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The Library at Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Archives & Rare Book Room | Art Gallery | Catalog | Honors & Memorials | Thyme to Read | Contact Us

 

About The Library

The Library at Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the largest public horticultural library in the Southeast and is open to the public. Simply present your Jefferson County Library Card to check out one of over 6,000 books, DVDs, CDs, videos, and magazines from our circulating collection. Our collection is focused on gardening, horticulture, botanical and environmental topics; regardless of your gardening experience, we have something for you. We also have a great children's area with numerous items to stimulate young, developing minds. For professional educators, a section specifically dedicated to materials that help you build strong lesson plans and creative projects can be found. As a full-service public library, we can access all of the vast resources of the entire Jefferson County Public Library System. Stop by today and dig into a book - your knowledge is sure to grow!
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday | 9 - 4 p.m.
Saturday | 10 - 4 p.m.
Sunday | 2 - 5 p.m.

The Library Offers:

  • Large selection of new gardening books
  • Great children's section. Click here for the Kid's Catalog!
  • Over 65 different circulating gardening and horticulture magazines
  • A large collection of DVDs and CDs
  • Free internet access
  • Used books & magazines for sale
  • Magic School Bus DVDs
  • Eyewitness books and DVDs
  • Resource material for Hands-on Activities Science Program (HASP) modules on Living Things, Organisms, Plant Growth and Development, Butterflies, Ecosystems and Earthworms
  • Multiple copies of Peterson's First Guides: Forests, Trees, Urban Wildlife, Butterflies & Moths and Caterpillars
  • The entire Discovering Alabama series on DVD and Video
  • Teacher Resource Area with lesson plan materials
  • Friendly staff and volunteers to help with all your gardening questions
  • Free Wi-Fi

Contact Us
205.414.3920 | phone
205.414.3922 | fax

Got a gardening question? Email us

Thyme to Read Book Club

When: March 6

Title: Black Diamond

Author: Martin Walker

 
   

When: April 2

Title: Noah's Garden

Author: Sara Stein
   

When: May 7

Title: The Garden of Evening Mists

Author: Tan Twan Eng
   

When: June 4

Title: The Lantern

Author: Deborah Lawrenson
   

When: July 2

Title: An Unthymely Death

Author: Susan Wittig Albert

When: August 6

Title: Breaking Through Concrete

Author: David Hanson and Edwin Marty

When: September 10

Title: My Berlin Kitchen

Author: Luisa Weiss

When: October 8

Title: Garden of Secrets Past

Author: Anthony Eglin

When: November 5

Title: Founding Gardeners

Author: Andrea Wulf

When: December 3

Title: A Year in the Village of Eternity

Author: Tracey Lawson
Contact Hope Long, director of library services, at 205.414.3931 or hlong@bbgardens.org to learn more about the book club.

New to the Shelves

Success with Water-Saving Gardens

by Graham Clarke

The Modern Kitchen Garden

by Janelle McCulloch

Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs

The Birding Life

by Larry Sheehan

Timber Press Guide to Succulent Plants of the World

by Fred Dortort

Art of Creative Pruning

by Jake Hobson

Reclaiming Our Food

by Tanya Cobb

Concrete Garden Projects

by Malin Nilsson

Urban Soils

by Phillip Craul

Heirloom Life Gardener: the Baker Creek Way

by Jere Gettle

 

 

Honors & Memorials

Don't see a book in the library that you think we should have? We accept suggestions and donations. You can also choose to memorialize or honor a relative, friend, or professional colleague and help grow The Library at Birmingham Botanical Gardens at the same time.