Birmingham Public Library Blog

Photographer Hanson Alston outside the Darkroom, Birmingham , late 1920s A.C. Kelly Jr. If you like looking at historic photographs, make plans to make your way to the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s Central branch to view the Shot in Alabama: Historical Birmingham Photographs exhibit. The exhibit is open to the public through February 4, 2018, in the First Floor Gallery. The photo display features nearly 30 pictures from the book Shot in Alabama: A History of Photography, 1839-1941, and a List of Photographers by author Frances Osborn Robb, released by the University of Alabama Press in 2016. Shot in Alabama is Robb's visual and textual narrative of Alabama's photographic history from 1839 to 1941. On Sunday, January 7 , Robb will give a gallery tour of the exhibit at 2:30 p.m. , followed by a lecture at 3:00 p.m. in the Fiction Department. About the exhibit: Tango Dancers Charlotte and Frank Jones Russell Brothers, Anniston Shot in Alabama highlights the...

by Mary Anne Ellis, Southern History Department, Central Library Abstracts from Alabama Newspapers Compiled by Larry E. Caver, Jr. At this time of the year when the weather turns colder, I really enjoy those mornings when I can linger over my coffee and read the newspaper. But newspapers are more than just entertainment—if you’re doing genealogical research and not checking newspaper records, you can be missing out on some fantastic information. Abstracts from Alabama Newspapers is a two-volume set of notices from newspapers in fourteen different Alabama counties. We’re so accustomed to instant news sources that it’s easy to forget how much our ancestors depended on the newspaper for their information about what was going on in the world. Newspapers can contain notices of births, deaths, and marriages and this can be a lifeline for family history research in times before vital records laws became the order of the day. A local newspaper might also contain property transactions, ...

Looking back through my blog posts, I discovered that I had not introduced any of this season's new Christmas books.  Many Christmas titles are published in October, so these are already available to enjoy next to the fireplace with a glass of eggnog.  Take a break from the holiday rush, relax, and escape into one of these delightful books.  I hope all of you have a festive and enjoyable holiday season.  The book descriptions are provided by the publishers. Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery   / Jenny Colgan In the Cornish coastal village of Mount Polbearne, the Christmas season has arrived. It's a joyous time for family, friends, and feasting, as decorations sparkle along the town's winding streets and shop windows glow with festive displays. And in Polly's Little Beach Street Bakery, the aroma of gingerbread cookies and other treats tempts people in from the cold.  Though Polly is busy keeping up with the demands of the season, she still makes ti...

What: Shot in Alabama: Historical Birmingham Photographs exhibit Where: Central Library, First Floor Gallery near the display windows When: December 10, 2017-February 4, 2018 Details: Free and open to the public during library hours. On Sunday, January 7,  Shot in Alabama  author Frances Robb will give a gallery tour of the exhibit at 2:30 p.m., followed by a lecture at 3:00 p.m. in the Fiction Department. If you like looking at historic photographs, make plans to make your way to the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s Central branch to view its new exhibit  Shot in Alabama: Historical Birmingham Photographs . The exhibit is open to the public through February 4, 2018, in the First Floor Gallery. The photo display features nearly 30 pictures from the book Shot in Alabama: A History of Photography, 1839-1941, and a List of Photographers   by author Frances Osborn Robb, released by the University of Alabama Press in 2016. Shot in Alabama is Robb's visua...

The same Flipster app for Android phones and tablets is now available for Chromebooks via Google Play. This means that library patrons can easily access the enhanced Flipster app and download digital magazines using a supported Chromebook. Learn more . Flipster is a free digital magazine service available through the Birmingham Public Library for residents of Birmingham with a JCLC libary card. Full-text popular magazines are available to be read on a mobile device or computer.

On December 8 hoopla digital announced a new agreement with Marvel Entertainment that adds over 250 collections and graphic novels to the service. Through this agreement, patrons of participating public libraries can now borrow Marvel works such as Thor: God of Thunder , Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet , Civil War , and X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga via hoopla digital on their smartphones, tablets, and computers. Marvel content arriving on hoopla digital includes heroes and villains that have been a part of Marvel’s blockbuster films and acclaimed television shows, including The Avengers , Guardians of the Galaxy , Spider-Man , Daredevil , Punisher , and The Runaways . Marvel’s collections add to hoopla’s catalog of more than 600,000 movies, TV shows, music albums, eBooks, audiobooks, and comics. “Through this agreement, we are building a digital home for comic book fans where they can find all their favorite characters and have instant access to hundreds ...

by Maya Jones, West End Branch Library This week Kimberley Wiley and I enjoyed our hours spent staffing a Birmingham Public Library table at the Birmingham City Schools Community Services Information Fair at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. We created library cards, renewed library cards, and checked out books, DVDs, and graphic novels to parents. This program is presented every year and is open to all parents/guardians of Birmingham City School children. I had the privilege of presenting information about the Birmingham Public Library and presentations about services were given by the following agencies. Feel free to check out their websites. Maya Jones and Kimberly Wiley manning the BPL table Alabama Partners for Clean Air Birmingham Fire and Rescue Birmingham Healthy Start Plus Birmingham Public Library Boy Scouts of America Childcare Resources The Dannon Project Girls Inc. of Central Alabama Family Court of Jefferson County Family Guidance Center Jefferson County D...

Did you attend elementary school in Birmingham? Are you searching for historical information about local schools? If so, we have good news! Birmingham Public Library's Digital Collections now has newspaper articles covering Birmingham's elementary schools available online . Schools include: ACIPCO School  Alley School  Baker Elementary School  Barrett Elementary School  Bluff Park Elementary  Bush Elementary School Bryant Elementary School  Butler Elementary School  Calloway Elementary School  Central Park Elementary School  Curry Elementary School Dupuy Elementary School  Lewis Elementary School  East Lake Elementary School  Barrett Elementary School  South East Lake Elementary School  Eagen Elementary School Banks High School Dudley Elementary Schoo Inglenook Elementary School Dupuy Elementary School Edgewood Elementary School Elyton Elementary School  Fairmont Elementary Schoo...