Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • The meeting was an Adult Program Swap session where library staff from multiple branches shared successful and upcoming program ideas.
  • Free programming partnerships (Alzheimer's Association, UAB Neuroscience Brain Chats, BPL Genealogy Programs) were highlighted as high-value, low-cost options.
  • Craft-based programs (junk journaling, book wreaths, yarn pumpkins, collage bookmarks) are proving popular and cost-effective across branches.
  • Mahjong meetups are experiencing explosive demand across multiple library branches, presenting both opportunity and resource challenges.
  • A shared database of craft and program ideas was proposed for the JCLC intranet to help all branches access resources efficiently.
  • The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 12th, via Zoom, on the topic of staff burnout and morale.

Attendees:

Shannon, Hoover
Tisha, Bessemer
Beverly, Gardendale
Brianna, Center Point
Jayla, Inglenook
Ellen, Avondale
Rebecca, Trussville
Rachel, Botanical Gardens
Holly, Trussville
Tara, Vestavia
Ashley, Gardendale
Allison, Pinson
Holley, O'Neal
Katie, Springville Road

Discussed Topics

2. Avondale Branch Program Highlights

Avondale shared several successful passive and active adult programs.

  • Details

    • Described a Pumpkin Fairy House program for adults using Dollar Tree Styrofoam pumpkins, with photos shared on Facebook.
    • Runs a weekly grab-and-go passive program and a monthly activity pack.
    • Also introduced a Tea and Tales program modeled after a Spice Club concept, featuring tea information folders, food pairings, book recommendations, recipes, and bookmarks.

  • Conclusion

    • Passive programs and themed take-home kits are effective, low-barrier engagement tools for adult patrons.

3. Alzheimer's Association Programming Partnership

A long-running partnership with the Alzheimer's Association was presented as a free, expandable resource for other branches.

  • Details

    • Hoover has partnered with the Alzheimer's Association for nearly a decade, offering monthly caregiver-focused presentations.

      • Topics include finances, emotional coping, resources, and periodic research updates with expert speakers.
      • Attendance ranges from 4 to 14 participants, making it feasible for any branch size.
      • Suggested advertising through senior centers, as many attendees are caregivers of partners.

  • Conclusion

    • Other branches, including larger ones like Springville Road, are encouraged to consider quarterly or more frequent Alzheimer's Association programming.

    • Contact information:

      • Jill Thompson, Director of Programs, AR/AL/LA
        501-239-8229, jithompson@alz.org

4. UAB Neuroscience Brain Chats

A free, growing program featuring UAB PhD researchers presenting accessible neuroscience topics was highlighted.

  • Details

    • Brain Chats are held monthly (every third Saturday) at Hoover, covering topics such as Alzheimer's, strokes, and other neurological subjects.
    • Attendance has grown from 8–9 people to 45 at the most recent session, requiring two rooms.
    • Contact is Audrey Coachman; the program is free and the UAB team is interested in expanding to other libraries. Contact information: Audrey Coachman, Program Director, Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, Center for Neuroengineering and Brain-Computer Interfaces, UAB | The University of Alabama at Birmingham, P: 205-975-1066 | E: audrey11@uab.edu

  • Conclusion

    • Brain Chats represent a high-quality, free program with demonstrated audience growth potential and are recommended for other branches to explore.

5. BPL Genealogy Programs

Free genealogy presentations from Birmingham Public Library's Archives and Southern History department were discussed.

  • Details

    • Programs feature Mary Ann Ellis and Mary Beth Newbil from Southern History; attendance has grown from 4–5 to a steady dozen or more.
    • Suggested pairing genealogy presentations with hands-on Ancestry.com demonstrations in the computer lab.
    • Link to their current program offerings.

  • Conclusion

    • Genealogy programs are free, build a loyal returning audience, and can be enhanced with practical database demonstrations.

6. Candle Making Program (Springville Road Branch)

A summer reading candle-making program was shared as a successful hands-on adult activity.

  • Details

    • Katie Vainrib: A candle-making instructor came to the library and provided all equipment, including hot wax setups. Costs for workshop was $150.
    • Katie Vainrib: Participants made candles from scratch and took them home.
    • Contact: Tiphanie Carter, lanaelounge@gmail.com, 205-914-8267

  • Conclusion

    • Candle making is a popular, self-contained program where the presenter supplies all materials, minimizing library investment.

7. Hope Financial / Financial Literacy Programming

A free financial literacy program through Hope Financial was presented.

  • Details

    • Katie Vainrib: Judy Woods of Hope Financial offers free programs covering money scams, saving strategies, and account types, particularly popular with seniors.
    • Contact information:

  • Conclusion

    • Judy Woods of Hope Financial is a free, well-received resource; contact information will be included in the minutes. You can contact Judy Woods, Financial Well-being Coach at Operation HOPE, by calling (205) 478-0557 or emailing judy.woods@operationhope.org.

