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 […]
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 […]
We are just about complete with our renovation/transformation of the first floor of the Main Library and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! Some small improvements are still coming, but we thought this would be a good time to pull the pictures together so you can see how the space was transformed […]
“A Steelworker’s Life”: Lester Clore and Donald Young Resume Engaging Lecture Series on Bethlehem Steel Experiences The captivating storytelling series, “A Steelworker’s Life,” featuring Lester Clore and Donald Young, continues its compelling exploration of their remarkable journeys as former employees of Bethlehem Steel. Following their highly successful talk on March 7th, this eagerly awaited event […]
Simply put, Bethlehem Area Public Library is committed to enriching the community through education and top-notch programming for all of life’s learners. We strive to provide events that you don’t find anywhere else. If you’re passionate about it, we want to hear it. And while our partners and staff work tirelessly to make everything happen, […]
We knew we were busy on April 29 at the Main Library as we celebrated the re-opening of the first floor with an Open House to show off the new renovations. We wondered exactly how busy, so we checked the numbers. According to our door counter at the front door there were 1,148 people who […]
At its April 10, 2023 Board Meeting, the Board of the Bethlehem Area Public Library adopted a social media policy. The full text of the policy is below. BAPL SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY PURPOSE The Bethlehem Area Public Library (the “BAPL”) shares information about the library with the community and engages patrons through social media. The […]
We are happy to share with you our 2022 Annual Report. It’s kind of a large file, so give it a minute to download. A few highlights are below. We are so lucky to have such a supportive community and so many partners who make BAPL thrive!
We are excited to invite you to this year’s Lehigh Valley Book Festival, presented in partnership with Let’s Play Books! This festival is an excellent opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate books and the written word. With dozens of authors in attendance, you’re sure to find something that piques your interest. There […]
When the Main Library at City Center opened in 1967, it was the bee’s knees. There were towering bookshelves, large oak reading tables, and more reference books than you could shake a stick at. But it’s time to make some changes, freshen up the place, and reflect the needs of a 21st century library. We’ll […]
It‘s time for a New Year‘s celebration for the little ones in your family! Join us at the library for a noon-time ball drop on December 30. There will be fun and dancing with DJs from DJ collective Nite Liters LLC! They know how to make a party and we‘ll be ringing in the new […]
Holiday Season Gifts & Donations Libraries are essential to communities because they provide free education and resources to the public. The Bethlehem Area Public Library has been giving all library users a place to connect with friends, meet new people, expand their learning, and practice their skills and talents. Since 1901, we have planned and […]
This past weekend a new book was born! Lehigh Valley artist/skateboarder/musician Ray Gurz brought us the lovable twosome “Jacob and Ridley” last year in their debut adventure Jacob and Ridley Head to the Park. This year they’re back with book #2 in a rockin’ new adventure, Jacob and Ridley Start a Band. Ray signed books, did some drawings, and […]
On November 8, BASD students had off for Election Day and our friends at the Bethlehem YMCA told us there would be a lot of students there that day. What better day to show up with our new book bike! Library Board President Anne Felker did the honors of pedaling the bicycle down Broad St. […]
We hope to see you all on Friday 11/11/22 for 11FEST! Here is the schedule of performers, subject to change but likely to be pretty much like this. This event is held in the Cohen Room at the Main Library. It is a suggested $11 donation. Can’t make it to 11FEST but still want to […]