![A blimp with a DBRL library card and "Take Your Reading to New Heights" [April Fools']](https://www.dbrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/blimp-fade-.png)
Today is Library Giving Day, and we’d like to invite you to help us bring a new vehicle to our Outreach fleet — introducing the Book Blimp. Capable of a 21-ton cargo payload, this vehicle will ensure we have plenty of space for your holds, and with our patented Book Drop® technology, those holds can parachute directly to your yard. The aerodynamic design will allow us to service our entire two-county system daily, making library services more accessible than ever before!
April Fools’
We aren’t actually fundraising for a blimp, like we suggested on social media, but we do need to replace two of our aging bookmobiles.
With community support, we can replace these aging mobile libraries with more fuel efficient, safer and more accessible models equipped with features that enable us to offer additional library services to our communities. Like your own personal vehicle, prices for cars, trucks, buses and, yes, bookmobiles continue to climb. We estimate the total cost to replace both bookmobiles at $1 million — an ambitious goal and the largest fundraising initiative we’ve undertaken — and we are actively fundraising to cover a portion of that cost. While this is a big purchase, over the long haul bookmobiles continue to be a very efficient and effective way to serve many deserving communities.
Bookmobile Service Improves Lives
Even in today’s changing world, reading remains an important lifelong skill that leads to better jobs, increased longevity and improved brain health. The bookmobiles bring books and other reading materials to families and children who don’t live near a library or may find it difficult to get to the library. As our community grows, so does the need for access to library services.
Stories from our patrons illustrate the need.
“My first experience with libraries was the bookmobile. I counted the days between its visits because the books that I borrowed allowed me to learn new things and visit places all over the world.”
“Grandma and the bookmobile made me a reader. I’m still grateful to both.”
“I used to come to the bookmobile north of here many years ago when I was young, and I checked out all kinds of books. The bookmobile was my ticket out.”
“I brought my kids to the bookmobile when they were young and now I bring my grandchildren. This is a tradition for us. I don’t want to lose the bookmobile.”
Keeping the Momentum Going
Bookmobile service in Mid-Missouri started In 1957 when the Missouri State Library funded a trial fleet of bookmobiles with one based out of the Columbia Public Library. After two successful years of working together on the bookmobile trial, the library districts of Columbia, Boone, Callaway and Howard* Counties came together to form the Daniel Boone Regional Library with the bookmobile as a regular service to our rural areas.
The library’s bookmobiles reduce the geographic barriers for our rural patrons while providing equitable access to library services for all taxpayers. The bookmobile driver serves as an ambassador to our rural communities, sharing information and resources and answering questions. For many, the bookmobile is their only access to a library.
Our bookmobiles are 25 and 16-years-old respectively, and as they age, repairs and visit cancellations are becoming more frequent. In winter 2025-2026, we had ongoing electrical issues which forced us to cancel 12 service stops. It’s only a matter of time before other systems start to fail.
How You Can Help
Your support ensures that the Daniel Boone Regional Library bookmobile continues to travel to rural communities, underserved neighborhoods,child care centers and community events delivering the gifts of knowledge and opportunity through books. Help us replace these valuable mobile libraries by making a donation and join us on the road to reading!
Thank you for your investment in making the library more accessible, convenient, and responsive to the needs of our growing community!
For questions or to make a donation over the phone, contact Joseph Facteau, DBRL’s Development Director, at (573) 817-7023 or jfacteau@dbrl.org
* Howard County has since left our library system.
