• The Mission Statement of the Birmingham Library Program

  To work collaboratively with classroom teachers and administrators to provide the resources and instruction for students and staff so that they will:

  1. Expand their reading interests and abilities
  2. Become effective researchers
  3. Use inquiry and technology meaningfully
  4. Enhance critical thinking 
  5. Gain and create new knowledge

Birmingham Public Schools believes that education is the responsibility of the entire school community, including parents, teachers, administrators, students, and citizens living in our school district. The school district supports parents and recognizes their right to know the curriculum we use and the books their child is checking out of our libraries. The school district also supports the principles of freedom of information and the student's right to access materials as stated in the American Library Association's documents: The Freedom to Read, Freedom to View, Library Bill of Rights, and Access to Resources and Services in the School Library, and interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. Occasionally, a parent may wish to ensure that their child does not have access to a book or books, or a member of the school community may object to library materials despite the quality of the selection process.

Watch this video to hear directly from our BPS librarians about our library resources and selection process, how you can partner with your child's school to raise lifelong readers, and choose exactly which books your child can access in our school libraries.