Photo courtesy of Hoover Public Library
Jeremy Davis, the youth program coordinator at the Hoover Public Library, received the 2025 Outstanding Youth Services Award from the Alabama Library Association. He is pictured here with Hoover Public Library Director Amanda Borden.
Jeremy Davis, the youth department coordinator at the Hoover Public Library, this month received the 2025 Outstanding Youth Services Award from the Alabama Library Association.
Davis, who has 31 years of public library experience, has served as the youth department coordinator at Hoover since 2017. He was nominated for the state award by his colleagues at the Hoover Public Library.
“We can confidently say that he is one of the most innovative, passionate and kind youth librarians we have had the privilege to know,” his colleagues wrote in a nomination letter.
“Jeremy’s heart has always been dedicated to ensuring every child and family feels valued. He has consistently worked to expand library services beyond traditional offerings, with a focus on community outreach to support underserved populations.”
For example, From 2018 to 2022, the library had the opportunity to collaborate with Hoover City Schools to serve as a pickup location for free lunches for kids during the summer months. When federal funding for the initiative ceased, Davis was determined to continue providing meals to children and secured grant funding and partnered with East 59 Cafe to continue offering free lunches to kids at the library.
Davis also played a pivotal role in the library’s Little Free Libraries initiative, which began in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he recognized that many underserved families lacked access to books due to school and library closures, so Davis worked closely with other staff put small stations with books in apartment complexes throughout the community. The library now has 18 of these Little Free Libraries in place, providing free access to books for families in need.
Davis also acquired grant money for the library to buy a bookmobile, which launched in August 2024 and now visits schools, apartment complexes, senior living facilities and community events.
When he became manager of the youth department, he expanded the offerings with play-based activities and developmentally appropriate furniture to make the library a more welcoming place for children of all ages. When he became a father, he recognized the need for a quiet family room and transformed a storage space to provide a place for parents to take care of babies or calm down overstimulated children.
Davis also collaborated with another staff member to convert a large closet into a food pantry for anyone in need and installed a “little free pantry” outside the library for use after-hours use.
Davis received the Outstanding Youth Services Award on April 11 at an Alabama Library Association conference at Guntersville State Park.
He said he very much appreciates the award, especially that his colleagues thought enough of him to nominate him.
