Helping Families Feel Welcome: How Alabama Libraries Support Newcomers

When a family relocates, the hardest part isn’t unpacking boxes. It’s finding a place that feels steady and welcoming. Libraries across the country often play that role, bringing newcomers into the community. Two recent stories from My Alabama Library illustrate how libraries help families move from feeling like outsiders to feeling at home.

Finding a “Home Away from Home” in Fairhope

When Jada Pryor moved to Fairhope, Alabama, with her three children from Colorado, she was fulfilling a lifelong dream. She loved the town immediately, but without friends or family nearby, the early days were isolating. Jada wanted her children to feel safe and grounded, yet she struggled to find a place where they truly fit.

That changed when they visited the Fairhope Public Library.

From their very first visit, library staff welcomed the family with warmth and intention. Children’s librarians invited the kids to storytimes and creative programs, encouraging them to show up as themselves. During a children’s event early on, Jada watched her kids come out of their shells for the first time since the move. “I felt safe and free to just relax and take a deep breath,” she said.

Over time, the library became the family’s sanctuary. Staff supported the family’s homeschooling needs, celebrated the children’s writing and creative work, and created an environment where curiosity and individuality were valued. For Jada, the library also became a personal refuge where she could read and recharge.

Today, the Fairhope Public Library serves as a trusted home base for the family. It is the one place Jada knows her children will always be safe and welcome.

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From Floundering to Thriving in Florence

Several hundred miles north, another family experienced a similar transformation. When Robyn Kelly moved from Fort Worth, Texas, to Florence, Alabama, she found herself alone most days with a toddler and a baby while her husband worked long hours. New to the area and without a support network, she felt overwhelmed and isolated.

Hoping to find something for her young children, Robyn took them to the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.

There, she discovered a youth services department filled with daily programming, age-specific activities, and welcoming staff. Storytimes, crafts, and reading programs quickly became part of the family’s routine. Over the next two and a half years, Robyn’s children learned to read, built friendships, and developed a lasting love of books.

Just as importantly, Robyn found community. Relationships with library staff and other families helped turn a lonely chapter into one defined by connection and support. When the family eventually moved back to Texas, the impact of their time at the library remained profound and lasting.

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Why Libraries Matter for New Families

Libraries like those in Fairhope and Florence don’t become safe, welcoming spaces by accident. They exist because communities choose to fund, protect, and value them.

EveryLibrary works to ensure support continues by advocating for strong public funding and helping libraries remain open and accessible to the people who need them most. When libraries are protected, families arriving in a new place have somewhere to belong.

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries. 

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