8. AI Literacy Programming

A basics of AI program and broader discussion about AI programming approaches were shared.

  • Details

    • Katie Vainrib: Hosted a basic ChatGPT program covering practical uses and safety features, including how to disable data-sharing settings.
    • Noted interest in both "how to use AI wisely" and "how to avoid AI" programming angles, framing AI as a new literacy.
    • Katie Vainrib: Expressed openness to hosting a program on removing AI from devices for patrons who prefer to opt out.

  • Conclusion

    • AI programming should address both adoption and avoidance perspectives to serve diverse patron needs. Contact is Leila Lewis of Solid Ground Strategies, leila@sgroundstrat.com

9. Beekeeping / Homesteading Programming

A youth beekeeping program that spilled into the adult department was discussed, along with ideas for a broader homesteading series.

  • Details

    • Katie Vainrib: A beekeeping program was held in the adult department due to broken windows in the youth department; parents attended alongside children.
    • Suggested reaching out to amateur beekeeping associations, local family farms, and the Extension Service for future programming.
    • Proposed a homesteading series concept incorporating beekeeping, gardening (e.g., tomatoes), and Extension Service offerings.
    • One resource: Foxhound Bee Company in Irondale, +1 205 670 1337, hi@foxhoundbeecompany.com
    • JeffCo Extension Service has an ongoing At Home Beekeeping series. Link with contact information might yield a speaker to contact.
    • JeffCo Beekeeper's Assn might yield a speaker too: https://www.jeffcobees.org/about

  • Conclusion

    • Local agricultural organizations and the Extension Service are underutilized free resources for library programming.

10. Homewood Branch DIY Adult Programs

Holly P from Homewood shared low-cost, self-facilitated adult programs.

  • Details

    • Holly P- Homewood: Hosted a Gilmore Girls Galentines event in February featuring the show's first episode (via Swank), a photo booth, cookie decorating, valentine-making stations, and a photo booth with vintage photos.
    • Holly P- Homewood: Ran a "judge a book by its cover" activity where groups read back covers, invented their own plot summaries, and competed to convince others theirs was real — described as highly engaging and community-building.

  • Conclusion

    • DIY programs using streaming licenses and simple craft supplies can be highly successful without external presenters or large budgets.

11. Furoshiki Japanese Gift Wrapping Program

A planned December program on Japanese fabric gift wrapping was discussed.

  • Details

    • Planning to revive a Furoshiki wrapping program by self-teaching via YouTube and sourcing scarves from thrift stores.
    • Suggested creating a handout on the history and sustainability angle of Furoshiki.
    • Katie Vainrib: Suggested a gift wrapping party concept with donated supplies.
    • Holley: Mentioned a previously planned "Wrap and Yap" program that was cancelled and encouraged others to run with the idea.

  • Conclusion

    • Self-taught programming using YouTube is a viable approach; a gift wrapping or Furoshiki event is recommended for December.

12. Jólabókaflóð (Icelandic Book Flood) / Silent Book Club Partnership

A cozy Icelandic book-exchange tradition and a partnership with Silent Book Club were presented.

  • Details

    • Described the Jólabókaflóð tradition (book flood) event featuring couches, a large-screen fireplace video, hot cocoa, cookies, and passive ornament decorating.
    • This year's event on December 5th will be co-hosted with the Hoover Silent Book Club, which has created a Facebook event for the program.
    • Noted that Silent Book Clubs meet throughout Birmingham and could be partnered with at other branches.

  • Conclusion

    • Partnering with existing community groups like Silent Book Club amplifies reach through their established social media followings.

13. Book Page Crafts (Wreaths, Cones, Flowers)

A discussion of crafts made from repurposed book pages was shared.

  • Details

    • Recently hosted a book page cone/wreath program; patrons made their own cones using hot glue and cardboard circles.
    • Raised the idea of investing in rechargeable glue guns to allow more participants to work away from outlets.
    • Working on book page flower designs accessible to all ages.
    • Running a monthly all-ages craft series including collage bookmarks (laminated on-site), yarn pumpkins, ornaments, and magazine/book trees for December.

  • Conclusion

    • Rechargeable glue guns are recommended as a worthwhile investment; book page crafts are versatile, low-cost, and popular across age groups.

14. Sweater Sleeve Pumpkins and Yarn Crafts

A highly successful passive and active yarn pumpkin program was described.

  • Details

    • Holley: Received a large yarn donation and used big plastic needles to make yarn pumpkins; the program was so popular that leftover supplies became a two-week passive program.
    • Referenced sweater sleeve pumpkin tutorials seen on Instagram as another variation.

