Birmingham Public Library Blog

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL)  2024 Summer Reading activities, called  Adventure Begins at Your Library , kick off next week.  During June and July, BPL is hosting 256 programs for patrons of all ages , from toddlers to seniors. Patrons can register for Summer Reading 2024 at any  BPL location  and be entered into a raffle for a grand prize and win smaller prizes throughout the summer for completing our B-I-N-G-O cards! BPL is shining the spotlight on all 16 of our libraries that are hosting special summer programs. Y ou can check out all of our  Summer Reading 2024 programs  by location, date, and time on the BPL website. Today is our first BPL Summer Reading Spotlight: East Ensley Branch Library.  East Ensley Branch Library 1900 14th Street Ensley, Birmingham AL 35218 M–F 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. | 205-  787-1928 East Ensley Branch is hosting 15 Summer Reading programs - 4 for all ages, 7 youth programs, and 4 teen/adult programs.  East Ensley Branch Manager Kenyata Rodgers  said sh

Ken O'Loughlin,  Rainbow Houses , acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36" Birmingham, Ala.  - If you haven’t yet visited the exhibition featuring works by artists from Studio By The Tracks , now is the time! A World in a Grain of Sand is reaching its final days at the Birmingham Public Library and will be open to the public through the end of the day on Saturday, June 1. The show is on display in the First Floor Gallery at downtown’s Central Library Studio By The Tracks is a nonprofit community arts studio that has been serving artists with autism for 35 years. A World in a Grain of Sand showcases works in various media by 29 of SBTT’s artists. The works originate from the Studio’s core adult program, which serves more than 50 artists weekly from the greater Birmingham area. All pieces in the exhibition are for sale. Your purchase supports SBTT and its artists, who receive 60% of all sales of their work. Following is a sampling of works on display in A World in a Grain of

  Betty Sue Matthews, Four Girls , enamel paint on tin cutouts If you enjoyed the artworks by Betty Sue Matthews (1944-2018) that were on display at the Birmingham Public Library in March and April, we encourage you to stop by Maus Contemporary in Birmingham this Friday, May 17. An exhibition of Matthews’ fascinating object-paintings will open at a reception at the downtown gallery from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The tin cutouts of Betty Sue Matthews were recently featured in the Voices Carry  show in the Fourth Floor Gallery at the Central Library. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the new exhibition of Betty Sue Matthews’ work at Maus Contemporary will benefit BPL’s Art for Everyone series , as well as the nonprofit Eastern Shore Art Center .  About the Artist Betty Sue Matthews (1944-2018) created paintings of people she knew and animals she saw on flattened cardboard boxes, discarded furniture, and tin siding, which she cut with an ax and shaped with clippers. She frequently painted on b

If you have just started a small business, or even if you are just thinking about doing so, then you do not want to miss the upcoming program, Building a Bankable Business Plan—Part 1, held at the Central Library on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about the components of an effective business plan and how one can be put together to best describe the goals and objectives of your company.

C.J. Wade will lead a Self-Care Mastermind Class at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13 at the Central Library downtown called "Party of One: How to Date Yourself."  Self-Care MasterMind instructor C.J. Wade What: The Self Care MasterMind - a group wellness coaching series Where:  Central Library, 1st Floor Grand Commons Dates:  2nd Monday of each month, September 2023–June 2024 Time: 5:30–6:30 p.m.  Remaining Program Details:  Monday, May 13, 2024 |  Party of One: How to Date Yourself   Monday, June 17, 2024 |  Journaling For Life Birmingham, Ala. -  Did you know that feeling good about yourself - whether single, dating or married - plays an important role in staying healthy? If you need help, make plans now to be at the Central Library at 5:30 p.m. this Monday, May 13, for "Party of One: How to Date Yourself," the next session of the Birmingham Public Library's 10-class Self-Care Mastermind series.  Health care expert/instructor Christina "C.J." Wade will

  Miss Jefferson County 2024, Emma Terry, had a display at the Central Library last week for ALS Awareness Month.  ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, killed her grandfather in April.  Miss Jefferson County 2024 Emma Terry is appearing at the Drive Out ALS Cruise-In this Saturday, May 11, at the Shops of Grand River in Leeds. She has a nonprofit raising awareness about the disease.    Birmingham, Ala. - As 2024 Miss Jefferson County and a titleholder within the Miss America Organization, Emma Terry is raising awareness about ALS , a crippling disease that has affected her family personally. Emma has a community service initiative, Stomping Out ALS One Step at a Time, which she founded in honor of her grandfather's battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease . May is ALS Awareness Month and Emma is working with the Birmingham Public Library to educate the public about the disease. Last week, Emma Terry appeared at the Central Library down

Birmingham, Ala.— Spring is in full swing, and what better way to celebrate the season than by embarking on an exciting birdwatching journey? The Alabama Audubon Society , in collaboration with the Birmingham Public Library Archives, invites nature enthusiasts of all ages to join a captivating birdwatching and educational program on Saturday, May 18, 2024, starting at 9:30 a.m.

