BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
EAST ALABAMA — The Horseshoe Bend Regional Library System is taking library access beyond its walls, expanding story-time outreach across Lee County and preparing to launch a $25,000 mobile book locker in Smiths Station. Samantha Godsy delivered an update to the Lee County Commission Monday, Aug. 10.
“Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak to all of you again today, representing the Horseshoe Bend Regional Library System,” Godsy said. “We have had a really excellent year in the Horseshoe Bend Regional Library System. We’ve seen significant growth in the county, as well as throughout the region, in our total number of bookmobile stops, as well as outreach visits and story time, and I want to particularly highlight our increase in story time.”
Godsy said the library system provides weekly story times during the summer for children at childcare centers throughout the county.
“We actually are able, through our financial aid from the state, to pay contractual storytellers to go out and do that service for us,” she said. “Though I usually end up doing a few myself because Lee County is big, so there’s a lot of places to go, and she usually can’t get everywhere in one week. So I help out a little bit.”
She said the program expanded this year.
“We were very fortunate to be able to add additional story time spots in Auburn, Opelika, Beauregard and also Chattahoochee Valley this year, which was a big expansion for us.
“We’re trying to reach out further into the rural parts of the county, where I actually live myself, so that was very exciting, and they were very receptive to that.”
Godsy said the library also focused on home day cares, which may have fewer resources and smaller staff.
“We went to all of the places in Lee County where we deliver books to home day cares for story time this summer and had a really excellent experience doing that, and they have asked us to come back in the fall.”
She said the library began offering seasonal story times during fiscal year 2026.
“We just schedule them throughout the year to do a one-off every quarter seasonal story time, whether it be Halloween, friends and family during Thanksgiving season, winter holidays, Christmas, spring, of course, and that has significantly increased the number of individuals we’ve made contact with.”
Godsy said more than 3,000 people in Lee County participated in story times during FY26.
“We have in FY26 been able to perform story time for over 3,000 individuals throughout Lee County, which I’m very, very proud of. It’s been a wonderful experience,” she said. “Because it was successful and I was still able to do the rest of my job, we plan to continue in FY27.”
Godsy said the biggest development of the year is the acquisition of a mobile book locker for Lee County.
“But the biggest thing I was excited to share with you today is something that we’ve been working hard on absolutely all year long, and that is the acquisition of a mobile book locker for Lee County.”
She compared the system to an Amazon pickup locker.
“If you’re unfamiliar, it works a lot like an Amazon pickup box. Basically, if you order something from Amazon, it gets delivered there. It’s in a remote location, available 24/7.
We actually were able to research and find a book locker that serves the exact same purpose.”
Godsy said the locker will be located in Smiths Station.
“This book locker is going to be located in Smiths Station, in an area where we have the least number of bookmobile and outreach stops currently,” she said. “It will provide 24/7 access to materials by reserve. We’ll have to do a little bit of training, a lot of making people familiar with the process, but my staff is very excited to be able to take on that challenge.”
Godsy credited local officials with helping the library find a suitable location.
“We are going to be having a really good experience with that, in large part due to the participation of Mayor Cooley, Councilman Littleton and also our own Commissioner Drury, who really helped me get that ball rolling on finding the proper location to be able to do that in Smiths Station.”
She said the first locker will cost $25,000 and will be funded through state aid rather than county money.
“That mobile book locker we hope to be able to expand in future years, but just to give you an idea, that is being paid for out of our state aid budget, so we’re not actually using county money to do that.
“We are investing $25,000 in our first mobile book locker unit, but we’re so excited to have the opportunity to do that for Lee County this year, and we hope in future years we’ll be able to expand that.”
Godsy thanked the commission for its financial support of the library system.
“Thank you again for all of your support throughout the year for the Horseshoe Bend Regional Library. Your impact really does make a difference, and every single dime and dollar that you invest in the Horseshoe Bend Regional Library goes directly to the citizens.
“We’re able to pay our staff, keep our lights on and be able to maintain our building with funds from the local government that we are not able to utilize from our state aid budget because we’re very limited in what we can actually do with that money.”
She also asked commissioners to remember the library during the upcoming budget process.
“As you’re getting ready to review appropriation requests, as it is budgeting season, please remember us and continue to support us as best you see fit, and we appreciate you regardless of what the number is.”
After the presentation, a commissioner asked how patrons would access the new locker.
Godsy explained that the system will use library cards and a digital connection.
“You’re going to use your library card. It’s all digital. It’s run by Wi-Fi, which will have a Wi-Fi hotspot running it, unless we’re somehow able to hook into a building’s internet access.
“You’ll scan your library card, and it will automatically open the locker with your requested materials in it, and then you’re going to have a place where you can return any of your materials.”
Godsy said she expects to handle book deliveries to the locker because she lives nearby.
“Since I’m the one that lives closest, I’m going to be the one actually delivering the books because we have limited staff, so we’re going to make the most of whoever we have locally. So I’m really excited.”