  • Conclusion

    • Yarn pumpkin programs are easy, inexpensive (especially with donations), and can transition seamlessly into passive programming.

15. Free Puzzle Donation from Ravensburger

A tip about obtaining free puzzles from Ravensburger for puzzle competitions was shared.

  • Details

    • Holley: Shared a link (noted as looking spammy but confirmed legitimate) to request free puzzles from Ravensburger; received 15 copies of the same puzzle. Note: link looks spammy but is legit if not a lengthy process!
    • Holley: Hosting a puzzle competition Thursday with spots remaining for four teams; selected a 750-piece puzzle.
    • Runs puzzle competitions with up to 25 teams; recommends 500-piece puzzles as the sweet spot; previously received a donation of 25 matching puzzles from True South Puzzles.

  • Conclusion

16. Free Wellness and Community Resource Programs

Several free community partner programs were highlighted.

  • Details

    • United Way will present on Medicaid programs and Area Agency on Aging services without a sales agenda.
    • Operation Hope's Jerica Parchman offers free money management workshops and one-on-one financial counseling (also works with Truist). You can contact Jerrica Parchman, Financial Well-Being Coach and Credit Specialist at Operation HOPE, at 404-795-6247 or by email at erica.parchman@operationhope.org.
    • Alabama Humanities Alliance (AHA) mini grants support historical programming; Molly is presenting on Alabama cemeteries in early October, with book giveaways from the Alabama Historical Association.

  • Conclusion

    • United Way, Operation Hope, and AHA are free, community-oriented partners that provide ready-made, well-received programming.

17. Crow Party (Intergenerational Event)

An upcoming creative intergenerational event was described.

  • Details

    • A "Crow Party" is planned for October — attendees dress in black and bring a shiny trinket; described as intergenerational and developed in collaboration with Jenny from downstairs.
    • Plans also include a quilt-making component.

  • Conclusion

    • The Crow Party concept was enthusiastically received; written details will be requested for inclusion in the minutes.

18. Broadway in Birmingham / Sing-Along Partnership

A partnership with Broadway in Birmingham for movie sing-alongs was shared.

  • Details

    • When a Broadway musical comes to BJCC, the library hosts a free sing-along screening in its theater.
    • Broadway in Birmingham has gifted tickets for raffle giveaways; a Hamilton sing-along with ticket giveaways was cited as a successful example.

  • Conclusion

    • Partnering with Broadway in Birmingham for sing-along events is a creative, low-cost way to tie library programming to major cultural events in the city.

19. Junk Journaling and Make & Mingle Programs (Pinson Library)

Allison S. from Abbott Pinson shared two highly successful open-ended craft programs.

  • Details

    • Allison S.: Monthly junk journaling program (essentially modern scrapbooking using craft scraps, lace, stamps, and found materials) draws 12–25 participants; patrons bring their own journals and sometimes their own supplies.
    • Allison S.: Summer reading finale "Make and Mingle" invited patrons to bring any craft project; participants included crocheters, junk journalers, and resin crafters; leftover craft supplies were available for those without projects.
    • Allison S.: Both programs help clear out storage of accumulated craft materials.
    • Noted the value of accepting magazine donations from patrons for vision board programs and collage crafts; old home decorating magazines have been in use for three years.

  • Conclusion

    • Open-ended craft socials are easy to facilitate, require minimal preparation, and effectively use surplus library materials.

20. Anime and Unwind / Korean Culture Programming (Pinson Library)

Allison S. shared two culturally themed adult programs with strong attendance from younger adult demographics.

  • Details

    • Allison S.: Anime and Unwind has run for over two years, drawing 10–20 attendees aged roughly 20–40; features ramen, name-draw episode selection, and casual discussion.
    • Allison S.: A new Korean Culture program is launching in October, informed by a patron survey; planned activities include photo card trading, drama recommendations, dance practice, and potentially Korean language instruction.
    • Confirmed that Tisha at another branch also runs an anime program featuring manga reading, anime viewing, trivia, Japanese snacks, and Shrinky Dinks crafts.

  • Conclusion

    • Anime and Korean culture programming effectively attracts younger adult patrons (20s–40s) who are otherwise difficult to engage; community surveys help shape relevant content.

21. America 250 / DAR Programming (Pinson Library)

Year-long programming tied to the America 250 commemoration was described.

  • Details

    • Allison S.: Partnered with author and docent-in-training Irene Latham for talks on Revolutionary War-era topics; the food and dining habits presentation was particularly popular.
    • Allison S.: Connected with two local DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) chapters who participate in Constitution Week and community outreach.

  • Conclusion

    • DAR chapters are active community partners willing to engage with libraries; reaching out to local chapters is recommended for other branches.

