Perkiomen Valley Library 290 Second St., Schwenksville; 610-287-8360. www.pvlibrary.net. Marie Lamba: What I Meant. 2/9 1 pm.

Robin's Bookstore 108 S. 13th St.; 215-735-9600. www.robinsbookstore.com. Murali Balaji: The Professor & the Pupil. 2/9 6 pm.

The University of Pennsylvania - Kelly Writer's House 3805 Locust Walk; 215-573-9748. www.writing.upenn.edu/wh. Al Filreis: Counter-Revolution of the Word. 2/11 6 pm. Ben Ratliff: Coltrane: The Story of a Sound. 2/13 6 pm.

Poetry & lectures

Boy Scout Headquarters One Scout Way, Doylestown; 215-348-7205. buckscountybsa.org. Stephen Redding: Something More - Redding discusses his book. $35. 2/9 2-4:30 pm.

Burlington County Library 306 Main St., Riverton; 856-829-2476. www.rivertonlibrary.burlco.org. Black History Month Event: Margaret Morris - Local minister, motivational speaker & writer will give a talk at the library. 2/9 2 pm.

Camden County Library - Voorhees Regional Branch 203 Laurel Rd., Voorhees; 856-772-1636. www.camden.lib.nj.us/voorhees/default.htm. When Fiction & Non-Fiction Collide - Discussion of controversies & ethics issues that may arise when writing about reality. Reservations required. 2/13 7-9 pm.

Cheltenham Art Center 439 Ashbourne Rd., Cheltenham; 215-379-4660. www.cheltenhamarts.org. Music as Muse: Gallery Talk & Tea. 2/10 2 pm.

Curtis Hall Church Rd. & Greenwood Ave., Wyncote; 215-884-7675. From Africa to America: Genealogy of a Local Black Family - Black History Month lecture. 2/14 8 pm.

Free Library of Philadelphia - Central Branch 1901 Vine St.; 215-686-5322. www.library.phila.gov. Willie Brown: Basic Brown - My Life & Our Times - The first African-American mayor of San Francisco discusses his book. $14; $7 students. 2/12 8 pm. Hayden Herrera: Frida Kahlo & Diega Rivera - Sacred Monsters - Art historian discusses Kahlo & Rivera's relationship as revealed through their art. $14; $7 students. 2/13 8 pm.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust St.; 215-732-6200. www.hsp.org. Researching Your African-American Family History - Lecture, Discussion & Reception. Renowned lecturer, author & genealogist Tony Burroughs will present this program. 2/13 5:30-8 pm.

Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences 120 Long Beach Blvd., Beach Haven; 609-494-1241. www.lbifoundation.org. The Ecology of Long Beach Island - LBIF Marine Biology instructor Dr. Laura McLellan speaks. 2/9 1:30 pm.

Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library 680 Radcliffe St., Bristol; 215-788-7891. www.buckslib.org/libraries/Bristol/index.htm. African-Americans in the Gettysburg Campaign - Featured speaker will be Dr. James M. Paradis. 2/13 7 pm.

Robin's Bookstore 108 S. 13th St.; 215-735-9600. www.robinsbookstore.com. Eugene Brown: Thoughts From the Heart & Soul. 2/11 6 pm. Shulamith Caine & Barbara Bernhoff Cavanaugh - Poetry reading followed by an open reading. 2/12 6 pm.

Serenity Gifts & Coffee 140 South Easton Road, Glenside; 215-884-4342. www.serenitygiftsandcoffee.com. Afternoon of Poetry. 2/9 1-3 pm.

The University of Pennsylvania - Kelly Writer's House 3805 Locust Walk; 215-573-9748. www.writing.upenn.edu/wh. Ed Lin & Lisa Chen - Poetry & novel readings. 2/12 6 pm. 2008 Bernheimer Symposium: Writing Books - Lunctime program & discussion led by Johanna Drucker. 2/13 noon.

Upper Merion Township Building Park 175 W. Valley Forge Rd., King Of Prussia; African American Journalists: Telling the Civil Rights Story - Performers, speakers, storytellers, music, dance, craft vendors, food samplings & more. 610-265-4805. 2/9 10 am-3 pm.

Ursinus College 601 E. Main St., Collegeville; 610-409-3000. www.ursinus.edu. Major Jackson: Poetry Reading - Major Jackson is the associate professor of English at the University of Vermont. 2/14 7 pm.

Widener University One University Place, Chester; 888-943-3637. www.widener.edu. Mahogany Cafe - Black History Month spoken word event. 2/8 7 pm. Thomas Sayers Ellis - Poetry reading. Part of the University's Black History Month programming. 2/13 4 pm.