About My Alabama Library

If you’d like to financially contribute to My Alabama Library, here’s how to do it:

• Provide monthly or annual support by becoming a paid subscriber on Substack. Library stories will never be paywalled, but your paid subscription helps keep this project possible! And there may be some special perks down the road.
  (Note: If you subscriber through the Substack app on your phone, the listed amounts are higher because a big chunk goes to Apple or Google. It’s better to subscribe in a browser)
• There will be an option for one-time contributions soon.

Can’t contribute financially? Here are more ways to help:

• Share your library stories with us at this link. Your stories help us decide which Alabama library to cover next, or we may share them as stand-alone posts.
• Subscribe to the free email newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. Share our posts and let your friends know about My Alabama Library!
• Post photos and videos to Instagram with the #myalabamalibrary hashtag

All sponsorship funds and donations go toward:

• Social media and Google ads to spread the stories about our libraries throughout the state and beyond.
• Costs associated with running a website and creating content (hosting, paid plugins, editing software, etc.)
• Travel costs to visit libraries throughout the state.
• Paid compensation for time devoted to the project, so the magazine can be high-quality and sustainable.
• Once these goals are reached, funding will go to contract with professional photographers and videographers and/or to purchase upgraded equipment.

My Alabama Library was created by Jennifer Butler Keeton (that’s me!), a nonprofit consultant who worked at Florence-Lauderdale Public Library for 14 years. During my time at FLPL, I developed storytelling-focused marketing strategies, interviewing library users about how the FLPL improved their lives.

I saw first-hand how communities will support their library when they see real-life, personal stories of their impact.

My Alabama Library is currently a sole proprietorship, but my plan/hope is to find a 501(c)(3) to fiscally sponsor the project, so it can be run within a nonprofit structure.

Fill out this form to request for your library to be featured. I want to cover every library in Alabama, but with over 200 public libraries in the state, it will take some time! My Alabama Library aims to cover a wide variety of libraries: of all sizes, in all types of communities, and in every region of the state.

In addition to featured libraries, we’ll likely also post one-off stories and stories that include multiple libraries, so the publication can support as many libraries as possible.

No! My Alabama Library will be funded through business sponsorships and donations from library supporters. It is a support publication for libraries throughout the state.

 The only cost for a library would be if your library wants a print version of your issue. I can prepare a magazine-style version for print for a fee. You can then use your own print service, have copies available at your library, and mail copies out to stakeholders and patrons. It would be an excellent opportunity for a fundraising drive, but it’s completely optional!

I would love to join forces with library advocates from other states! Contact me here or shoot us a message on our socials if you’d like to chat.