My 2020 “ArtSmart” Experience — Josh Berk I was happy to work with the Bethlehem Area School District and ArtsQuest for another successful semester of “ArtSmart” this year. ArtSmart is the after-school enrichment program held at the Banana Factory that brings art programs to hundreds of middle and elementary school students each year. This year […]
BAPL Books is happy to announce the publication of a new children’s book: TUG! by Catherine McCafferty. Bethlehem’s history comes to life in this picture book brought to you by the Bethlehem Area Public Library and the National Museum of Industrial History. TUG is a tow tractor helping Bethlehem’s steelworkers to do their very best. […]
On Saturday, September 21st, patrons at our Coolidge location celebrated Peace Day with a Family Storytime Event that kicked off with a tree-planting ceremony at the satellite library in Bethlehem Township. The tree was generously donated by the Bethlehem Township Municipal Authority, a financing authority which Director Steve Hunsberger says “is all about community.” For […]
Have you ever been to a lizard’s birthday party?! The Bethlehem Area Public Library celebrates one each year, for one very special lizard. Spike is the library pet who is loved by all. This year he turned three. We had games and cake and even a magic show. Check out the video below from our […]
Spike, BAPL’s resident bearded dragon and world-famous library lizard, made friends with another lizard! That lizard (also a bearded dragon) is named Puff. Puff lives in a classroom in New Jersey. How did Puff and Spike meet? They have the same vet! (What did you think, they met on the web? Don’t be silly, they’re […]
When Jeanne Deets and Gloria Tarby of Trinity Episcopal Church of Bethlehem heard about BAPL’s fundraising efforts with Kindness Is Magic this past holiday season, they reached out with an extraordinary offer. Rather than buying ornaments to help pay down student lunch debt and accrued library fines for students in the Bethlehem Area School District, could Trinity “adopt” an […]
I had the opportunity to teach writing at the Banana Factory in a weekly afterschool program with BASD middle school students. The program, run by ArtsQuest in partnership with BASD, is called “ArtSmart.” I had a great time working with these young writers and compiled their writings into a literary journal which we published, also […]