Rogersville Public Library: A Small Library With BIG Impact

Welcome to the first issue of My Alabama Library, a new online magazine that tells stories about how public libraries throughout the state change lives every day.

Our first featured library is the Rogersville Public Library, a small, rural library in northwest Alabama. Throughout the month of August, we’ll be sharing interviews, articles, and videos that show how this small library has a BIG impact in its community.

Most public libraries have certain things in common: They offer free access to books, information, and technology. They host fun and educational programs for all ages. And they serve as a safe place where people can simply exist without having to spend any money. 

But each individual library also has its own personality, its own “thing” that it really excels at. As I visited the Rogersville Public Library and interviewed community members, this library’s “thing” quickly became clear:

Their dedication to offering personalized care and service to every library visitor. 

The staff saw a car pulling into the parking lot and recognized that it was a library regular who is disabled.

One of them immediately went out to her car to help her get set up on her walker and come into the library.

Staff members Kimberly Corbett, Andra Bayes, and Jaydee Watkins take great care every day to make the library a warm and welcoming place where everyone feels comfortable and appreciated.

During my visits to Rogersville, here are just a few things I saw or heard:

• The staff saw a car pulling into the parking lot and recognized that it was a library regular who is disabled. One of them immediately went out to her car to help her get set up on her walker and come into the library.
  
• The librarians and visitors often call each other by their first names, and I heard the staff say things like “You’ve gotten so much taller!” to young visitors.
  
• Kimberly, Andra, and Jaydee know and anticipate the needs of their regulars. As soon as they saw them, they would offer help getting onto a computer or let them know that the book they were waiting for was in. 

And this is just a tiny snapshot of what you might witness while sitting in the Rogersville Public Library for just a few minutes.

Over the next few weeks, you’ll meet a four-generation family of book lovers, for whom visits to the Rogersville Library are central to their family routine. You’ll learn how the library is a place where Rogersville residents connect with their community and make new friends, and you’ll see how families get to enjoy free new experiences during their Summer Reading Programs. 

I hope you come along with us on this journey to celebrate our Alabama libraries, as we broadcast their success stories throughout the state and beyond. Subscribe to our email newsletter to get stories directly in your inbox, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.

Plus, don’t forget to share your own library stories at this link, so your Alabama library can be featured in an upcoming issue!