By Craig Scott, Director, Gadsden Public Library
As we move into the heart of severe weather season in Gadsden and across Alabama, I want to make sure our community knows something important: the Gadsden Public Library serves as the designated downtown public shelter when inclement weather approaches.
In partnership with the Etowah County Emergency Management Agency and following alerts from the National Weather Service, the library opens its basement shelter whenever a tornado watch is issued for Gadsden and Etowah County.
Let me be clear about what that means.
When the National Weather Service issues a tornado watch — whether at 2:00 in the afternoon during our regular business hours or at 2:00 in the morning when the library is normally closed — the library shelter will open and remain open until the “all clear” has been given.
Our priority is simple: providing a safe place for anyone who needs one.
The library building was constructed in 1964 and was designed with reinforced concrete and structural steel. Our basement level provides substantial protection from severe weather events. The shelter area has been reviewed and approved by both the Etowah County EMA and the American Red Cross. While no structure can promise absolute immunity from extreme weather, our basement shelter offers one of the most secure public locations in downtown Gadsden.
If you live in an older home without a basement, in a mobile home, in an upstairs apartment, or if you simply feel safer in a reinforced public facility during severe weather, please know that you are welcome.
The trigger for opening is a tornado watch for Gadsden and Etowah County.
Many people are familiar with the difference between a watch and a warning, but it is worth reviewing:
- Tornado Watch – Conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop.
- Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.
Because watches often precede warnings — and because severe weather in Alabama can develop rapidly — our policy is to open at the watch stage so residents are not scrambling at the last minute. The shelter will remain open until the National Weather Service cancels the watch and the EMA gives the all clear.
If severe weather is expected to last several hours, please bring: water, snacks, necessary medications, phone charger, essential personal items. If the weather event is projected to be brief, a short stay may be all that is needed. But Alabama weather has taught us that preparation is always wise.
We understand that pets are family members, and we will not ask you to leave them behind. However, for everyone’s safety:
- Dogs must be on a leash or crated.
- Cats must be crated.
These requirements are for the protection of the animals and for the comfort and safety of all shelter occupants. Please also bring any food or supplies your pet may need.
Libraries are more than buildings filled with books. They are community anchors. In good weather, we provide education, internet access, meeting space, children’s programming, and lifelong learning opportunities. In bad weather, we provide shelter.
As Library Director, I consider it a solemn responsibility that when the sirens sound and skies darken, our doors will open. I encourage every downtown resident to remember this location. Share the information with neighbors, especially those who may live alone or lack reliable transportation. Preparation and communication save lives.
The next time severe weather appears in the forecast and a tornado watch is issued, you won’t have to wonder where to go. Your library will be open. And we will be ready.
- Gadsden Public Library: 254 South College Street, downtown Gadsden (next to the U.S. Post Office). Phone: 256-549-4699
· Genealogy Branch: 2700 West Meighan Boulevard, Alabama City (corner of West Meighan and Wall Street). Phone: 256-549-4688
