Beloved magazine Mental Floss has long been collecting and sharing facts to a huge audience for many years. It now lives on as a popular website still bringing the facts to audiences around the globe. We were delighted to see this list of 25 Amazing Facts About Libraries. Among facts about libraries from Ireland to Finland […]
IN 1976, BAPL’s South Side Branch became an intellectual haven for Bethlehem’s Latinx residents and a “fiesta para todos” would celebrate the library’s new multi-cultural vision and resources available for the Hispanic community. In 2019, through a Mellon Grant from Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium and in partnership with Lehigh University, BAPL’s Janine Santoro began […]
Access to Ancestry.com from home has been extended to BAPL patrons from home for the month of May. It can be accessed under “My account” here (top right of page). You will then need to log in using your library card number. Ancestry is a great genealogy tool. It is typically only available in the […]
BAPL is digging deep in the archives for some historical “Throwback Thursday” posts (#tbt). This one tells the story of the first beautiful gardens that first came to the South Side of Bethlehem with Pre-World War I immigrants coming to work for Bethlehem Steel who wanted to bring “bits of their homeland in the form […]
Elizabeth Saraceno from BAPL South Side has finding lots of gems while researching local history at the library. Check out this article from 1884. That’s 136 years ago! The “local record” column includes observations such as “Country roads are again in a passable condition,” “Youthful spring appears in an overcoat and gum boots,” and “Straw […]
For many of us, there is no greater feeling than browsing bookshelves–running your finger along the spines, feeling the inspiration, searching for your next great read among your fellow seekers. But we can’t get to the library these days; the Pennsylvania Department of Education closed all public libraries in the state until at least April […]
Historic Maps of Bethlehem The Bethlehem Area Public Library is a great source for old artifacts on the historic town of Bethlehem, PA. Some of the most interesting artifacts that the library has (which anyone can access for study and/or leisure) are maps of the town of Bethlehem from the bygone years of 1873, 1886, […]
On March 24, 1941 a four-day steel workers’ strike began in Bethlehem. Workers walked out of factories, massive demonstrations were held, and tensions rose. A famous photograph captured an image of a car that been overturned in the tumult. See pictures, newspaper articles, and more from BAPL on the 1941 strike at the link below, […]
On Saturday, January 23rd, the South Side Branch celebrated the survival of African arts and culture within Puerto Rico, and now throughout the United States, with Luz Suarez and her group “Tikson Carib” who taught five different Bomba rhythms to excited participants. Whereas most dancing is a response to the sounds of the music, Bomba […]
Tyler Gordon is a local college student, historian, photographer, and collector of relics from the The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA). During the mid-20th century, especially at times of increased Cold War tensions, civil defense was a major concern for the United States. The country was preparing for nuclear war and TACDA was active in […]
Check out this article from The Bethlehem Globe regarding a momentous event in the history of Bethlehem way back in 1901. – February 1, 1901 FREE LIBRARY Was Opened to the Public Yesterday Afternoon. The newly established free reading room and public library located in Colonial Row, South Main street, Bethlehem, was opened to the […]
We’ve been working building a rich local history timeline on the library’s website, adding all sorts of interesting information about Bethlehem going back to its founding. There is interesting information about the surrounding areas as well. It can be found at bapl.org/local-history/local-history-timeline. Check it out! There are articles going back to 1741. One of the […]
BETHLEHEM, PA (12 April 2018) – This week a resolution was passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The resolution set out to recognize a week in April (from the 8th to the 14th) as “National Library Week,” a week sponsored by the National Library Association. This recognition was realized this week in the passing […]