Birmingham Public Library Blog

The library hosted its third and final session of the popular program "Building Blocks For Your Small Business @ Your Library," entitled "Financing Your Business." Bill Ringler of S.C.O.R.E. and Joe Primm of the Small Business Development Center discussed the various aspects of small business accounting, financial reporting, and applying for and obtaining loans. Here is the program's podcast, split into two parts: Click to listen to part one- Bill Ringler of S.C.O.R.E. Click to listen to part two- Joe Primm of the SBDC

It’s that time of the year. You woke up with a scratchy throat, and over the course of the morning you find yourself coughing more and more. By the afternoon your head is thumping and you feel feverish. Do you have a common cold, or are you experiencing this year’s flu? According to the National Library of Medicine “colds rarely cause a fever or headaches.” Well there’s the bad news, is there any good news? For most people the flu is simply a serious inconvenience lasting one to two weeks. However, the CDC reports that “every year in the United States, on average: 36,000 people die from the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications.” So, the flu is not something to be taken lightly. Moreover, it’s not uncommon for a bout of the flu to lead to sinus infection or even pneumonia. What’s the best way to avoid becoming another statistic? According to the CDC, “The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get a flu vaccination each year.” The Alabama Dep...

The movie, Miss Potter , reveals the story of Beatrix Potter , author of the beloved children’s classic, The Tales of Peter Rabbit . The enchanting story of Beatrix Potter was filmed in the beautiful Lake District in the North of England. The lush, dramatic scenery inspired the illustrations and writings of the most successful classic children’s author of all times. Spectacular views of lake scenery, countryside and woodland trails inspired the characters and settings for many of Potter’s books. Watch this movie and be swept away into the world of Beatrix Potter, one of beautiful English countryside, gardens and of course, tiny clever creatures envisioned by this imaginative author. Renee Zellweger portrays the shy yet spirited children’s author. We follow Potter’s struggles to get her first book published and then see her fall in love with her publisher, Norman Warne. As a young female author, Beatrix suffered many of the prejudices that female writers struggled with during this time ...

I love to discover an older series of books. This means that I can check them all out, set them on my nightstand, and enjoy them all in one reading frenzy. No waiting years for the next one to be published. Six years ago I picked up Dennis Lehane’s incredible Mystic River , and was pleasantly surprised to learn that he had an entire crime fiction series for me to devour. And that’s just what I did. For those who have yet to read his Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro detective series set in Boston, please add these books to your reading list. Kenzie and Gennaro are on-again, off-again lovers who work together as private eyes. They have friends on both sides of the law, and they don’t discriminate when it comes to needing help solving a case. And morally, they’re not above using childhood pal Bubba Rogowski’s persuasive service of breaking kneecaps, if that’s what it takes. Gone, Baby, Gone is the most powerful book in the series. Dealing with missing children, guardianship, and pedophilia,...

The week of October 21-27 is National Friends of Libraries Week . Just who are these Friends of the Library and why are they being celebrated? This is an association of volunteers and benefactors who recognize how important libraries are to communities and who donate their time and money to help promote the library. Volunteering at our book store, helping out at functions, contacting officials about library funding, and awarding “beyond the budget” prizes to our libraries to fund special projects are just a few of the things the Friends of the Birmingham Public Library do for us. The BPL would like to send a shout-out to all our Friends for their dedication over the years. And just like individuals, libraries always need more friends. If you would like to become a Friends of the Birmingham Public Library, please visit our Friends page for more information.

The 5th annual Fiesta that celebrates Hispanic culture is happening on Saturday, October 20 from noon to 8:00 p.m. in Linn Park. Festivities will include live music, children’s art activities, dance performances, food, and more. It is free and open to the public. Representatives from the Birmingham Public Library and the Literacy Council of Alabama will be on hand to participate: Nationally known storyteller Antonio Sacre will perform twice More than 500 bilingual books donated by the Literacy Council will be available to win via book walks UAB students will have blankets set out where the winners may sit with a student and listen to and/or read with them The library will have bilingual staff on hand to answer questions about library services Other happenings during Fiesta 2007 is a visit from C-SPAN2’s Book TV Bus . The bus will be parked outside of the Birmingham Public Library from noon to 3:00 p.m. The nationwide tour is promoting C-SPAN’s unique non-fiction book programming. I...

“It occurs to me that on the long list of nerdy things I’ve said in my life, ‘I like almanacs’ is near the top.” Author John Green celebrates Teen Read Week by taking his brother Hank on a video tour of his meticulously shelved home library. Not only is Green a passionate advocate of reading, but he is also a conscientious young man who makes sure to always separate his books on Islam and Christianity with a wicker basket to keep them from fighting. Nerds…gotta love ‘em. Links: The Official Website of John Green

James M. Deem, author of the Read It Forward book, Bodies From the Ash , will be discussing his book about Pompeii at several branch locations and Woodlawn High School November 5-6, 2007. November 5 Smithfield 10:00 a.m. North Birmingham 1:30 p.m. West End 3:30 p.m. Avondale 6:30 p.m. November 6 Central 10:30 a.m. Woodlawn High School 1:30 p.m. Springville Road 4:00 p.m. Five Points West 6:30 p.m.