BETHLEHEM, PA– We are happy to announce the re-dedication of BAPL’s Coolidge location following an unexpected interaction with one of our favorite actresses. Jennifer Coolidge, the actress famous for The White Lotus, Best in Show, and many other successful films, connected with BAPL on social media after we expressed our fandom of her work. She was very […]
BAPL Director Josh Berk was interviewed by WLVR this month about Studio 11! They also interviewed some performers who use the studio, as well as Christi Buker of the Pennsylvania Library Association. Give it a listen here: Studio 11 proves libraries are not just books
We are very proud to present the Annual Lehigh Valley Book Festival, in partnership with Let’s Play Books Bookstore, to be held in person on Saturday, 3/26, 2022. The festival will host creative and informative programs, including activities for all ages in and around the Lehigh Valley. The Lehigh Valley Book Festival was canceled in […]
We were recently asked an interesting question by the City’s Director of Equity and Inclusion, our friend Janine Santoro. Were there important women in the history of BAPL that we could highlight as part of the City’s Women’s History Month Celebration? Good question, Janine! We knew that there must be, as women played a prominent […]
Emil Signes has been on the library board of BAPL since 1985. That’s actually before BAPL was BAPL (it was just the Bethlehem Public Library when he started – the “Area” was added soon after he was appointed, as neighboring communities began to join). As he begins another year of service to the library, Dr. […]
Ah, the Bridgertons! The show that everyone’s grandmother and mother watch on Netflix. I mean, it’s got everything; romance, intrigue, and over-the-top drama! Who wouldn’t like it? It’s another version of Downton Abbey, really. Best of all: it’s based on Julia Quinn’s book series. If you want more you can read more instead of waiting […]
We have an email newsletter for our library patrons to keep you informed about all the great stuff happening at your library! It typically goes out once a month, with occasional special announcements. We won’t spam you and we won’t sell or share your contact info. You’ll never miss a BAPL book sale again! Sign […]
Here’s a message from the new Friends of the Library president, Krista Best! Dear BAPL Lovers, I’m delighted to introduce myself as the new president of the Friends of the Library. The Friends are a group of dedicated volunteers who love our library and help raise money to support its calendar of incredible events and […]
This article is part of an ongoing series to let people know what kinds of things are hanging out in our local history archive, the Bethlehem Room, as well as the local history services we can provide. “As To Vaccination” Letter to the editor Bethlehem Daily Times, March 7, 1881 While fulfilling patrons’ various research […]
Even with COVID protocols making it unavailable for the first half of the year, 2021 ended up being a busy year in Studio 11. We had 127 sessions booked over the six months it was open, from June-December 2021. It’s great to see (and hear) all the of beautiful music being recorded there. We had […]
The BAPL community mourns the loss and remembers the life of Barbara Subber, who passed away peacefully on January 4. Barb was a fixture at the reference desk at BAPL for over 30 years, where she helped countless community members in a variety of ways. If you needed a book on anything, from anywhere in […]
BAPL will open at 12:00 noon on January 7 due to the incoming snowstorm. We will update this space if plans change. Stay safe and warm out there!
There are lots of great events for families and kids of all ages at the library this month. Check them out! Every Picture Tells a Story art workshop for grades 1-5, Saturday, January 8, 11:00-12:00 Discover the work of great artists through stories and hands-on art activities. Learn about a famous artist, their technique, and […]
It probably comes as no surprise that we’re a bunch-loving bunch here at BAPL; the only thing we love more than reading books is recommending them to others. So we asked library staff what was the best book they read this year. It can be a new best-seller, an old classic, or something in between. […]
This article comes out of a multi-year effort to index the “hanging clip files”—which are articles and pictures cut from newspapers and other sources over the past 130 years (give or take), lovingly saved by our wise predecessors at the library—that take up many long drawers in the Bethlehem Room. From time to time as […]