Demopolis library welcomes new director as longtime leader Kathy Owings retires

The Demopolis Public Library has a new leader following the retirement of longtime library director Kathy Owings.

Friday marked Owings’ last day after eight years leading the library. She was honored during a ceremony in October, and her final day coincided with the annual Monster March Halloween celebration, which she said was a fitting way to end her career, surrounded “with 1,000 of my best little friends out there.”

On Monday, Karla Galvan stepped into her new role as library director after serving as assistant librarian.

Owings, a Demopolis native, said she will miss being at the library every day. Before returning to her hometown, she spent 27 years teaching, primarily in elementary schools, with several years in middle schools, in Louisiana and California. When she returned to Demopolis, she found a new home at the library.

“It felt like home coming here and I want to continue to allow this place to become a home for others as well,” she said, noting that the library on Washington Street in downtown Demopolis serves as a central gathering place where residents can collaborate, meet and take advantage of technology, meeting spaces and genealogy resources to research their family histories.

During her tenure, Owings said the library successfully adapted to changes in how people use libraries while maintaining its loyal patron base. Many residents now access e-books and audiobooks, while others depend on the library’s computers and internet access because those resources are unavailable in their homes.

“I think we've done a good job at keeping up with the changing environment of libraries,” Owings said.

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The library also has an active children’s department, including Wednesday story times that have seen growing participation.

Owings said she had been considering retirement for about a year, but Galvan’s arrival helped make the decision easier. Working alongside Galvan gave her confidence that the library would continue to thrive under new leadership.

“It makes it so much easier to say goodbye because I know it’s going to be in good hands – I have full confidence in her,” Owings said.

Galvan, 26, earned her teaching degree from the University of West Alabama and taught kindergarten for four years before joining the library staff.

She said one of the things she enjoys most about the library is the diversity of people it serves throughout the day. Visitors range from toddlers attending children’s programs and homeschool students using library resources to seniors working on puzzles and adults using computers for work and other needs.

As she steps away from her daily responsibilities, Owings said her hope is that the library will continue to grow and remain an important part of the Demopolis community under its new leadership.