O'Neal Library
🏢 Jefferson County Library Cooperative · Mountain Brook, Alabama
O'Neal Library
Born from a 1960s community gift by the O'Neal family and renamed in 2020 to reflect Mountain Brook's values, O'Neal Library serves roughly 450 visitors every day — offering Ancestry genealogy research, youth storytimes, an Innovation Center makerspace, and access to nearly 2 million titles countywide through the Jefferson County Library Cooperative.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–2pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 50 Oak Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35213
Phone: (205) 879-0459
Website: oneallibrary.org
Plus Code: 865MG62V+G9 (Mountain Brook, AL)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About O'Neal Library
O'Neal Library is the public library of Mountain Brook, Alabama, a close-knit suburb just east of Birmingham. Established in the 1960s through the philanthropy of Elizabeth and Kirkman O'Neal, the library grew from a modest 8,000-volume brick building into a full community hub that draws roughly 450 visitors a day and circulates nearly 500,000 items annually. In July 2020 the Mountain Brook City Council and Library Board voted unanimously to shorten the name from 'Emmet O'Neal Library' to 'The O'Neal Library,' honoring later generations of the O'Neal family whose philanthropic leadership has sustained the institution for over five decades, while severing ties to Governor Emmet O'Neal's legacy. A $5.8 million interior renovation launched in 2026 — co-funded by the Mountain Brook Library Foundation ($3.05M) and the City of Mountain Brook ($2.75M) — will deliver a larger children's storytelling room, a dedicated teen space, an expanded Innovation Center, and four additional study rooms; the renovated building at 50 Oak Street is expected to reopen Summer 2027. A member of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC), O'Neal cardholders enjoy access to nearly 2 million titles across the 24-library countywide network.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founding gift: established in the 1960s by Elizabeth and Kirkman O'Neal; the current 2001 building is now undergoing a landmark $5.8 million interior renovation (Rives Construction) due to reopen at 50 Oak Street in Summer 2027
- Draws approximately 450 daily visitors and circulates nearly 500,000 items annually from a collection of ~125,000 items
- Member of the 24-library Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC), giving cardholders access to nearly 2 million titles across Jefferson County
- Name changed July 2020 by unanimous City Council vote: from 'Emmet O'Neal Library' to 'The O'Neal Library,' with the support of the O'Neal family
- Offers Ancestry.com (in-library), Libby, hoopla, Kanopy, and Value Line investment research through the JCLC digital platform
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
O'Neal Library cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free through Jefferson County's digital collections:
📚 Services
- Circulation of books, DVDs, Blu-rays, audiobooks, music CDs, and large-print materials
- Interlibrary loan (ILL) through the JCLC network
- Free wireless internet access
- Mobile printing via Princh platform (15¢ B&W / 50¢ color per page)
- Scanning and copying
- Innovation Center / makerspace (expanding in 2027 renovation)
- Study rooms
- Meeting room reservations (at main 50 Oak St location)
- Laptop checkout
- Ancestry genealogy database on in-library computers
- JCLC shared catalog with access to ~2 million titles countywide
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes (weekly)
- Children's and Teen Summer Reading Programs
- Teen Advisory Board (meets twice monthly)
- Beginner American Sign Language (ASL) classes for teens and adults
- Bookies book discussion group (second Tuesday of each month, 10:00 AM)
- Standing Room Only (SRO) — free Friday-evening events every other month: concerts, competitions, and dancing (21+)
- Gentle Yoga (free weekly, 10:00 AM)
- Friends of the Library Book Sales
📍 Nearby Libraries in Jefferson County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Mountain Brook · Browse all Alabama libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the library called 'O'Neal Library' and not 'Emmet O'Neal Library'?
In July 2020, both the Mountain Brook Library Board and the City Council voted unanimously to shorten the name. The original name honored Emmet O'Neal, the 34th Governor of Alabama (1911–1915), whose legacy included actions that hindered African-American advancement. The rename preserves the library's gratitude to the O'Neal family — specifically Elizabeth and Kirkman O'Neal, whose foundation established the library in the 1960s — while removing the association with the governor. The O'Neal family endorsed the change.
Is the library at 50 Oak Street currently open?
During the approximately 12-month interior renovation (June 2026 – Summer 2027), the library is operating from a temporary location at the Sam S. Gaston Council Chamber, Mountain Brook City Hall, 56 Church Street. Circulation, holds, interlibrary loan, children's storytimes, and digital resources all continue during the renovation. Call (205) 879-0459 or visit oneallibrary.org for current temporary hours and available services.
What will be different when the library reopens at 50 Oak Street in Summer 2027?
The $5.8 million renovation — co-funded by the Mountain Brook Library Foundation ($3.05 million) and the City ($2.75 million) — will deliver expanded children's play areas, a larger storytelling room, a dedicated teen space, a bigger Innovation Center (makerspace), four additional study rooms, a small conference room, new LED lighting, and updated furnishings. The full ~125,000-item collection returns intact.
Can I do genealogy research at O'Neal Library?
Yes. O'Neal Library provides in-library access to Ancestry (the full subscription edition), which is available on library computers. As a member of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, cardholders also benefit from the broader JCLC research database suite. Ancestry access continues at the temporary City Hall location during the renovation.
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