Birmingham Public Library Blog

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is hosting over 80 programs in celebrating Black History Month in February, including musicals, soul food cooking demos, African American dance, genealogy, and movies. On February 24, Pratt City Branch Library’s Crown & Tea program is combining the cherished African American custom of wearing church hats with a formal tea. Learn the art of African dance from BPL’s Candice Hardy at the Five Points West and Pratt City Libraries. At Wylam, Pratt City and Titusville Libraries, come learn how to make tasty healthy soul dishes more nutritious. Celebrate African American music at Central, Powderly, West End, and East Lake Libraries. You can view the full list of Black History Month and other programs and services at BPL’s 19 libraries by visiting the BPL's calendar of events . ( Downloadable calendar ) Here is a sample of select 2018 Black History Month programs being held in February: Crown & Tea, Saturday, February 24, 2:00-3:30 p.m...

Dr. Michael Lyerly, associate professor of neurology at UAB and director of the Birmingham VAMC Stroker Center, will be at the Five Points West Regional Branch Library on Wednesday, February 14, 10:30 a.m. , to discuss myths vs. facts about strokes. This program is part of the Five Points West Library's Active Living for Seniors series in conjunction with the University of Alabama at Birmingham's NeuroScience Cafe  series where UAB experts in the neurosciences present topics, create discussion, and answer questions for the community.

What: Bards & Brews Open Mic Poetry Performance When: Friday, February 2, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Where: Cahaba Brewing Co. Bards & Brews, the Birmingham Public Library’s popular spoken word poetry/craft beer event, is headed to one of Avondale’s most popular craft beer pubs. Cahaba Brewing Co. will host Bards & Brews on February 2. Musical entertainment will be provided by the bluesy folk-driven melodies of The Matchcoats at 6:30 p.m. and poetry begins to flow at 7:00 p.m. For more information on Bards & Brews, visit www.bplonline.org/bardsbrews . To make donations to BPL for Bards & Brews or our many other programs visit https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/supportbhampubliclibrary .

by Mary Anne Ellis, Southern History Department , Central Library S is for Southern: A Guide to the South, from Absinthe to Zydeco By the editors of Garden & Gun Can all of What It Means to Be Southern be summed up in a single book? Probably not, but S is for Southern takes a valiant swing at it. With entries ranging from how to tell the difference between a common roach and a palmetto bug (both of which need to be exterminated on sight—“A flip-flop is as effective a weapon as any”) to the origins of the legendary Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, from James Dickey to Eudora Welty , from armadillos to Weeki Wachee mermaids, the editors of Garden & Gun magazine have compiled this entertaining and instructive guide to the many institutions of Southern culture. You can get an idea of the flavor of the book from this entry on Cheese Straws: Open a drawer in any well-stocked Southern kitchen and you will find a cookie press, an industrial-looking steel extrusion tube with a lever a...

by Ellen Griffin Shade, Avondale Regional Branch Library At Avondale Regional Branch Library, crafts aren’t just for kids! We have arts and crafts programs for grown-ups every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., and we’re celebrating our love of crafts with a month of valentine projects. All adults are welcome! Programs are free but space is limited, so call 226-4000 or register online through the Birmingham Public Library events calendar. Upcoming Craft Programs at Avondale Library January 31 @ 2:00 p.m., Color Club – Join us for some relaxing adult coloring and create a unique valentine for a child at Children’s Hospital. February 7 @ 2:00 p.m., Club Create – Come together to create something new! We'll tackle a new craft project each month, with instruction and materials provided. This month we’re crafting handstitched valentines for kids at Children’s Hospital. February 14 @ 2:00 p.m., Art Party – A different art project is offered each month with materials and instruct...

by Mollie McFarland, Springville Road Regional Branch Library The Secret of Nightingale Wood Lucy Strange This is the story of a tween girl named Henry (short for Henrietta.) Her family is moving to a new home following the death of her older brother around the end of the first World War. No one in the family knows how to cope with their loss and they all have different ways of dealing with it. Henry’s father throws himself into his work and leaves his family to fend for themselves. Henry’s mother is so lost in grief that doctors are called in to intervene. They aggressively treat grief like it’s a disease, something that can be solved with chemicals and isolation. Henry is left alone with her nanny and baby sister, Piglet. The doctor who’s treating her mother becomes an invasive presence. He locks her mother away and drugs her so she sleeps for days at a time and keeps her separated from her children. How is that supposed to help anyone? With no idea where to turn, Henry finds hel...

by Maya Jones, West End Branch Library I was born in Wisconsin. When I was six years old I moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where I lived for the next 20 years. Winter weather has always been a part of my life. The winter weather with its ice and snow last week reminded me of a tragic incident in my family. In 2000 my first cousin died in Nebraska and the culprits were black ice and not wearing a seat belt. My cousin had decided to visit a friend in Las Vegas to celebrate the new millennium. In order to save money, he bought a one-way ticket and decided to ride back to Wisconsin with friends. My cousin was driving, without wearing his seat belt, when he hit a patch of black ice, lost control of the car, and died at age 27. The other passenger in the front seat was not wearing a seat belt and he also died. We are still in the month of January and winter doesn’t end until Tuesday, March 20, 2018. We could still see more winter weather and I urge ever...

You already may know about Birmingham Public Library's Freegal Music database , which allows you to download 3 free songs a week. Well, now Freegal has an additional feature to offer: streaming music. With streaming, you can listen to whole albums, create playlists, and preview entire songs before downloading. Music streaming is unlimited. The Freegal Music downloaded files are DRM-FREE, Mp3 files that can be played on any device. Even better, the downloaded music file is yours to keep with no due date and no expiration date. In order to access this database, you must meet the following criteria: a current JCLC library card and residency in the city of Birmingham. To activate streaming music, first log into your Freegal account. Then you find the artist or album you want to hear, move your cursor over the artist or album image, and click on the stream link. Enjoy commercial-free music 24/7 now!