  The Birmingham Public Library  (BPL) is hosting 256 Summer Reading  programs for patrons of all ages - from toddlers to senior citizens - at 16 library locations across the city this summer.     Registration for Summer Reading is open now at any BPL locations . You can also register in person at BPL's 2024 Summer Reading Kick-Off at Avondale Park , 4101 5th Avenue South, this Saturday, May 11, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.    You can see the full listing of programs taking place by library location by clicking here.   Among the highlights: *Alabama Ballet: A Look inside the daily life of a professional ballet dancer. Participate in fun exercises and enjoy a performance by Alabama Ballet Company dancers. Performances at 5 Birmingham libraries in June  Dates and locations:  Monday, June 17, 10:00 a.m. - North Birmingham Regional Library Tuesday, June 18, 10:00 a.m. -  Central Library Thursday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. - Pratt City Branch Library Monday, June 24, 10:00 a.m. - West End

  Are you a parent looking for fun, free activities for your kids to do during the summer? Are you an adult who likes to make crafts? Seeking to make new friends via bonding activities such as Workout Wednesdays, Cooking With Chef Murphree or chair aerobics?  Then come gain information at Avondale Park, 4101 5th Avenue South this Saturday, May 11, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. as the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) Presents "Adventure Begins At Your Library: 2024 Summer Reading Kickoff.  This Saturday's Summer Reading Kick-Off is a fun-filled, free event for all. There will be crafts, games, music, farm animals, a game truck, face painting, a book walk, snow cones, prizes, food trucks and more.  Registration for Summer Reading is open now at any BPL locations .   BPL will host 256 programs for patrons of all ages - from toddlers to seniors - at 16 of our libraries across Birmingham.  You can see the full listing of programs taking place by library location by clicking here.

  Please come out to the Birmingham Public Library  (BPL) this Saturday, May 4, for a reception honoring the artists whose works are featured in three exhibitions at BPL. The reception will take place in the Fourth Floor Gallery at the Central Library   from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Meet and converse with artists working in a wide variety of media, including cast metal, sculpture, painting, drawing, photo-collage, and more!  Read more about the exhibitions and the artists behind them by following these links: A World in a Grain of Sand: Art by Studio By The Tracks Artists Sloss Metal Arts Will Jacks: rabbit, rabbit   A World in a Grain of Sand : Art by Studio By The Tracks Artists was installed in April in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month. Studio By The Tracks (SBTT) is a community arts studio serving artists on the autism spectrum. The exhibition features works in various media by 29 of SBTT's artists. The Sloss Metal Arts Show  features works by five artists of the Sloss

  North Birmingham Library staff recommendations of books for Mental Health Awareness Month. Birmingham, Ala.  - Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month , North Birmingham Regional Library staff would like to share some of our favorite non-fiction titles that address various mental health issues.  Our recommendations are as follows:  Where to Start: A Survival Guide to Anxiety, Depression, and other Mental Health Challenge s by Mental Health America.  Bedlam : An Intimate Journey into America's Mental Health Crisis by Kenneth Paul Rosenberg  Brain Energy : A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health--And Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More by Christopher M. Palmer  We have so many more books available to assist you on the topic of mental health and more. Click here to search the catalog for Jefferson County libraries, i ncluding the Birmingham Public Library. Feel free to visit North Birmingham Regional Library at 2501 31st Avenue N

Birmingham, Ala. - Pulp, pull, and pour to create your own papers! Please join Tara Stallworth Lee on Tuesday, May 7, at the Birmingham Public Library for a workshop on the art of papermaking.  Enjoy hands-on experience with fibers like denim and okra, learn techniques for forming and enhancing sheets, and experiment with inclusions, textures, and colors. Feel free to bring your own inclusions! These may comprise dried botanicals such flowers or other plants, dryer lint, scrap papers, threads, and fabrics.  A youth workshop will take place from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., followed by one for adults from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Both workshops will be held at Central Library  in the Create 205 Lab on the second floor. Tara is the artist-in-residence at Studio By The Tracks , whose artists are featured in the exhibition A World in a Grain of Sand  in the First Floor Gallery at the Central Library.  Tara works across mediums with a concentration in analog photography, papermaking, collage, and textiles.

  Avondale Regional Library is hosting an art exhibit by Stephen W. Evans this week as part of the Birmingham Folk Festival, which is happening this Saturday, May 4, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. in Avondale Park. This week through this Saturday,  May 4, the art of Stephen W. Evans will be on display in the auditorium of the Avondale Regional Library, 509 40th Street South . If you are attending the Birmingham Folk Festival in Avondale Park between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. this Saturday, stop by and check out Evan's amazing art. Avondale Regional Library is the festival venue for art, community writing, poetry and dance.   About Artist Stephen W. Evans  Evans is the preparator and art handler for the Birmingham Museum of Art. He describes himself as an artist simultaneously preoccupied with the absurd and the existential. Evans’ paintings are amalgamations of sources gathered from art history, literature, cinema, and invented imagery, all favoring the atmospheric, as well as a benign sense o