Birmingham Public Library Blog

Bards & Brews Slam is back this September! We've got live music, craft beers to sip on, and our final poetry competition of 2024 that you don't want to miss.  Join us next Friday, September 6, at the Central Library to see who will win our last slam. Bards & Brews is free and open to the public, but patrons must be 18+ to enter and 21+ with proof of I.D. to drink.

Birmingham, Ala.— The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is proud to announce an upcoming photo exhibit entitled  Birmingham in Focus: Capturing Commercial Scenes of the Mid-20th Century , featuring the work of Richard Cooper's Graphic Photo Service. The exhibit will be on display from Tuesday, September 3, to Saturday, October 15, 2024, on the third floor of the Central Library .

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) Archives Department opened their Seed Exchange at the Central Library earlier this August!  The purpose of the Seed Exchange is to provide library patrons with a means to help grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers at home for free.  It is self-serve and open for use anytime during library hours.

Birmingham, Ala.  - T he Birmingham Public Library  PR department is spotlighting monthly programs available this fall at  our library locations across the city  as students return to school. Today's spotlight is on  Southside Branch Library, 1814 11th Ave. South.   Southside  Branch has free fun programs for patrons of all ages during September, including new recipes from the Southside Space Club, a Mayan Weaving Grab n Go Kit to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, and a teen investing program on Tuesdays beginning September 17. Here are some September events weekly events happening at the  Southside Branch this fall, courtesy of Southside Branch Manager Pamela Jessie  (For more information, call Southside Branch at (205) 933-7776). 1st Tuesday of the Month Beginning September 3rd: Southside Spice Club  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 Whethe

  The Birmingham Public Library has several databases providing free online help for K-12 students including HomeworkAlabama.org.    The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) provides a myriad of resources for school age patrons. These databases/electronic resources provide educational experiences that allow younger patrons to learn and grow. Resources are accessible using a smartphone, tablet, or web browser, and many have downloadable content.   

  Chess for Kids and West End Crocheters among weekly classes offered at West End Branch this fall.

  Judy Woods, a financial well-being coach and HUD-certified housing counselor at Operation HOPE inside the Birmingham Public Library in downtown Birmingham, offers financial tips for students.    Birmingham area K-12 schools re-opened from summer break over the past two weeks and college students across Alabama are now back on campus.  The ringing of the school bell signals the start of a structured day filled with learning and growth. Similarly, financial success often hinges on discipline and a well-organized approach.  Judy Woods, a certified HUD-counselor and financial coach at Operation Hope - located in the Birmingham Public Library downtown - has financial tips to help families succeed.   Here are a few ways to incorporate the school bell's lessons into your financial behavior: 1. Set Clear Goals  Educational Equivalent:    Just as students have academic goals, setting clear financial goals can guide your actions. Whether it's saving for a down payment, paying off debt,

Leanna Leithauser-Lesley, Queen of the Blues,  2022 Freehand needlepoint and fiber, 37" z 43" You are invited to stop by the Central Library downtown to see artist Leanna Leithauser-Lesley's stunning new exhibition, Shaken by the Roots . The show is a retrospective of Leithauser-Lesley's needlepoint portraits of jazz and blues musicians, spanning from the start of her career in the early 2000s to the present. Shaken by the Roots is on display in BPL’s First Floor Gallery through September 27. A reception for the artist will take place on Saturday, September 14, in the Central Library's Fourth Floor Gallery from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Leithauser-Lesley describes herself as “an avid needlepointer motivated by the power of jazz music.” This is immediately apparent upon entering the gallery. Among Leithauser-Lesley’s subjects are influential, internationally known jazz artists Louis Armstrong, Dave Brube

    Birmingham, Ala. -   The Birmingham Public Library  PR department is spotlighting monthly programs available this fall at  our library locations across the city  as students return to school.  Today's spotlight is on  Titusville Branch Library ,  #2 6th Avenue SW.  Patrons of all ages have plenty of free activities to attend at Titusville Branch Library throughout August, including its popular weekly exercise class happening this Friday, August 16.  You can see our  full list of programs by clicking on the BPL calendar. Here is a listing of activities at Titusville Branch during August.  For more information, call (205) 322-1140 or drop by the library during operating hours Monday through Friday.  Teen/Adult Programs  Thursday, August 15 at 3:30pm: DIY Mosaic Coasters - Mosaics are a type of art where small tiles are put together to create a big picture. Join us and make your own DIY mosaic wooden coaster! Feel free to bring in any small beads you'd like to use. First come

You never know what will happen on the open road... There is something about a motorcycle that can bring out the true colors of anybody. It does not matter if you were raised in a sheltered environment or if you are a natural-born rebel. The addictive thrill of speeding through a cross-country adventure can be what we all are searching for during this short life. This blog's hypothetical thesis about motorcycles encapsulates  The Bikeriders .

