Southern Exposure in TPL 2021

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New Southern Exposure DVDs donated to all Tuscaloosa Public Library locations

For Immediate Release:
July 14, 2021

Contact:
Vince Bellofatto, director of PR, Tuscaloosa Public Library: [email protected], (205) 722-5206
Cindy Lowry, executive director, Alabama Rivers Alliance: [email protected], (205) 322-6395
Charles Scribner, executive director, Black Warrior Riverkeeper: [email protected], (205) 458-0095

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.—The Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper have partnered to donate three copies of the latest editions of Southern Exposure, a film series educating the public about Alabama’s natural resources, to the Tuscaloosa Public Library (TPL). Each of TPL’s locations now have one DVD copy of the 2019 and 2020 editions of Southern Exposure, documentaries on various Alabama environmental topics by independent filmmakers.

“Alabama’s environment is important to our community,” said Vince Bellofatto, director of public relations at TPL. “The Tuscaloosa Public Library is thrilled to partner with these two amazing organizations to help promote these issues, since Main library is located next to the Black Warrior River. We are extremely pleased to make the Southern Exposure DVDs available to all our patrons in Tuscaloosa County.”

DVDs of previous Southern Exposure editions are available at all TPL locations due to Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s prior donations. The clean water advocacy organizations also recently donated Southern Exposure DVDs to all Jefferson County libraries.

“The pandemic caused us to take a year off from our annual collaboration with libraries, so this year we are distributing the 2019 and 2020 editions of Southern Exposure all at once,” said Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper. “We are so pleased to help Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Tuscaloosa Public Library to make these excellent documentaries more accessible to everyone throughout Tuscaloosa County.”

Sponsored by Alabama Rivers Alliance and made possible through the support and partnership with environmental and conservation groups across the state, Southern Exposure fellows have the opportunity to create inspiring, captivating films that give viewers a sense of how much Alabama has to offer and the importance of protecting its resources. This innovative summer fellowship brings emerging filmmakers from across the country to tell authentic, engaging stories through short documentary films about Alabama’s environment — and the people who cherish it — from the mountains to the coast.

As a result of these poignant stories depicting the triumphs and challenges facing the state, numerous films from past fellowship years have been selected for screening in juried film festivals around the country. Live screenings and online distribution of the films reach a variety of audiences, in Alabama and across the nation, helping Southern Exposure fulfill the mission to spread awareness, appreciation and inspire action on behalf of Alabama’s environment.

“The messages in these short documentaries from 2019 and 2020 are critically important to the protection of our water, land and air in Alabama and we are proud to be able to amplify these voices and stories through compelling films,” said Cindy Lowry, executive director of Alabama Rivers Alliance. “The 2021 Southern Exposure film fellows are now traveling throughout Alabama to make the next season of films!”

To view Intro to Southern Exposure, a film providing an overview of the series, click here.

To view the 2019 Southern Exposure DVD cover, click here.

To view the 2020 Southern Exposure DVD cover, click here.

For TPL’s photo of Vince Bellofatto, TPL director of communications and public relations, receiving DVDs from Bliss Carroll, a Riverkeeper intern from The University of Alabama, click here. TPL’s statue in the background depicts Chief Tushkalusa, namesake of the Black Warrior River and Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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The Tuscaloosa Public Library serves the 192,000 residents of Tuscaloosa County, as well as students attending the University of Alabama, Shelton State Community College, and Stillman College. TPL offers a full array of library services, programs, online resources and materials from books in all formats to DVDs. The materials and programs are designed to meet the needs of our community. The library currently has four service outlets; Main Library, Brown Branch, Weaver Bolden Branch and the Bookmobiles.

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 citizen-based nonprofit organization promotes clean water for improved public health, recreation, and wildlife habitat throughout the Black Warrior River watershed.

Vince Bellofatto, TPL director of communications and public relations, receiving Southern Exposure DVDs from Bliss Carroll, a Black Warrior Riverkeeper intern from The University of Alabama. Photo by TPL, whose statue in the background depicts Chief Tushkalusa, namesake of the Black Warrior River and Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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