The In-Between Years: Hoover Municipal Complex, 1985-1992

On November 24, 1985, the Library reopened on the second floor of the brand-new Hoover Municipal Complex. The new temporary library had 10,000 square feet, plus a terrace for programs, more than double that of the River Oaks location, plenty of room for the Library's growing collection. In fact, the Library was able to introduce a new service for its patrons; more than 500 videos were now available for checkout.

Over the next several years, the Library continued to be a popular destination in the Hoover area by bringing several well-known authors to town. Children flocked to the Library to see the likes of Peggy Parish, E.L. Konigsburg, Steven Kellogg, and S.E. Hinton. Adult authors to speak at the Library during these years included Mark Childress, Winston Groom, Robert McCammon, Vicki Covington, and parenting experts such as Jim Trelease and Adele Faber. A special treat in April 1991 was "My Name Is Julia," a dramatization of the life of Julia Tutwiler by noted storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham.

The Hoover Public Library continued to expand its collection as well. In fact, the Library was again bursting at the seams less than three years after moving to the Municipal Center. In 1988, the Library became the fifth-largest in the state in circulation, and in 1990, it rose again to fourth-largest.

In 1987, the design firm of Evan M. Terry Associates completed plans for a $5 million permanent library facility. Unfortunately, it would be another three years before the budget would allow for any more work to be done. In the meantime, the Library made the most of its tight situation by installing much-needed new shelving.

In September 1990, the City Council borrowed $24 million dollars for capital projects, a portion of which was earmarked for the construction of a library. A construction contract was signed in December, and the ground was broken on a site across Old Rocky Ridge Road from the Municipal Center in early 1991. A year of construction and progress followed, and in January 1992, the Library closed its doors in anticipation of its move to a permanent home.