Southern Exposure DVDs donated to all Jefferson County Library locations

For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2024

Contact:
Tobin Cataldo, executive director, Jefferson County Library Cooperative: [email protected], (205) 226-3615
Kelly Marshall, deputy director, Alabama Rivers Alliance: [email protected], (205) 540-7385
Charles Scribner, executive director, Black Warrior Riverkeeper: [email protected], (205) 458-0095

HOMEWOOD, Ala.—Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper have partnered to donate to the Jefferson County Library Cooperative (JCLC) 22 copies of the latest editions of Southern Exposure, an award-winning film series dedicated to educating the public about Alabama’s natural resources.

Each of JCLC’s 40 locations will now have a DVD copy of the 2023 edition of Southern Exposure, a series of documentaries on various Alabama environmental topics by independent filmmakers. 18 of the JCLC’s 40 locations are part of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) system. In September, Black Warrior Riverkeeper brought BPL 18 copies of the 2023 DVDs. Copies of previous Southern Exposure editions are available at all JCLC locations due to Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s donations in past years.

“On behalf of Jefferson County Library Cooperative, I would like to thank Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper for this donation. Now every library can help highlight Alabama’s natural resources,” said Jason Baker, President of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative. “These short films which tell relevant local stories are an excellent addition to library collections in the county. We invite the public to visit a local library to check out these beautifully captured films.”

Created in six weeks each summer, the Southern Exposure films celebrate special people and places in Alabama while exploring complex issues and solutions. Made possible through partnerships with environmental and conservation groups across the state, the Southern Exposure films give viewers a sense of how much Alabama has to offer and the importance of protecting all of its resources.

In the 2023 collection, we explore the Sipsey Wilderness through the eyes of a “city girl” and see why our special places need to be protected for all Alabamians. We learn about real wastewater solutions being implemented in the Black Belt, bringing justice to areas that have long been overlooked and underserved for these basic needs. We meet three Indigenous people who have felt the call to protect their land, and we will hold ADEM’s feet to the proverbial fire as we question why a landfill was left essentially unregulated for years, resulting in the Moody Landfill Fire that raged for months. Finally, we see just how precious the mussel is to our ecosystem, while learning about a project that would culminate in the most ecologically significant river reconnection project in the history of the United States, right here in Alabama.

“I am grateful to Alabama Rivers Alliance recruiting such talented filmmakers each year to create Southern Exposure,” said Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper. “It is encouraging to know these films will be available in every library throughout Alabama’s most populous county.”

“We’re so grateful to partner with Black Warrior Riverkeeper and Jefferson County Library Cooperative once again to ensure the 2024 Southern Exposure films are available for anyone across Jefferson County – for free,” said Kelly Marshall, Alabama Rivers Alliance’s deputy director. “This collaboration continues to help ARA and our partners amplify the inspiring stories and critical issues within our communities, featuring those special Alabamians who are truly trailblazers working to defend our rivers and who enrich the heart of the Black Warrior River watershed, year after year!”

To view Homewood Public Library’s picture of JCLC Board members and Mary Allen Murray, volunteer coordinator, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, with the new DVDs, click here.

To view the 2023 Southern Exposure DVD cover, click here.

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Public Libraries in Jefferson County present 40 Libraries, 1 County, 1 Card. Discover this feature and the collaborative work of the public libraries through the Jefferson County Library Cooperative at jclc.org.

Alabama Rivers Alliance is a statewide network of groups working to protect and restore all of Alabama’s water resources through building partnerships, empowering citizens, and advocating for sound water policy and its enforcement.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. The nonprofit organization promotes clean water for improved public health, recreation, and wildlife habitat throughout the Black Warrior River watershed.