Birmingham, Ala. - Titusville Branch Library is hosting an In School Rally to help students in Birmingham City Schools who have returned to the classroom from summer break. The rally will take place at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, August 30 at Titusville Branch, #2 6th Avenue SW in Birmingham .  Students in attendance will receive school supplies, clothes, hygiene products, and more. Titusville Library’s In School Rally is being sponsored by American Legion, Sam’s, Subway, Amazon, and Nasiha Roho Adinasi Fraternity Inc.  “Titusville Branch is committed to supporting in-school success programs that empower children to achieve their educational goals,” said Reba Williams, Branch Manager for Titusville Library.” By providing access to resources, tutoring, and skill-building workshops, the library strives to create an environment where every child has the opportunity to succeed academically." Birmingham-based Nasiha Roho Adinasi Fraternity was founded on February 25, 1970, on the campus of

Pratt City Branch Library's adult programs for August include a movie, scrabble, meditation . Birmingham, Ala. - T he  Birmingham Public Library  has lots of fun activities for adults as well as kids at our  BPL locations across the city . Today's blog featuring  Pratt City Branch Library ' s adult programs happening in August is the second of BPL's weekly fall series spotlighting a variety of activities for patrons of all ages.  You can see a listing of all of our programs and activities taking place daily by  clicking on our BPL calendar.    Here's  a look at Pratt City Branch's programs for adults taking place during August: * Wednesday, August, 14th at 1:00 p.m.: Book-to-Movie Adaptation  - Join us to view and discuss a book-to-movie about greed, betrayal, and murder.  * Monday, August, 19th at 1:00 p.m.: Paint It!  - Come and create a painting by following guided step-by-step instructions.  Thursday, August 22nd at 10:00 a.m.  Stop, Drop, and Breathe  - Com

Avondale Library has a variety of programs for adults during August such as adult coloring.   Birmingham, Ala. - Did you know that the Birmingham Public Library has lots of fun activities for adults as well as kids at our BPL locations across the city ? This blog featuring   Avondale Regional Library's adult programs happening in August kicks off a weekly fall series spotlighting  variety of programs for kids, teens and adults at the BPL.  You can see a listing of all of our programs and activities taking place daily by clicking on our BPL calendar.     Avondale Library's Club Create participants tinted black and white scenes on Wednesday, August 7. In coming weeks, Club Create will feature a Jigsaw Puzzle Exchange , Drop-in "Exercise Your Brain" puzzles and adult coloring sheets, as well as Grab & Go "Tiny Book of the Month" kits . If you’ve seen the books in the Avondale Fairy Library and wondered how to make them, the Tiny Book of the Month kit  

Love the Olympics as much as us at the North Birmingham Regional Branch Library ? Check out some of these materials in our Olympics themed display! All items in this blog and our display are available to check out at all Jefferson County Library Cooperative members , including all 16 active Birmingham Public Library locations (BPL) .

  Avondale Regional Library's Club Create meets weekly, including 2:00 p.m. this Wednesday, August 7.  Avondale's Constellation Cube Grab & Go for Grown-Ups kit will bring the stars to you. Participants will cut, fold, assemble the cube & punch out holes for the constellations with a push pin.   Although the Birmingham Public Library' s 256 Summer Reading programs have ended, BPL has several fun and educational programming happening right now.  Among them: Avondale Regional Library 's Club Create, a weekly arts and crafts workshop for adults. At 2:00 p.m. this Wednesday, August 7, Avondale Library's Club Create participants will be tinting black and white scenes with watercolors.  Avondale Regional Library also has weekly Grab & Go kits for adults. This week, Avondale's Constellation Cube Grab & Go for Grown-Ups kit will bring the stars to you. Cut, fold, and assemble the cube and punch out holes for the constellations with a push pin. Add your