Photo by Lexi Coon.
Lindsy Gardner, an Alabama native from Linden, is heading the Emmet O’Neal Library as its new director.
Lindsy Gardner, director of the O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook, has been recognized with two prestigious awards from the Alabama Library Association: the Distinguished Service Award and the Intellectual Freedom Award, honoring her outstanding leadership and tireless advocacy for libraries across the state.
Gardner, who has served as O’Neal Library director since 2017, was nominated for the awards by peers from across Alabama, including Amanda Borden, director of the Hoover Public Library, with support from the Jefferson County Library Cooperative. “I was nominated by fellow library directors for these awards,” Gardner said. “I deeply respect and admire the library directors around the state, and to be recognized and honored by them is very touching.”
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a librarian or an individual in a related field in recognition of leadership that has resulted in a significant contribution toward the development of library service within Alabama. Gardner thinks her advocacy work for libraries in the legislature and around the state, combined with her efforts to strengthen collaboration among library directors statewide, contributed to her nomination for this award.
Gardner has been instrumental in fostering a stronger support network for library leaders, especially through her role as president of the Public Library Directors Association of Alabama. Under her leadership, the organization has hosted virtual roundtables, professional development sessions and increased communication among public libraries, including those in more rural and isolated regions.
“Before I came to Jefferson County, I worked in small rural libraries where the nearest library director was in the next county, which could easily be a 30- or 45-minute drive,” Gardner said. “So it was much harder to have that kind of support and is something that I really value about Jefferson County, and that I feel is achievable across the state. That's one of the things that I've worked really hard on with a lot of other people.”
The Intellectual Freedom Award acknowledges Gardner’s work defending access to information and promoting the role of libraries as vital community spaces for education and dialogue. In recent years, public libraries have found themselves at the center of political and social debates about book access and public funding. Gardner has helped lead advocacy efforts to inform local and state officials about the crucial role libraries play in civic life.
“Last year, there were over 9 million visits to Alabama libraries and there are about 220 public libraries in the state,” Gardner said. “So libraries play a really important role, but I think sometimes we need to be more vocal about what we do and so I have certainly supported those efforts to make our stakeholders and elected officials more aware of how important libraries are.”
This can be seen in her time at O’Neal Library, where Gardner has maintained strong relationships with city leaders and kept the public engaged. Her leadership was especially crucial during the pandemic and a significant building closure caused by flooding — times when collaboration among county library directors helped ensure continued service.
While Gardner is honored by the personal recognition, she’s quick to point out that the awards reflect a larger community of professionals. “While I'm the beneficiary of this award, I myself have learned so much and gained so much from working with these other library directors, and that has had a direct influence on my leadership and what we've done here,” Gardner said. “So it's not just the moral support, it's hearing about all the cool things that other libraries are doing and getting new ideas — that's all really benefited O’Neal Library as well.”
