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Mayor Todd Strange talks about the reopening of the Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library on April, 23, 2018 in Montgomery, Alabama. Wochit

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With renovations to the Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library in downtown earlier this year, many Montgomery residents celebrated the new additions.

The Montgomery Room, one of the newest parts of the building, has been little noticed by most citizens. The space, open anytime during library hours, has hundreds of books, microfilm, files and other resources about local and state history.

"We have always had the collection, but since we renovated the library we now have a dedicated room. Now it has its own space. It looks like an old library," said Karen Preuss, assistant library director.

The hyper-local resources have already served as a research space for several residents, especially when it comes to tracking down genealogy info.

Jim Cannon, a librarian, said they also have yearbooks and old city directories for many years. He explained, with a smile, that he wasn't sure how they had gotten to the library in the first place, because those types of books aren't sought out intentionally.

Both library workers said the space functions much like the state's beloved archives with a bent toward accessibility. They recommend residents come, explore and pull books off the shelf. Cannon said visitors will likely find personal and close connections within the city.

“It’s a really great room if you are not coming in for a specific research topic. I think it is a wonderful room to just browse and discover," Preuss said. 

Cannon said the library will be hosting Alabama bicentennial and Black History Month-themed events. Through their existing collection, they will curate the books to highlight interesting facts and tidbits from those time's history.

In addition, he said they also host classes and students who are learning to do research or need information for a project.

This type of resource is an example of what the library is trying to offer to citizens beyond the regular experience, Preuss said, and it fulfills their mission to collect and organize important historical texts.

The books in the collection are not available to be checked out, but researchers are welcome to take notes and use the space as long as needed. It is located on the second floor of the library, tucked down a hallway next to the old auditorium. 

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