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. However, the old library was bursting at the seams with no options to expand.
A new library was built on Thomas Avenue, which is a state-of-the-art facility with plenty of room for future growth.
The Boaz Public Library has had five previous librarians: Teresa Blair, Grace Allen, Elza Hurst, Sherrie Jones, and Doris Singleton. The current librarian is Lynn Burgess.
Library Board
Betty Jo Mastin, Chairperson
Hylan Walls, Vice Chairperson
Betty Metcalf, Secretary
Virginia Amberson
John Kitchens
The Boaz Public Library Board meets every other month on the first Monday of that month.
Meetings are held at the library at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
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