Mayor Frank Brocato
We have so many rich assets in our city to enjoy! Out of all of them, the Hoover Public Library is one of the best.
For many years, our library has received regional and national recognition for the various ways it serves the community. With more than 380,000 visitors coming through its doors last fiscal year and over 1.4 million items checked out, it is one of the busiest libraries in the region. But it’s not just about books. The Hoover Public Library embodies its motto of “Imagine More” every day, and the month of February is a great example.
For the 32nd year, the library will host its Southern Voices Festival. The conference, taking place Feb. 6-22, is a much-anticipated event for book and art lovers throughout Hoover and beyond. The conference explores the characteristics of Southern culture as reflected in contemporary arts. It brings together a chorus of artistic voices — writers, editors, musicians, performers and public figures—to create an open dialogue on the relevance of our regional past to Southern art and culture today.
This year’s keynote speaker is a big one: author Julia Quinn, best known for writing the popular Bridgerton series. Authors Kimberly Brock, A.J. Finn, Chris Pavone, Steven Rowley, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Tommy Tomlinson and Stacy Willingham will speak at a conference on Feb. 22.
The featured musical group will be the McCrary Sisters, a gospel trio that blends traditional elements with rock, blues, soul and R&B. Tony Bingham, a professor at Miles College who creates mixed media artwork, will be the guest artist.
Also in February, the library will highlight Black History Month with the aforementioned McCrary Sisters and artist Tony Bingham, along with a Black History Reading Challenge in the children’s department. There will also be a showing of American Fiction in the Library Theatre on Monday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m.
Lastly, I want to share a feature of our library that many may not know about: our passport office. This is a walk-in service provided Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. To learn more about this service, visit hooverlibrary.org/passports or call 205-444-7869.
You can find more information about all the programs and services offered at the library by visiting hooverlibrary.org. Maybe I’ll see you there sometime!
