Our Mission is to Support Literacy and Connect Our Community.
Beginning as a branch public library, the now Semmes Regional Library is unique because this library has a story. It’s a story of how this community came together to support the efforts to secure a library for Semmes and surrounding rural communities. The quest for a Semmes Library began in the summer of 2007, when former Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine, the Mobile Public Library (under the leadership of Director Spencer Watts), the Semmes Library Committee (Caresse Fincher, Kim Leousis, Diane Moore, Terri Nelson, Pastor Vint Norris, Carolyn Owens, Ann Phillips, Mary Rodning, and Paula Webb), and the citizens of Semmes united to establish the facility. Each partner in the project was given a role to play, and all were involved in fundraising. To show good faith that residents were willing to work for a local library, the community accepted the goal of raising $300,000 for the Opening Day Collection of books, resources, computers, shelving, and other furnishings. Almost a year after the fundraising campaign began, the Semmes Library Committee announced in August 2008 that the challenging goal had been met and by Grand Opening Day, was far surpassed at $350,000 plus. Donations, large and small, from individuals, families, businesses, churches, local schools, corporations, foundations, state representatives, and grants came in to show support. Community-wide efforts like a massive Book Drive and Paper Recycling projects were launched as well. Residents of all ages were involved and vested in the library project. The community pulled together to make it happen.
The official Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the Semmes Branch Library was held on January 7, 2009. Located in a remodeled building at the corner of Moffett and McCrary Road, a large and enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers, dignitaries, officials and students were welcomed inside to view the 14,000 square-foot Semmes Library which houses: a Conference Room, a quiet Study Room, a Community Room, a Family Reading and Research area, an art display space named the Semmesonian, a Children’s Area, a Teens’ Area, and a Technology Center with free Internet access and approximately 45,000 plus materials, including books, DVDs and other items.