Library Cooperative moves into new facility in Loxley

By John Underwood
Business Editor
John@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 2/9/22

LOXLEY — The Baldwin County Library Cooperative has officially made the move from its previous facility at the Central Annex in Robertsdale to a new location in Loxley.

BCLC is a 501 (c )(3) …

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Library Cooperative moves into new facility in Loxley

Posted

LOXLEY — The Baldwin County Library Cooperative has officially made the move from its previous facility at the Central Annex in Robertsdale to a new location in Loxley.

BCLC is a 501 (c )(3) non-profit membership network which offers books, DVDs, CDs and computers, as well as WiFi printing from mobile devices, copies, scans and fax services for a small fee. The facility also acts as a hub for Baldwin County's 13 municipal libraries.

In addition to its central office, BCLC locations include public libraries in Bay Minette, Daphne, Elberta, Fairhope, Foley, Gulf Shores (Thomas B. Norton Library), Loxley, Magnolia Springs, Orange Beach, Robertsdale, Silverhill (Oscar Johnson Memorial Library), Spanish Fort and Summerdale.

The BCLC also offers a bookmobile, which visits daycares, senior living communities, churches and other facilities, including providing WiFi hotspot locations to areas that cannot get home internet services.

The cooperative also includes an interlibrary courier service that delivers materials between libraries maintaining a shared collection of over 500,000 items between the libraries.

BCLC also hosts the Interlibrary Loan program that sends and receives library materials from anywhere in the country, Baldwin County Library Cooperative Director Elizabeth Webb said.

"If we don't have an item, we can get it," she said. "We've received requests for books from as far away as Australia, Denmark and Malaysia. We've lent out books to Quantico's Federal Bureau of Investigations Library, New York Public Library, University of Alabama and Auburn University."

BCLC has also partnered with Baldwin County Public Schools to provide the SORA reading app for students.

After being located in the facility at the Central Annex, 22251 Palmer St. in Robertsdale for more than 20 years, BCLC moved into its new facility at 3147 First Ave. in Loxley over the Christmas holidays.

While the new 2,000-square foot facility quite a bit smaller than the previous 7,000-square-foot facility, Library Director Elizabeth Webb said it also includes expansive grounds, and she said she is looking forward to working with the space.

"I think it's cute. I think it's adorable," she said. "I don't think we've had a facility with a yard in about 40 years and I'm looking forward to utilizing that space. At the end of the day, I think it will help the BCLC turn things around."

Webb said she plans to partner with local businesses, including providing outdoor space for yoga classes from a nearby business and utilizing outdoor space for Loxley Public Library's programs. There are also plans to have a playground area for children and there are plans to stage tours showcasing nearby historic landmarks.

Webb said plans are to eventually build a larger facility east of the Baldwin Beach Express near
Interstate 10.

"I am looking forward to being in that area, which is an underserved area of the county," she said.

"That's what it's really all about, getting books and materials into the hands of people who need them.

"Wherever we are needed, that's where we are going."