Jefferson County Library Cooperative Celebrates Library Champions

By Susan Swagler

Every December, the Jefferson County Public Library Association celebrates local Library Champions – people and organizations nominated for their selfless work at various branches. These champions come from all walks of life and throughout the Birmingham metro area, but they all share a lifelong love of libraries.

This year, a library champion of another sort was honored alongside the recipients of the 2018 awards. She has made it her life’s work to be an everyday kind of champion for all the libraries of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC). Patricia Ryan served as the executive director of the JCLC for 20 years. The Library Champion luncheon this week was also her retirement party.

Before Ryan left, though, she nominated a special person as a 2018 Library Champion – former Congressman Ben Erdreich, who was a significant early advocate for the idea of a library cooperative.

All this is particularly fitting right now since the event caps off a yearlong celebration of the 40th anniversary of official cooperation among Jefferson County’s libraries. Erdreich had the vision; Ryan has been seen it through for fully half the time it’s been a reality.

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