Birmingham Public Library Archives

Birmingham Public Library receives 2021 Infy Maker Award + grant for new youth program

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Birmingham Public Library (BPL) was chosen as one of 10 national organizations to receive the 2021 Infy Maker Award. The 2021 Infymaker Awards announced BPL’s win during the virtual ceremony and they are the only winner from Alabama.

Birmingham Public Library extends service hours with new curbside pickup + more

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Big news for bookworms in Birmingham! All 18 Birmingham Public Library (BPL) locations have new, extended in-person service and curbside hours effective, Monday, June 14. Here are the details.

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New Year, New Office. Say hi to Bham Now’s new home on Morris Avenue! [Photos]

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The Bham Now team outside our office — A few Bham Now staffers standing outside our new office on Morris Avenue. Photo via Nathan Watson for Bham Now

It’s official. Bham Now has moved into our first permanent home, located on historic Morris Avenue. So why did we land on one of the oldest (yet hippest) streets in town? Read on to learn more & get a sneak peek at our office!

Hoover and Homewood Libraries earn national “Star Library” distinction

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Birmingham, Hoover Public Library, libraries, Birmingham libraries — Taken in 2018, staff at the Hoover Public Library show excitement. Photo via Hoover Public Library.

Bookworms rejoice!

See Birmingham in the 20th century through the lens of O.V. Hunt [Photos]

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Early Birmingham photographer O.V. Hunt alongside pilot Edmund Heath. And yes, that’s a biplane. Photo by O.V. Hunt, property of Birmingham Public Library Department of Archives and Manuscripts

As a history geek, I’ve been obsessed with the photos of O.V. Hunt for years. In the early 1900s, he captured some of the best photos of Birmingham—at least in my opinion. I picked out a few of my favorites to share what Birmingham looked like through Hunt’s lens, over a century ago.

13 arts, culture + sports organizations opening back up, including the Negro Southern League Museum

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The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is one of the organizations that's reopened — I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been back to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens since they reopened. Photo via Jacob Blankenship for Bham Now

When COVID hit back in March 2020, the City of Birmingham closed arts, cultural and sporting organizations across the city. Some of these have opened back up and others will soon. Keep reading for all the details.

Re-discovering the lost lakes, parks and springs of Birmingham

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Tour of Birmingham clock towers from Birmingham-Southern College to Crestline

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John Hand Building Clock Tower. Photo by Jon Eastwood for Bham Now

This week, I was given an interesting assignment at Bham Now.

Find all the Clock Towers in Birmingham.

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3 things you can learn at the FREE Grow with Google training on August 6 at the Birmingham Public Library

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Bham Now Grow with Google — Google wants to help you use their products for work. Photo via of Grow with Google

Are you needing a little help in using Google for work? A free training seminar (Yes, we said free.) will be held on Aug. 6 at the Birmingham Public Library. Register now, because classes are filling up fast! Continue reading “3 things you can learn at the FREE Grow with Google training on August 6 at the Birmingham Public Library”

Connect with Birmingham’s public libraries during National Library Week, April 8-14

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Birmingham, Judith Wright, Homewood Public Library, National Library Workers Day, National Library Workers Week — Judith Wright, Teen Librarian at the Homewood Public Library. Photo via Judith Wright.

Do you know what’s happening at Birmingham’s many public libraries? Now is the time to discover what they have to offer during National Library Week, April 8-14, 2018. Continue reading “Connect with Birmingham’s public libraries during National Library Week, April 8-14”

Birmingham Public Library preserves civil rights history

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Birmingham Civil Rights — A photo of Reverends Fred Shuttlesworth, Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King , Jr. marching in Birmingham. One of the many Birmingham Public Library items and documents from the civil rights era. Photo courtesy of the Birmingham Public Library Archives.

Last week , as the world paused to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) was busy helping researchers pay tribute to the man who led the 1960s civil rights movement, much of it from Birmingham.

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The ultimate January guide to library events happening in Birmingham

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Birmingham, Hoover Public Library — Staff at the Hoover Public Library show excitement for books and upcoming events. Photo via Hoover Public Library.

Birmingham is home to a number of incredible public libraries – each with their own calendar filled with exciting events! For the ultimate January guide to library events happening around the ‘ham, read on! Continue reading “The ultimate January guide to library events happening in Birmingham”

Birmingham Public Library installs new executive director

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Last month, Floyd Council was installed as the new executive director of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL). Council will oversee all operations of BPL’s 19 library locations and manage 285 employees.

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Don’t miss The Rotaract Club of Birmingham school supplies giveaway

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Birmingham Alabama — The Rotaract of Birmingham free School Supply Giveaway to be held on Saturday, August 5th at 4 public libraries throughout the Magic City – Photo courtesy of Rotaract of Birmingham

For the 10th consecutive year, The Rotaract Club of Birmingham is helping Birmingham-area students prepare for the upcoming school year by hosting a School Supplies Giveaway on Saturday, August 5 at 10 a.m.

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Birmingham Public Library expands after-school STEM program for teens

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Thanks to a $95,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) will be able to purchase laptops, software, tools, safety equipment and fund stipends for Teens Engineer BHM, an after-school robotics program.