Birmingham Public Library Blog

Pizitz in Five Points West Mall, 1970s courtesy of Birmingham Rewound In his latest book, Pizitz: The History of a Birmingham Institution (History Press, 2010), Tim Hollis recalls the days before strip malls and big-box stores when everyone shopped downtown. For more than 80 years, Pizitz offered a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. From the Enchanted Forest that sprung up every Christmas to in-store fashion shows, visiting Pizitz wasn’t just a trip to the store, it was an event. Birmingham native Tim Hollis is the author of more than 15 books, including Dixie Before Disney: 100 Years of Roadside Fun . Books will be available for purchase. Tim Hollis will also sign his new book, Christmas Wishes: A Catalog of Vintage Holiday Treats and Treasurers . Details Central Library Richard Arrington Jr. Auditorium Wednesday, December 1 at noon Tim Hollis, Pizitz: The History of a Birmingham Institution The Birmingham Bound author series recognizes authors who researched their books in the Birm...

In 2008 the story broke of a 42-year-old Austrian woman named Elisabeth who had been held captive in a cellar for 24 years. Her father, Josef Fritzl, imprisoned her in a 380 x 600 sq. ft. room and over the years fathered seven children with her. Three of the children were taken upstairs as babies to be raised as foster children by Fritzl and his wife, the others were left in the cellar to be raised by their mother. When the children heard noises overhead, their mother told them that "Heaven is up there." What must life had been like in that bunker home for Elisabeth and her children? Emma Donoghue explores this question in Room . Room begins the day that Jack turns five. He went to sleep in Wardrobe the night before when he was four, and now he's five, and his Ma knows that Room can't contain them any longer. So she begins to think of ways to trick Old Nick—their captor—into opening the door and letting them Outside. But while the 11 x 11 shed that is Room has been ...

Get ready for hilarious holiday high-jinx as some talented residents of the North Pole perform in their annual talent show. The zany, colorful cast includes a wisecracking fruitcake, a musical goose, the “not-so-abominable” snowman, and much, much more! Atlanta-based puppeteer Lee Bryan often incorporates multiple styles of puppets which he demonstrates “behind the scenes” following each performance. Bryan is a two-time grant recipient from the Jim Henson Foundation and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the Spanish language series Salsa! Details The North Pole Fa-La-La-La Follies Avondale Regional Library Tuesday, December 7 6:30 p.m. BPL@Night is a series of high quality evening performances offered free-of-charge by Birmingham Public Library in an effort to bring enriching cultural programs to downtown Birmingham and the city’s neighborhoods. BPL@Night highlights local and regional performers that reflect the diversity of our community and draw from a wide range of p...

Friday & Saturday, December 3 & 4 Birmingham's many talented writers will shine this weekend at the Central Library! Special Guests: Dale Brakhage & Edie Hand The ABC’s of Selling with Etiquette Central Library, Arrington Auditorium December 3, 4:00 p.m. Join our featured guests Dale Brakhage and Edie Hand as they kick off BPL’s annual Local Author Expo with a special presentation on their new book, The ABC’s of Selling with Etiquette . Dale Brakhage designed the original marketing plan for Lortab, served as president of the American Advertising Federation Birmingham, and has recently retired from his position as sales manager for The Birmingham News. Edie Hand is the CEO of Hand ‘N Hand Advertising, is actively involved with The Alliance for Women in Media Communications, and works to benefit several children’s research hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital of Alabama. 2010 LOCAL AUTHOR EXPO Central Library , East Building December 4, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. C...

Poets, aspiring poets, and poetry clubs in grades 9-12, and teachers are invited to participate in a free spoken word poetry workshop at the Birmingham Public Central Library (BPL) on January 8, 2:00-4:00 p.m. The session will be held in the Arrington Auditorium. If this is your first foray into spoken word poetry, or you’d like to take your skills to the next level, sign up. Planning to participate in the next BPL Word Up! contest? Now is the time to hone your skills. Space is limited. Call 226-3670 or email hm@bham.lib.al.us to reserve your spot. Free of charge! The Desert Island Supply Company (DISCO), a nonprofit writing program based in Birmingham, and Real Life Poets , a nonprofit organization whose goal is to mentor young adults, encourage good communication, and oratorical skills using spoken word poetry will conduct these free workshops.

With the budget drastically cut, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) launched the 2010 Campaign in order to raise money for library materials. In its first three months, the generous citizens of Birmingham have donated over $20,000 to the library. For the next phase of the campaign, the library is encouraging everyone to “Give the Gift of Reading.” The library is providing a unique way for residents to satisfy their holiday gift-giving. By making a minimum $20 donation in honor of each gift recipient, the Birmingham Public Library will purchase new materials for the community. For each donation, the library will send the gift recipient a card explaining that library materials were purchased in that person’s honor. In addition, BPL will send each gift recipient a 2010 edition of Season’s Readings , the library’s award-winning publication of book reviews written by staff members. Those interested in this opportunity to “Give the Gift of Reading” may visit one of the 19 BPL locations for...

Lester Ray, a fourteen-year-old boy who was deserted by his mother when he was a baby and finally escapes his abusive alcoholic father, and Minnie, a woman who was abandoned by her Gypsy family of migrant fruit pickers when she was eleven, are the primary characters in William Cobb ’s new book The Last Queen of the Gypsies . The book peers into the fascinating world of North American Romany Gypsies and simultaneously reveals small town southern life ranging from the Great Depression to the 1960s . Mr. Cobb’s discussion of his latest book is presented as part of Birmingham Public Library’s Alabama Bound Presents series. William Cobb, a native of Demopolis Alabama, attended Livingston State College and Vanderbilt University. He has had a long and distinguished career as teacher and writer-in-residence at the University of Montevallo. Details Alabama Bound Presents: William Cobb Central Library , Arrington Auditorium Wednesday, January 12 12:00 p.m. Alabama Bound Presents is a series ...

BPL lost a great one last Friday. It is common knowledge that Dr. Marvin Yeomans Whiting built the Archives Department from the ground up (or down, rather, seeing as how it's in the basement.) Like many of us, Dr. Whiting loved the library. He also loved Alabama and Southern authors, as well as classical music, and a good, tobacco pipe. He was a master entertainer and one of the finest raconteurs that our city has ever claimed. He was forever an archivist and historian and his list of books is quite remarkable (and listed below in his bibliography). I came across a biography of him that current Archivist Jim Baggett wrote on the occasion of BPL's 2001 Alabama Bound Author Conference, where Dr. Whiting was a featured author. This short piece does a fine job of summarizing the accomplishments of this great man. Here it is: "No individual has done more to collect and preserve the documentary history of Birmingham, Alabama than Marvin Yeomans Whiting. "Born in Fort Valley...