Mayor Graham Smith
Mayor Graham Smith
Mayor Graham Smith
A library that leads — and what’s ahead this month.
“A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.” — Andrew Carnegie
One of the great privileges of serving as mayor is getting a front-row seat to the places that make Mountain Brook such a special community. At the top of that list is the O’Neal Library. It serves as our city’s living room [and] learning hub and one of the most vibrant public spaces in Jefferson County.
If you’ve ever wondered just how busy our library is, the numbers tell a remarkable story. On an average day, the O’Neal Library welcomes 450 visitors, and 1,400 digital and print materials are checked out. Over the course of a year, more than 175,000 people walk through the doors, and residents check out over 480,000 items — a number that puts us in impressive company. Of the 19 libraries in Jefferson County, O’Neal consistently vies with Homewood for the third- or fourth-highest circulation. Hoover leads the pack with more than one million items checked out annually (let’s give them a run for their money!), followed by Birmingham Public with just over 500,000. And right behind them, punching far above its weight, is our very own O’Neal Library.
Our success is the result of a dedicated staff, a supportive community and a vision that sees the library not just as a building with books but as a place where community and curiosity take center stage. And this winter season, that spirit is on full display with a fantastic lineup of events for all ages.
Mark your calendars for two signature events at the O’Neal Library.
Kick off the new year with Burns Night on Jan. 24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., a spirited celebration of Scottish poet Robert Burns. Enjoy bagpipes, haggis, poetry and live Scottish music — all free to the community. Guests are encouraged to don their plaid, family tartan or kilt. Register at oneallibrary.org.
Next up, the beloved 2026 Friends of the Library Book Sale returns in February. The festivities begin with the Preview Party on Thursday, Feb. 19, exclusively for Mountain Brook Library Foundation donors of $50 or more, who get first access to rare finds, first editions, puzzles and frame-worthy prints. The full sale opens to the public Feb. 20-22, offering more than 25,000 books across every genre. Proceeds support teen and adult programming. If you’ve never attended, I highly suggest checking it out.
I hope you’ll commit to trying something new in 2026, whether at our library or elsewhere. Cheers and Happy New Year!
