The Birmingham Public Library was established in 1886 as an adjunct of the city’s public schools. John Herbert Phillips, then superintendent of the public school system, set up a library in a room adjoining his office, and this particular library grew over several decades. Finally, in 1913, a public library board was established, and the City of Birmingham assumed responsibility for funding the institution. From humble but hopeful beginnings in a room not much bigger than a closet, the Birmingham Public Library concluded the 20th century as one of the largest and most well-respected library systems in the southeast. In 1998 holdings amounted to more than a million books and non-book items including audio and video recordings and computer files, more than 2,500 current periodical subscriptions and over 3000 titles in periodical back files, more than a million government documents in paper and microforms, and system-wide access to the Internet in every location. Annual circulation of approximately 1.7 million checkouts is matched by an equal number of materials being used in the libraries and through electronic access. Birmingham Public Library accounts for 46% of the circulation in the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, which posts a combined circulation of almost 3.7 million items checked out annually. The mission of the Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life long learning, cultural enrichment and enjoyment.

Library Facilities
19 separate locations
870 hours per week open for business
368,000 total square feet
Public spaces for meetings and exhibits
Systemwide service from all outlets

Library Holdings
900,000 cataloged items
Over 1 million pieces of microfilm
Over 30,000,000 archival documents (14,000 linear feet)
400,000 photographs
Primary materials dating to the 1700s
More than 100 online databases
Only public library in the state that is a Patent and Trademark Library
One of the oldest Federal Depository Libraries, designated in 1895