The highly anticipated South Huntsville Public Library opened on Monday after 19 months of construction. The new facility, located in Sandra Moon Community Complex, marks a new chapter for South Huntsville with a focus on community engagement.

City Council President Jenny Robinson stated that a library serves as a community’s living room.

“And because of that, libraries are more than just a place to store and read books,” she added.

The new library provides a variety of amenities that include classroom spaces, private study rooms, a children’s puppet theatre, teen gaming center, and a Makerspace Studio equipped with 3-D printers.

Phil Riddick, Madison County Commissioner representing District 5, stated that the library will be the focal point of education and community collaboration in South Huntsville.

One important collaboration was already taking place at the library’s opening ceremony. HATCH, Huntsville’s hospitality workforce training program, opened its first independent café inside the new library.

The café is part of the curriculum that students of the hospitality workforce will experience during the 8-week training program. All purchases at HATCH will help fund the paid job and life skill training program open to young adults aged 18-24.

“Know that when they buy a coffee, it’s a coffee with a purpose,” said a HATCH representative about the partnership with the new library. “It means something and it’s so perfect that it’s right here in the library.”

The library represents a joint effort fund raising of almost $12 million in total.

Half of that was provided by the city of Huntsville while the Madison County Commission gave $4 million. The Huntsville Library Foundation also contributed $1.8 million through private donations.

Mayor Tommy Battle said the joint project is a milestone for all the partners involved who had the same dream for the library.

“Today’s opening marks a milestone for the city and its partners, who have spent many years dreaming of, fundraising for and planning what this library could be. I am thrilled to see this state-of-the-art facility come to life.”

For more information, please visit https://hmcpl.org/south

Photo credits: Noah Logan