June 2026 | Volume 17 | Issue 3
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International community O’Neal librarian sparked an international friendship — and a State Department fellowship — just by talking about her library
CASA volunteers gather at O’Neal Public Library. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
CASA volunteers serve as steady presence for children in foster care
By SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.
L
By KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA
ibrarian Lindsy Gardner and her staff are like ambassadors to the world for their patrons at O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook. Youth and adults come to the library and can travel the world through the books and resources available. But without realizing it, Gardner was an ambassador for Mountain Brook during her trip last year to Mongolia. “Apparently, I was [a Mountain Brook ambassador] because Odno said that she really wanted to come here to learn more about community engagement,” the librarian said of Odontuya “Odno” Adiya, her 33-year-old intern from Mongolia. Adiya was so impressed by what she heard that she decided she needed to visit the city and library about which Gardner spoke. “I don’t really remember talking much about the library, but I’m sure I did,” Gardner said. “We were together for 15 or 16 days, and apparently, I talked about how our library was part of the community tapestry. That made an impression on Odno. She was working in communities where she was trying to build community engagement for ecotourism. She felt that there were lessons to be learned here.
Above: Odontuya “Odno” Adiya and O’Neal Library director Lindsy Gardner display a Mongolian flag at the Mountain Brook library where Adiya is completing a monthlong U.S. State Department fellowship. Left: Gardner holds “The Secret History of the Mongol Queens,” a book she read during a trip to Mongolia that led to an unexpected connection with Adiya. Below: Adiya plans to return home and run a four-day summer camp for students about developing sustainable tourism. Photos by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
On quiet mornings in Mountain Brook, as the steady rhythm of daily life takes hold, some residents are preparing for a unique responsibility. It is work that happens in courtrooms and foster homes across Jefferson County, where children move through systems they did not choose, through situations they do not understand. These residents are volunteers with CASA of Jefferson County, serving as Court Appointed Special Advocates. Judges assign them to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect, enabling them to become a consistent presence in lives often marked by disruption. “We are the eyes and ears of the court,” said Executive Director Kelly Burke. The role is simple to describe but difficult to carry. Volunteers visit children at least once a month; get to know foster parents, biological families and other caregivers; and monitor whether court-ordered services are actually happening. They gather details that may not appear in official reports, then bring those observations back to the courtroom with a focus on the child.
See CASA | page 26
See MONGOLIA | page 24
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Musical Journey
Spartans Sweep
Mountain Brook’s band and choirs performed in soldout historic venues across Munich, Salzburg and Vienna.
Mountain Brook swept the 6A tennis titles for the 18th time, with both teams claiming state championships.
See page 14
See page 16
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