Southern Exposure in JCLC 2022

New Southern Exposure DVDs donated to all 40 Jefferson County Library locations

For Immediate Release:
December 8, 2022

Contact:
Tobin Cataldo, executive director, Jefferson County Library Cooperative: [email protected], (205) 226-3615
Cindy Lowry, executive director, Alabama Rivers Alliance: [email protected], (205) 322-6395
Charles Scribner, executive director, Black Warrior Riverkeeper: [email protected], (205) 458-0095

PINSON, 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 2021 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 November, Black Warrior Riverkeeper brought BPL 18 copies of the 2021 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.

“The Jefferson County Library Cooperative is proud to continue our partnership with Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper,” said Allison Scanlan, president of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative Board of Directors and director of the Pinson Public Library. “It’s important to share the excellent work that these organizations do for our community, so JCLC member libraries are excited to offer the newest installments of Southern Exposure.”

Created in six short weeks during the summer, the 2021 Southern Exposure films celebrate special people and places in Alabama. These films explore a once-in-a-generation chance to change the operation of a major dam, and discover a special place at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. They feature stories untold-until-now about the remarkable families along the Selma to Montgomery March route, they grapple with the wastewater infrastructure challenges, and they highlight amazing advocates working to protect their communities.

“It thrills us at Alabama Rivers Alliance to see the 2021 Southern Exposure films available for free throughout Jefferson County due to the dedicated work from our friends at Black Warrior Riverkeeper,” said Cindy Lowry, executive director of Alabama Rivers Alliance. “This collection of short documentaries celebrate the stories of people making a difference in Alabama, while highlighting issues facing our rivers, land, air and communities across the state.”

This summer, all four of the 2021 Southern Exposure films were featured at the prestigious Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham. They have also been featured in dozens of film festivals across the globe such as EarthX, Wild & Scenic Film Festival, NatureNow, Thin Line Fest, Lookout Wild Film Festival, DocUtah, Environmental Film Festival at Yale and more. The films were recognized with several awards including Lookout Wild’s Best Southeastern Film, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival’s Best International Short Documentary.

“Donating Southern Exposure DVDs to all JCLC locations is a major step toward making these award-winning films available in most public libraries across the 17-county Black Warrior River watershed,” said Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper.

To view the 2021 Southern Exposure DVD cover, click here.

To view a Keith Eggleston’s photograph of Allison Scanlan (president of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative Board of Directors and director of the Pinson Public Library) and Charles Scribner (executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper) with the DVDs, 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.

Allison Scanlan (president of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative Board of Directors and director of the Pinson Public Library) and Charles Scribner (executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper) with the new Southern Exposure DVDs. Photo by Keith Eggleston, Pinson Public Library.