Join us at the Main Library on Saturday Sept. 29 at 2:00 pm for a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Hispanic Heritage Month is a nationally observed time to recognize and celebrate the traditions, contributions, diversity, and strength of citizens whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. This year’s celebration […]
On September 19, journalist, researcher (and pretty good pitcher) Geoff Gehman gave an excellent presentation at BAPL. The topic was “Shoeless Joe, the Babe & the Steel” — a fascinating look at Bethlehem Steel’s baseball league of 1918. The league included steelworkers but also Major Leaguers who were signed to temporary contracts to avoid being drafted. […]
Join us at BAPL this fall season for a series of films celebrating the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema. This month we are featuring the Akira Kurosawa classic Rashōmon, showing on Saturday September 15th at 2pm at Main Branch. Our friend, illustrator and local film buff John Newcomer (@thejohnisjohn) delighted us with this fearsome depiction […]
Jenne is making great progress on her goal to read 100 books this year. Check out her progress report for August — you might find your next great read! ** Books read this month: 14 Books read so far this year: 90 This was the month I ACTUALLY read less cozy mysteries- only three! My […]
We asked our young library patrons to try their hand at drawing a Hilda Doolittle portrait. They came out so great! (Some of them possibly did not read the directions :)) Want to support our efforts to bring a professional portrait of HD to BAPL? Why, yes you can do that! Check out our GoFundMe!
In 2017, we honored Bethlehem’s most renowned literary citizen, the great early 20th century poet Hilda “H.D.” Doolittle, by having the site of her childhood home recognized as a Literary Landmark. Her childhood home just happens to be the same piece of land where the Bethlehem Area Public Library now stands. We’re not done with the […]
Bookmobile service is canceled for today, August 30. (Bookie Monster is in the shop.)
The South Side Branch of Bethlehem Area Public Library is a grateful recipient of a $1,000 grant from Vernon Library Supplies, which funds a new program: Vocational ESL of the Lehigh Valley. This course will be one of the few ESL (English as a Second Language) classes structured not only to help refugee and immigrant […]
BAPL’s librarians have been busy doing some traveling this past month, visiting lots of community places and participating in lots of great events. Here are some pictures from the road! Learn more about our outreach department here.
Hey book-lovers, it’s the Great Lehigh Valley Read! Cast your vote for the most-loved book in the Lehigh Valley! The poll can be found on our site here. Here are two new videos by BAPL employees. Have your own video to share? Email Library Director Josh Berk. Read on!
Happy #firstdayofschool! Enjoy this article from 1922 about the then-brand new Liberty High School from BAPL archives. It’s great to read about the excitement of a first day of school nearly 100 years ago! “So anxious were some of the pupils to resume their studies that long before the peals of the first bell were […]
Hey book-lovers, it’s the Great Lehigh Valley Read! Cast your vote for the most-loved book in the Lehigh Valley! The poll can be found on our site here. Check out the videos below where library patrons and staff alike make the case for their favorites. Want to submit your own video to be featured on […]
In 1918, Bethlehem Steel didn’t just produce iron and steel—it ran a baseball league. Six factories were represented; the rosters included some of the greatest star players from the Major Leagues. The Bethlehem Area Public Library is proud to present Shoeless Joe, The Babe, & The Steel: The Highly Unlikely 1918 Bethlehem Steel League, Geoff Gehman’s talk on […]
We are offering a free screening of director Jacques Tati’s film Playtime on Saturday, August 18 at 2pm. The film, part of the library’s series on classic French films of the 1960s, will be screened at the Main Library (11 W. Church St, Bethlehem). Local film buff, Bethlehem resident, writer, and illustrator John Newcomer happens to be a […]