Demopolis Public Library
🏢 Public Library · Demopolis, Alabama
Demopolis Public Library
Housed in a landmark 1924 Mission-style building on historic East Washington Street — originally the Ulmer Furniture Store — the Demopolis Public Library has been Marengo County's reading and research hub since 1922, with a dedicated genealogy suite and mezzanine reading room found nowhere else in the region.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 211 East Washington Street, Demopolis, AL 36732
Phone: (334) 289-1595
Website: demopolislibrary.org
Plus Code: 864JG597+2P (Demopolis, AL)
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📖 About Demopolis Public Library
The Demopolis Public Library has served Marengo County residents since 1922, fulfilling its mission to provide materials and services for individual, educational, and professional needs. Since the late 1980s the library has called a landmark 1924 Mission-style building home — originally erected by the Ulmer family as a furniture store, its characteristic interior mezzanine with reading tables, creaking hardwood floors, and two-story layout now shelter a collection of roughly 26,500 volumes. The second floor houses both the children's area and the Gwyndolyn Collins Turner Reading Room, a dedicated genealogy suite with microfilm census records, historic Marengo County newspapers, family histories, bible records, and the Luke Bragg and Winston Smith private collections — making it a prime research destination for anyone tracing southwest Alabama roots. The Wallace Harper Conference Room provides microfilm readers, digitized census and newspaper DVDs, and quiet space for in-depth research. A Friends of the Demopolis Library organization supports the institution through programs and community sponsorships.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Historic 1924 Mission-style building, originally the Ulmer Furniture Store, with a distinctive interior mezzanine overlooking the main floor and original hardwood floors
- Gwyndolyn Collins Turner Reading Room: dedicated genealogy suite with Marengo County family histories, bible records, the Luke Bragg Collection, and the Winston Smith Collection
- Wallace Harper Conference Room with microfilm readers, census records, historic local newspapers, and digitized DVD resources for in-house research
- Children's floor offering Story Time, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, and annual Summer Reading
- Free access to the Camellia OverDrive consortium (Libby app) for eBooks and audiobooks, plus the statewide Alabama Virtual Library (AVL)
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Demopolis cardholders can read, research, and borrow digitally free through Alabama's shared collections:
📚 Services
- Free library cards for Demopolis area residents
- Physical collection: books, audiobooks (books-on-CD), DVDs, and magazines — approximately 26,500 volumes
- Genealogy research assistance (staff help by appointment — call 334-289-1595)
- Microfilm readers and printers (B&W $0.25/page, color $0.75/page)
- Wallace Harper Conference Room available for patron use
- Public computers with internet access and educational software
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Interlibrary loan
- Job search and career resources
🎸 Programs
- Story Time (children)
- Summer Reading Program (annual; 2023 theme: 'Read Beyond the Beaten Path')
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library — free monthly books delivered from birth through age 5
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten
- Homework Help
- Community speaker programs and events by Friends of the Demopolis Library
📍 Explore More Alabama Libraries
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What genealogy resources does the Demopolis Public Library hold for Marengo County research?
The Gwyndolyn Collins Turner Reading Room on the second floor holds books on Marengo County genealogy and Alabama's broader history, along with family histories, bible records, and two named private collections — the Luke Bragg Collection and the Winston Smith Collection. The Wallace Harper Conference Room provides microfilm readers and printers for census records and historic local newspapers, plus digitized census and newspaper DVDs. Copying is available (B&W $0.25/page). Staff can assist with research if you call ahead at (334) 289-1595.
What is the history of the library's building on East Washington Street?
The library occupies a 1924 Mission-style commercial building originally constructed and operated by the Ulmer family of Demopolis as a furniture store. The library moved into the building in the late 1980s, and the original character remains intact: an interior mezzanine with reading tables overlooking the main floor, hardwood floors, and a two-story layout with the children's area and genealogy room on the second floor.
Is the Demopolis Public Library the only public library serving Marengo County?
The Demopolis Public Library is a municipal library primarily serving the Demopolis area. The separate Marengo County Public Library, located at 507 North Main Street in Linden (the county seat), serves the broader county. Both libraries operate independently — call (334) 295-2246 for the Linden branch.
What free digital resources can I access with or without a library card?
All Alabama residents — with or without a local card — can access the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) at avl.lib.al.us free of charge, 24 hours a day, for academic databases, magazine archives, and research tools. Cardholders also get free eBooks and audiobooks through the Libby app via the Camellia OverDrive consortium (camellia.overdrive.com), and can search the library's catalog at demopolisal.booksys.net.
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