July 27, 2026
July 23, 2026
Musikfest Hours and Youth Services Closure
Please note that during the week of Musikfest (Monday, August 3 through Friday, August 7), the Youth Services Department at the Main Library will be closed for maintenance work. A cart of new children's books will be available on the Main 1st Floor for checkout. We will reopen the department Monday, August 10th at 9 [...]July 17, 2026
Bethlehem Area Public Library Launches New Digital Musikfest Archive
The Bethlehem Area Public Library (BAPL) has unveiled a new online digital collection celebrating the history of one of the city's most beloved traditions: Musikfest. Available free to the public, the new Musikfest Digital Collection allows users to explore the festival's rich history through historic photographs and digitized program booklets. The collection currently features photographs [...]July 10, 2026
A Library Hike
On the morning of July 10, BAPL hosted a library program held in an unusual setting...the woods! A few months ago, Quaint Oak Bank reached out to us about sponsoring library programs centered on conservation and sustainability. That conversation grew into a sponsorship of BAPL's Seed Library as well as an idea for a guided [...]February 9, 2026
Museum Passes Free With Your Library Card
Bethlehem Area Public Library Museum Passes - Borrowing Rules & Information Museum passes are available at the Main Library & South Side branch. (Please refer to the list below which specifies which passes are available at which location. Passes must be returned to the same branch they are borrowed from.) Museum passes can also be [...]December 15, 2025
A Big Thank You to Basement Poetry
When the acoustic guitar in Studio 11 broke beyond repair, we put out a simple ask to our community: did anyone have a guitar we could use? What followed was an outpouring of generosity. This is the first of several thank-you posts we’ll be sharing. First, a big thank you to Basement Poetry who donated not […]
July 24, 2025
What’s Your Library Card Worth? Check Your Receipt and See.
Have you ever added up what it would cost to buy every book you read, every movie you watch, or every album you listen to? It adds up fast—and for many, it’s simply not affordable. That’s why the Bethlehem Area Public Library’s borrowing program is such a valuable community resource. Now, every time you borrow […]
July 16, 2025
Bethlehem Japan Peace Project
The Bethlehem Area Public Library and Lehigh Valley-JAJAJA are happy to announce the Japan Peace Project! This project is an interconnected series of art and musical performances to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. We are also celebrating the longstanding 60+ year Sister City relationship between Bethlehem, PA and Tondabayashi, […]
April 22, 2025
2024 BAPL Annual Report
Here is the 2024 Annual Report from BAPL. Check it out for facts and figures, pictures and stories, and a fun look at last year here at the Bethlehem Area Public Library. A few highlights! Visitors to the Main Library: 173,285 Reference questions answered: 25,788 Items Borrowed: 421,492 You can also read about the new […]
December 6, 2024
I got my first library card when I was just four years old…
As soon I was old enough to print my name on the form, I made my mom take me to the library. We lived just down the road from the South Side Branch and I couldn’t wait to go. My older brother already had his card and I was so jealous. He loved to read—his […]
October 1, 2024
A Sleuth-y Success: Sherlock Holmes Event and Vintage Book Fair at BAPL
The Bethlehem Area Public Library’s recent Sherlock Holmes event on September 28 was a smashing success! With a day full of literary excitement, the event kicked off with a vintage book fair that ran from 10 AM to 5 PM. Book collectors, sellers, and enthusiasts had the chance to browse and purchase a wide array […]
August 14, 2024
An Evening with Sherlock: BAPL Rare Book Auction
BAPL is having a sleuth-y Saturday on September 28! The event will include a vintage book fair during the day (10-5) followed by a ticketed event featuring the greateast literary detective of all time: Sherlock Holmes. We will have tons of vintage books for sale, some for just a few dollars, and some high-end collectible […]
May 13, 2024
BAPL 2023 Annual Report
Our Annual Report from 2023 is now available online. See below for the full report! It was a busy year marked by the Main Library’s renovation, and also including a great number of events and trainings, and entertaining activities. Memorable moments included: Trunk-or-Treat, Lehigh Valley Book Festival, 11Fest, AppleFest, and more. The report also includes […]
June 27, 2023
BAPL on Market Street
While the current Main Library at City Center (11 W. Church St.) has been here for over 50 years, many Bethlehemites have fond memories of the prior home of BAPL on Market Street. A few folks have recently asked for pictures so we thought would be fun to dig through the archives and share some […]
June 20, 2023
Remembering Meowster, The Cat Who Was Human
Remembering Meowster The Buy-a-Book program at BAPL has been bringing smiles to faces and fostering a love of reading for nearly four decades. This year, amidst the outpouring of donations in memory or honor of loved ones, an intriguing dedication caught our attention. Join us as we delve into the story behind Meowster, the cat […]