated to supporting the programs, services, and partnerships of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)  throug

Traditional Blocks, Quinnie Pettway, 2005 Assembly: Contemporary Gee's Bend Quilts  is kicking off the Birmingham Public Library 's  Art for Everyone program , a series of art exhibitions slated to take place at downtown’s Central Library  this year. Assembly is currently on view in the Fourth Floor Gallery at the Central Library through the end of February.  For generations, women from the rural Black community of Boykin, Alabama  (more commonly known as "Gee's Bend"), created critically acclaimed quilts from recycled work clothes and dresses, feed sacks, and fabric remnants. This exhibition features 30 quilts dating from 1975 to 2023 by 23 contemporary Gee's Bend artists  who continue that tradition. Featured Artists * Loretta Pettway Bennett  * Priscilla Hudson  * Marlene Bennett Jones  * Lue Ida McCloud  * Polly Mooney Middleton  * Sally Pettway Mixon  * Cathy Mooney  * Doris Pettway Mosely  * Caster Pettway  * Edwina Pettway  * Emma Mooney Pettway  * Ka

The University of Alabama at Birmingham  (UAB) Education Opportunity Center (EOC) is hosting its 2024 Trade Expo/Job Fair on Tuesday, January 30 at the Central Library in downtown Birmingham . This free event will take place from 10:00am until 1:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place.  The trade expo and job fair are free to the public. The event features booths with resources on GED, Apprenticeship, cosmetology, CNA, Plumbing, CDL and more. Sign up for a trade, GED or apply for a job on site! "This event will give individuals an opportunity to explore life-changing trades and educational opportunities," said Rico Drakes, executive director of UAB's EOC. "Adults and young adults will have an opportunity to sign up for trades, apprenticeships, internships, GED and more. Attendees will also have an opportunity to speak with employers regarding job openings and connect with resources such as SNAP and others." For more information, emai

Loud at the Library is back and proudly presents Soulful Sunday on Sunday, February 18, 2024. Ten soloists will compete for cash prizes from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Central Library in downtown Birmingham. Participants will perform one song and have a maximum of eight minutes to perform.  First place wins $250.00, second place wins $100.00, and third place wins $50.00!

The Birmingham Public Library is offering several programs to celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King., Jr. in preparation for the 2024 MLK Federal Holiday (Monday, January 15) . Activities kick off with Begin the Day: The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Lecture taking place at 11:00 a.m. this Saturday, January 13, in the Central Library's Arrington Auditorium , 4th Floor of the BPL Research  Building, 2100 Park Place.    King played a prominent role in Birmingham in the fight against racism during the Civil Rights Movement. His efforts led to King winning the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize . A copy of the MLK Letter from a Birmingham Jail is housed in the BPL Archives Department's world-renowned civil rights collection.  Here is a listing of BPL's MLK programs and activities: “With My Own Two Hands,”  Monday, January 8–Friday, January 12, 2024, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Southside Branch Library, 1814 11th Avenue South To celebrate Martin Luther King’s Drive, thi

Detail of a quilt by Marlene Bennett of Gee's Bend, 2023  The Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library  was recently awarded a grant by the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA) for a visual arts series in 2024. Funding for the series, which is called Art for Everyone , will allow BPL to support 13 solo and group exhibitions of work by Alabama artists across three exhibition spaces Exhibitions will be co-curated by Library Assistant Margaret Splane and independent curator Paul Barrett .  The new exhibition series opens with a group exhibition of contemporary Gee’s Bend quilts, which will be on display in January and February. By Margaret Splane, Library Assistant III| BPL Development Office

Southside Branch Library is kicking off the 2024 season of its Reel Deal Movie Club today, Wednesday, January 3.  Reel Deal is the brain child of Perdeta Ann Long, a Library Assistant III at Southside Library. Today's program at Southside Branch's Facebook page is from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The topic: "New Start, New You." "Jump start your new journey with our Non-Fiction films focusing on healthy cooking, exercise, finance and many others," said Perdeta Ann Long.    In addition to the Facebook Live program, Reel Deal Movie Club will have some editions in-house at Southside Branch Library, 1814 11th Avenue South .   Follow Southside Library on Facebook for more information. By Perdeta Long, Library Assistant III| Southside Branch Library

The Birmingham Public Library 's has announced the 2024 schedule of Bards & Brews . The popular spoken word poetry and tasting event will be held monthly on the first Friday from January through November, beginning this Friday, January 5 at the Central Library, 2100 Park Place, downtown.  Bards & Brews is hosted monthly by Thed Weller . The program is free and open to the public. You must be 18 or older to enter and 21 and older with proof of I.D. to drink alcohol.  This Friday's Bards & Brews Open Mic will kick off at 6:30 p.m. , with Jamil Glenn serving as our first featured local poet of the year. Each Bards & Brews Open Mic spotlights a poet from the Birmingham metro area. Celebrate the new year by joining us for some live spoken word poetry and sampling of a few beers. If you ever wanted to share original spoken word or other forms of art before a live audience, this Friday's Bards & Brews Open Mic is your opportunity. Dates and locations for

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) has 6 open employment opportunities! Full-time and part-time positions are available in a variety of roles. 

  Do you love to cook? Do you like to try new flavors and recipes? OR maybe you are in a cooking rut and don't know how to start expanding your cooking repertoire.  Whether you’re a foodie or just interested in trying something new— Southside Spice Club is for you! Pick up a new spice kit at the  Southside Branch Library, 1814 11th Avenue South , on the first Tuesday of each month.  Each kit will include a pre-portioned spice, a regional/historical background of the spice, 2 recipes featuring the monthly spice and book and/or library database recommendations to find more recipes with the featured spice. Explore these great flavors with us!  This kit is free (while supplies last) and open to the public. One kit per family please.  Disclaimer(s): Food Allergies Attention patrons with food allergies. Please be aware that food present within this program may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, or wheat