The Cullman County Public Library System has named long-time West Point Elementary Librarian Amber Thornton as its new director.

Thornton’s appointment on Thursday brought an end to several tumultuous months for the Library Board after lacking a definitive leader since August 2023 when former Director Sharon Townson offered her resignation. The board launched a statewide public search for candidates late last year after former interim Director Josie Harrington also resigned Dec. 1.

Board member Jill Brown Meggs said Thornton not only brings a wealth of experience in library sciences and education, but that she was also well-versed in grant writing and fundraising which, according to Brown Meggs, “our library desperately needs.”

Thornton said that she enjoys a challenge and had been able to successfully transform the West Point Elementary Library into a blossoming program during her time there. She said after speaking with a few of the library’s staff members, she was already thinking of opportunities to similarly turn it around and make the library a space where the entire community would want to be.

“I enjoy taking something from where it is and just taking it to the next level. After talking to the staff and the board, I think that the library is due for some upgrades and just to be brought into the 21st century. I’ve just been looking at things like what do we need and how we can make those changes. I like that. I like being able to take it from here and make it more appealing and more successful for all ages,” Thornton said.

Thornton said she is planning to take things slowly at first in order to become more familiar with a larger operation — and operating budget — than she has been used to in the past, but that isn’t to say that her eyes aren’t already set on the future. She said she already has a vision for the library’s future and is ready to begin the work of making that dream into a reality.

“I have a dream that we just have a whole new library with updated spaces, and that’s just a very inviting place for children and adults and just have everybody enjoying that. I think it’s due for that. I’m ready to seek out the people to get the funding to do that. I think that there are a lot of people who want that it’s just been a matter of funding. I’m ready to fight for the funding to do that,” Thornton said.

Thornton will begin working on a part-time basis immediately and continue to do so during the next four weeks as she fulfills previous commitments to the Cullman County School System. She plans to transition into a full-time position in late March or early April.