22. McWane Center Paleontology / Citizen Science Program

A citizen science fossil-sorting program from McWane Center was discussed.

  • Details

    • Allison S.: Jun Ebersole from McWane Center presented a citizen science program at Pinson; attendance was lower than hoped.
    • The same program at Hoover drew over 45 participants; the program involves sorting gravel and fossil material to help a graduate student identify Ice Age species from a specific excavation site.
    • Suggested the program would be ideal for homeschool groups.
    • Allison S.: Noted that Jun Ebersole has a sometimes unpredictable schedule but is easy to work with.

  • Conclusion

    • The McWane Center citizen science program is highly engaging for adults and families; promotion strategy significantly impacts attendance.

23. RiffTrax Movie Matinees (Trussville Library)

Rebecca shared a unique movie program using RiffTrax commentary.

  • Details

    • RiffTrax (rifftrax.com) is a service providing comedic commentary tracks for films, similar to Mystery Science Theater 3000; shown every other month.
    • Rebecca emailed RiffTrax for permission to screen without charging admission; they approved and sent free DVDs for the library collection.

  • Conclusion

    • RiffTrax is a free, permission-granted program option; contact information will be included in the minutes.

24. Sign Language 101 and Fantasy Writing Workshop (Trussville Library)

Rebecca shared two additional popular programs via chat.

  • Details

    • Sign Language 101 with Nancy Barbara is very popular at Trussville. Contact info: carmeleyes@gmail.com
    • A Fantasy Writing Workshop with Cassie Schuchart cassieschuchart@gmail.com has also been well received.

25. Mahjong Programming Demand and Logistics

A wide-ranging discussion about the surging demand for Mahjong across multiple branches was held.

  • Details

    • Allison S.: Pinson receives constant patron requests for Mahjong; hosted classes in June and July but found it difficult to find reliable instructors; cost was approximately $400 for a maximum of 10 participants.
    • Hoover has invested in four Mahjong sets (purchased cheaply on Amazon around Christmas); hosts a two weekly daytime groups (16–24 attendees) and a once-monthly evening group; is launching a library-sponsored monthly Mahjong meetup.
    • Holley: O'Neal library hosts weekly Monday meetups (10 a.m.–noon) averaging 50–70 participants; the first Monday of each month includes an introductory tile orientation for new players; the branch has approximately 10–15 sets acquired over time.
    • Noted that sets can be found on Amazon for around $50 and added to the Library of Things; Rebecca at Trussville has five sets purchased by the Friends group, some found for $30 each.
    • Allison S.: Expressed concern about investing in sets if patron interest wanes.
    • Shared that she is self-teaching via the free Mahjong for Friends app and plans to eventually teach patrons herself.

  • Conclusion

    • Mahjong meetup (rather than formal lessons) is the most scalable model; sets can be sourced affordably on Amazon, especially around Christmas; patron demand is consistently high across branches.

26. Proposed Shared Program/Craft Idea Database

A suggestion to create a centralized, searchable database of program and craft ideas on the JCLC intranet was raised.

  • Details

    • Proposed a shared platform where all branches contribute links to program ideas, categorized by cost (free, low-cost, expensive) and type.
    • Allison S.: Expressed support; noted the value for staff who need quick ideas and lack time or budget.
    • Acknowledged the need for ongoing link maintenance as URLs can expire. If anyone is interested in helping develop this, give Shannon H a heads-up!

  • Conclusion

    • The idea was well-received; further discussion needed on implementation platform and maintenance responsibilities.

27. Elysium House Programming (Jason Kirby)

A handout about Elysium House, a paid programming vendor, was referenced.

  • Details

    • Jason Kirby, a former librarian at the Botanical Gardens, now runs Elysium House, offering programs such as house healing, water witching, and cord cutting; has presented at Bessemer and Hoover.
    • Link to handout here.

  • Conclusion

    • Elysium House is a known vendor for unique, experiential adult programs; handout to be shared via email.

28. Fossil Treasures of Alabama Documentary (Brenda Ladun / APT)

An upcoming Alabama Public Television documentary and related library event were announced.

  • Details

    • Brenda Ladun has produced a 25-minute documentary on Alabama's unique fossils, featuring McWane Center paleontologists and amateur fossil hunters, streaming on APT in November.
    • Ladun will present the documentary at Hoover Library's theater and take questions; may be available to visit other area libraries depending on her schedule.

  • Conclusion

29. Next Meeting Announcement

The upcoming meeting date and topic were announced.

  • Details

    • The next meeting is Thursday, November 12th, via Zoom only.
    • Topic is staff burnout and morale, timed to coincide with end-of-year pressures.

  • Conclusion

    • All participants are encouraged to register for the upcoming JCPLA staff day and to attend the November 12th Zoom meeting.

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