Birmingham Public Library Blog

"Ego is a conglomeration of recurring thought forms and conditioned mental-emotional patterns that are invested with a sense of I, a sense of self. Ego arises when your sense of Beingness, of 'I Am', which is formless consciousness, gets mixed up with form. This is the meaning of identification. This is a forgetfulness of Being, the primary error, the illusion of absolute separateness that turns reality into a nightmare." (excerpt from A New Earth ) Oprah Winfrey has chosen Eckhart Tolle 's A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose not only as her February Oprah's Book Club pick, but also as the topic of her first ever worldwide classroom that goes live Monday nights starting March 3 on Oprah.com . A New Earth has already received a four star rating on the library catalog. Read it, star it, and write a review to let others know what you think about it. Didn't know you could review library materials on the catalog? Click here to find out how to a...

Ted and Griffin Shade enjoying playtime at the Avondale Library 1,2,3 Play with Me began at the Avondale Branch of the Birmingham Public Library this past September. Two of the participants were Ted and Griffin Shade. Griffin had just turned 4-months-old. Ted is a stay at home dad. At first they were not sure what they were getting themselves into, but as the weeks went by their increased confidence was evident to all. Ted found the infant play area and soon Griffin was right at home with the baby gym and the tummy time pillows. Ted got to know the other participants and was appreciative of the opportunity to meet other parents. He says, “We had a great time. I think I got more out of it than Griffin, but I think getting him exposed to a kid-dominated environment is good for him at any age. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to converse and network with other stay-at-home spouses. I still sing the circle-time "hands" song to him (which he loves), and it gave me a lot of n...

The United States Postal Service and the Birmingham Public Library will celebrate Charles W. Chesnutt as the 31st honoree in the USPS' Black History Heritage Series. Charles W. Chesnutt, a recipient of the NAACP 's Springarn Medal for outstanding achievement, was a critically acclaimed African-American author and activist. Working alongside prominent figures such as W. E. B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington, Chesnutt became one of the era's most prominent and outspoken commentators on African-American life, and his talents as a fiction writer, essayist, and activist contributed to the flowering of the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1858 to free Negro parents (the fathers of both his parents were white), Chesnutt could pass for white but chose instead to honor his African-American heritage. Chesnutt was one of the first African-American writers of fiction to receive serious acclaim for eschewing the condescending characterizations and nostalgia for the ant...

Famed performer Donna Washington , longtime favorite of children and adults, will appear at several Birmingham Public Library locations in early February. In 2004 Ms. Washington entertained library crowds in Birmingham and after an enthusiastic reception from all audiences, the Birmingham Public Library proudly welcomes her back to the Magic City. Donna Washington has been in the business of telling stories for fourteen years. She is an award-winning recording artist as well, having released seven CDs to date, for which she has won many awards. As a writer, Ms. Washington has published three children’s books with a fourth one on the way. Her books include The Story of Kwanzaa (a book that relates the story and custom of this famous African-American holiday), A Big Spooky House (a book perfect for reading at Halloween), and A Pride of African Tales (an anthology of authentic African folktales). Recordings and books will be available for purchase at her events. For more information on...

It seems that all good spy novels have some, if not all, of the following predictable elements: the lovable rogue coming to the aid of his country, the villain with the ingenious plan to bring down the enemy of his Fatherland, and the daring night drop over enemy territory. Let’s not forget the Byzantine plot to hide the secret cipher system and the sabotage of a factory critical to the war effort. And of course, any spy novel worth its salt must have romance. Frequently the lovable rogue falls for the beautiful girl who may, or may not, be collaborating with the enemy. (Should he tell her the truth and risk being exposed as a spy?) All of these devices are common and perhaps a little dull. One element that would help raise such a book a rung to two over the pedestrian crowd is the element of doubt. For instance, is the lovable rogue truly fighting for his country, or is he really a traitor? Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre has all the expected ingredients, that helpful element of doubt...

It's a New Year and time to look at your investment plans. Richard Crew, Vice President and Senior Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch , will discuss strategies for investing during these uncertain times. Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Programs . You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Wednesdays at noon in the Arrington Auditorium located on the 3rd floor of the Linn-Hinley Research Library, 2100 Park Place. There is no charge for these programs.

Birmingham Public Library is proud to present five members of the music faculty at the Alabama School of Fine Arts performing classical music pieces on January 31, 2008. The faculty members include Chair of the Music Department, Kimberly Scott (flute), Laura Doss (voice), Kevin Chance (piano), Robert Janssen (clarinet), and Paul Hicks (guitar). The group will be performing music by Liszt, the 19th Century Romantic composer, Muczynski, 20th Century modern composer, and J.S. Bach, the 17th Century Classical composer. Since 1968 the Alabama School of Fine Arts has been instrumental in guiding students with talent in the Arts and Sciences. The ASFA music faculty has encouraged students to hone their gifts and has led many to a successful career in the performance world. The Birmingham Public Library is excited to host the music faculty from this outstanding institution as one of its earliest guests in 2008 for the BPL@Night series. For a complete list of the music faculty at the Alabama ...

Join us as SouthernCare Hospice explores the life-changing experience of volunteering for hospice. Learn how a little time can provide joy, support, comfort, and care to a family during a difficult time. Wednesday, January 23, noon. Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Programs . You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Wednesdays at noon in the Arrington Auditorium located on the 3rd floor of the Linn-Hinley Research Library, 2100 Park Place. There is no charge for these programs.