Boaz Public Library

Library History:

The Boaz Public Library was established in the summer of 1973 after a group of young mothers in the Entre Nous Club found that there was almost no reading material for children in Boaz. Prior to this, Boaz had depended on the library at Snead State Community College but little attention had been given to children's needs.

A study committee was then formed and the creation of a library board was recommended. The first public library was temporarily housed in a store building at 115 North Main Street. Finally in May 1978, following a building project funded through the Boaz Housing Authority, the library moved to our present location at 205 South Main Street.

The book collection at that time totaled 8,000 volumes. So in 1987, the city council approved a request that the basement of the library be finished for a children's department. By the summer of 1988, the work was completed.

The current library is bursting at the seams and now houses 60,000 items.  A new library is in the process of being built on Thomas Avenue and is expected to be completed by the end of 2005.

The Boaz Public Library has had five previous librarians: Teresa Blair, Grace Allen, Elza Hurst, Sherrie Jones, and Doris Singleton.  Currently the interim librarian is Lynn Burgess.