Birmingham Public Library Blog

  Birmingham artist Leon Miller Jr. posing with his painting "Wilderness Jazz"  What: Artwork of Leon Miller Jr. Where: On display on the first floor of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place in downtown Birmingham.  Details: Leon Miller Jr.'s artwork is described as "creative landscape that will transport you to another location. He has done 425 paintings since becoming an artist two years ago amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 30 of Miller's works of art are on display at the Central Library through July 31. All of the paintings are for sale.  How to reach Artist Leon Miller Jr.: Email address is  leonjrmiller58@gmail.com or via phone (205) 923-3563.   Birmingham, Ala. - Upon soaking in the amazing colors and details in the incredible landscapes painted by Birmingham artist Leon Miller Jr., on display in the Central Library in downtown Birmingham through July 31, you would think he has been painting for decades.  Miller, 65, has actually been ...

There is a new author working at the  Birmingham Public Library (BPL) ! Librarian Ⅰ Chelsea Rodriguez recently wrote a new children's book, Glow . This cute picture book is intended for young readers and tells the story of a racoon who is fascinated with all things that glow. 

As soon as I saw the cheese puns, I knew I had to read The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz . Inspired by a real-life moment between the author and her wife, she transforms one frustrated grilled cheese memory into a bright graphic novel rom-com about our protagonist, the secretive Count Camembert, and her budding relationship with the fashionable activist Princess Brie. 

This is Southside Branch Library's All Together Now Summer Reading Spotlight!  They are offering several Grab 'N Go activities that the whole family can enjoy at their own leisure. Southside Library's main focus is on Youth Programs, and they offering a variety of programs exploring creative expression and celebrating friendship. 

Jim Baggett is retiring June 23 after leading BPL's Archives Department for over 30 years.  Birmingham, Ala. – Jim Baggett, the Birmingham Public Library’s award-winning head archivist for over 30 years, is retiring. His last day is Friday, June 23, 2023.  As head of BPL’s Archives Department, Baggett has lectured and presented conference papers across the United States, Europe, and Iceland. He has won numerous awards, including being named in December 2022 as the Society of Alabama Archivists’ prestigious Marvin Yeomans Whiting Award, which is named after Baggett’s mentor who founded BPL’s Archives Department in 1976. For three decades, Baggett has led BPL’s Archives Department that is world-renowned for its collection and has been used for research by nearly 530 book authors globally, including five Pulitzer Prize winners as well as several Academy Award-winning documentaries.  BPL Executive Director Janine Langston said Jim Baggett’s contributions have made BPL’s Arc...

Nic Cage is truly one of a kind. Nicolas Cage is one of those actors who does not really need an introduction. I am pretty sure the average person has seen at least one of his films from his surprisingly diverse filmography. His intense, exaggerated mannerisms and attention-grabbing persona have become quite synonymous with popular culture and random trends on the Internet. Even before social media changed how we pursue entertainment, audiences quickly figured out that this star is forging his own path.

What: Author Victor Luckerson in Conversation with Ashley M. Jones When: Thursday, June 22 | Starts at 6:00 p.m. Where: Birmingham Public Library, Central Location | 2100 Park Pl, Birmingham, AL 35203 Details: The Birmingham Public Library and Thank You Books are hosting journalist and author Victor Luckerson in Conversation with Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones ! Luckerson is the "author of the highly-anticipated 'epic story' of America's Black Wall Street," Built from the Fire . This program is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged; visit bit.ly/3LAKMA5 to register. 

"I'm something unreliable  and this  is a day for poetry." —Eva, After Getting Off the Boat Recently, I read Eileen Myles ' new poetry collection, A "Working" Life on Hoopla . While I hadn't previously read anything by them, this 2023 release was a great place to start. The collection dives deep into Myles' understanding of their own gender and sexuality in a refreshingly honest voice.