Woodfin Transition Education Co-Chair Stresses Partnering Library Resources to Help Birmingham Schools

BPL Executive Director Floyd Council
and Mayor Randall Woodfin

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin’s transition team co-chair of Education and Workforce Development urged the City of Birmingham to examine partnerships between the city’s 19 libraries and the Birmingham City School System.

"The Birmingham Public Library has a tremendous amount of resources that can be used toward wrap-around services in conjunction with the Birmingham City Schools,” said Fred McCallum, a retired former CEO of AT&T in Birmingham, during his remarks at Mayor Woodfin’s First 100 Days event at the Alabama Theatre on Thursday, March 16.

Woodfin, who served as president of the Birmingham Board of Education prior to being elected mayor, also pledged the city’s support of city schools while addressing Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring, who co-chaired the education committee.

The Woodfin Way, the mayor’s transition report, contained a series of recommendations for progress in Birmingham based on public input from citizens and a series of meetings with members of the transition team. The Education Committee section said the relationship between the mayor’s office and city schools in the past had been weak, but added there are plenty of opportunities for support and collaboration between the city and Birmingham public schools.

Floyd Council, executive director of the Birmingham Public Library, said the evening featuring the transition team reports “was historic.” He commended the Woodfin transition team, Mayor Woodfin, and Dr. Lisa Herring for amazing leadership.

“I expected it, but when Mayor Woodfin announced that he and Dr. Lisa Herring would formalize an official partnership between the City of Birmingham and the Birmingham City Schools, I almost wanted to fly out of my seat,” Council said. “This will mean that the Birmingham Public Library and all other city departments can formally work together toward putting our children first via sound wrap-around services toward impactful education and workforce development.”

Council said the Birmingham Public Library will be a part of many impactful developments stemming from the city’s multifaceted planning and community engagement effort to improve education and spark workforce development.

“As executive director, my team and I stand ready to partner, support, and, most importantly, serve our community via holistic and eclectic collaboration, as charged by our Library Board of Trustees,” Council said.

Council said BPL has resources to assist Birmingham City Schools including 19 locations across the city, a world class Linn-Henley Research Library collection, a YOUMedia designated Create 205 Innovation Lab, and a progressive digital library collection.