Story By John Mann

Step inside the front door of the Boaz Public Library and you’ll see a new table has been set up, a hot chocolate bar that will serve as a month long fundraiser for the Friends of the Library.

“So far it’s gone very well,” Library Director Lynn Burgess said. “It’s not a huge fundraiser for us but we will have it all month and I believe so far we’ve sold between fifty and seventy five which is a really good start. It’s right by the front door; everything was donated, which means it’s all profit for the library.”

The Hot Chocolate Bar allows visitors to make their own custom hot chocolate or apple cider with prices at three dollars each or two for five. It’s just one of multiple things going on for the Friends this year, who held their first meeting of 2026 on Thursday.

During the meeting the Friends approved funding for their January food distribution, which is now occurring monthly. Their distribution in November proved to be very successful as all fifty bags were given out “in three minutes,” according to Burgess. The follow up distribution in January was upped to one hundred bags thanks to a new partnership with Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, who will continue to partner with the library. The next distribution is scheduled for January 30.

“The were looking for a project to do as a church,” Burgess said. “At one time I believe they had a food pantry and one of their members, John Lowry, reached out to me and I told them what we were doing. It just lined up perfectly, he talked to the church members and they were all ready to help with the funding and volunteering, it’s been a wonderful partnership.”

The Friends also approved 172.00 to restock the library’s two Aunt Flow hygiene product dispensers, which will pay for a five hundred count case of products. The dispenser boxes were paid for by the city and have proven to be a well-used service at the library.

“We’ve had to refill them several times now,” Burgess said. “It’s a good, free product. It’s not embarrassing because they are in the restrooms and easily available, it’s turned into a good service that we’ve been happy to provide.”

One of the biggest changes soon to come to the library is the addition of four new private study cells, which have been given the go ahead and will be constructed by Boaz Legacy Commission member Wayne Hunt. The cells will provide much needed study space for the library and could be completed as early as May.

“We’re working out the furniture details and that kind of thing but it’s ready to go and we’re very excited,” Burgess said. “We have a lot of students from the high school and from Snead State, we have tutors that come work with their students, businesses that hold things like interviews and even therapists that meet their patients. I think this will be a great addition, Wayne Hunt is kind of our go-to guy, he’s our Mr. Fix-It, he had a cabinet shop in his previous life and he’s very talented, he can do anything.”

Coming up in April the Friends will also be holding their Indoor Yard Sale, for which they are currently accepting donations. Items to be donated can be brought to the front desk of the library, and carts are available for helping to move objects. The sale will open on April 14 and run through April 17.

Membership in the Boaz Friends of the Library is only twenty dollars a year and applications can be found at the circulation desk. Volunteering is appreciated but not a requirement for membership.

“You can put in as much or as little as you want,” Burgess said. “We have people that just pay their dues and that’s it but we also have others who come and volunteer for programs. We’re just happy to have everyone.”

The Boaz Public Library is located at 404 Thomas Avenue and is open six days a week, closing on Sunday. Hours are 9-7 Monday to Thursday, 9-5 on Friday and 9-3 on Saturday. More information can be found on the Library’s Facebook page at “Boaz Public Library.”