Every year, the Daniel Boone Regional Library prepares an annual report to share with the public. We are pleased with all we accomplished to support our patrons and our community in 2025. Read on to learn about the library’s new and improved services, along with an accounting of our funding sources and operational budget.
New and Expanded Services in 2025
New Collections
Jigsaw puzzles are now available for patrons to borrow from the library. The starting collection is composed of donations and continues to grow. Puzzles are available to browse and check out at all libraries, but they are not currently listed in the catalog. Puzzles check out for four weeks.
We partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to make fishing poles and tackle boxes available at library locations. MDC is providing all of the equipment.
Thanks to funds available through the Verna Wulfekammer bequest, we were able to add a new Fiber Arts Kit for loom knitting in April 2025. (Other Fiber Arts Kits can help you learn knitting, crochet and pin loom weaving.)
In December, we introduced Growing Edge kits with books and other materials for families preparing for and experiencing life changes. The first theme available is Grief and Loss.
New Services
At the end of November, we installed a new book drop at the Callaway Bank at 1600 Chapel Hill Road in Columbia, bringing the total number of standalone book drops located throughout the community to six — five in Columbia and one in Hallsville. It was funded in part by the Daniel Boone Regional Library Foundation.
The Holts Summit Public Library now has a single person study pod available for patrons to use. It can be reserved online or used on a walk-in basis.
Last year, the library introduced a new reading tutoring program for adults. “Read to Succeed” provides one-on-one reading/writing instruction with trained volunteer tutors. Library staff provide the initial intake and assessment service to bring the students into the program, assign the appropriate curriculum, and match them up with a tutor. This program is funded by the DBRL Foundation.
New Programs
In July 2025, we began offering weekly “DIY Digital Archiving Labs” sessions to help patrons digitize photos, documents, artwork, slides and negatives. The scanning equipment for this project was supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri state Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
We expanded our sensory-friendly programs in 2025 to include a greater variety of events for children, and we introduced some sessions for teens and adults.
New Community Outreach
In 2025, the library’s Outreach Department added three new off-site collections. Two are in New Horizons properties, the Harambee House and the McKee Street Apartments in Columbia, and one is at Sturgeon Rest home, a residential home for adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities. Our off-site collections are stocked by the library staff with books that can be read there or freely taken home with no need to check them out.
Youth services staff started a “Dream Big” initiative last fall, visiting childcare centers not served by monthly visits. Childcare visits help us make connections and share resources through either a story time or a teacher workshop, depending on each center’s needs. So far, staff have visited 51 programs, reaching nearly 1,200 patrons. Teachers receive a tailored information packet, children receive a free book coupon, and each school receives a mouse puppet for their classroom. This work is made possible through funding from the DBRL Foundation.
Building and Collection Improvements in 2025
We installed new circulation desks at both the Holts Summit Public Library and Southern Boone County Public Library. The desks are larger and function better for serving patrons.
To reduce utility costs and as a sustainability choice, the lighting at the Callaway County Public Library in Fulton was switched over to LED.
We replaced two boilers at the Columbia Public Library last year, and we also made preparations for the replacement of the aging HVAC system at the Callaway County Public Library.
We installed new patron computers and monitors at the libraries in Fulton, Holts Summit and Ashland, and replaced the computers patrons use in the Columbia library’s Training Center.
Children’s books were reorganized to create the Beginning Chapter Book collection. Around 4,500 items across all branches have been reclassified and moved into sections easy for young readers to browse.
As the year closed out, staff from our Collection Services department took on the big job of interfiling genre books into the fiction collection. Instead of keeping romances, mysteries, sci-fi and westerns in separate collections, you’ll now find all of the fiction books in our collection organized by author. You’ll still see genre labels on the book spines though and we’ve added the genres of inspirational fiction, horror and urban fiction.
More Library Highlights
At our Summer Reading kickoff concert in June 2025, we hosted notable children’s music performers Koo Koo. About 600 people attended the free concert held at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia.
Library staff began the big project of improving the accessibility features of the library’s website, social media and other digital communication to meet new guidelines set by the Federal government which go into effect in 2028.
The Daniel Boone Regional Library is now a member of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative. In collaboration with the American Library Association, this initiative provides participating libraries with resources and guidelines to pursue and achieve sustainable practices. We are also enrolled in the SLI Certification Program which will help us refine our practices and showcase our commitment to sustainability.
After much planning, members of the library’s Sustainability Committee started installation of a native plant demonstration garden at the Columbia Public Library in fall 2025. The garden was planted in April of 2026 with the help of the Missouri Conservation Corps, the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and the Missouri Master Naturalists Boone’s Lick Chapter and local volunteers.
Staff Kudos: Awards in 2025
Congratulations to our hard-working staff on the following awards!
Hilary Aid, Librarian
Librarian Hilary Aid was awarded the Show Me Youth Services Award by the Missouri Library Association’s Youth Services Community of Interest. This prestigious honor recognizes librarians who demonstrate outstanding performance in planning, developing and promoting library services for children and teens.
Sara Henry, Callaway County Library Manager
The Rotary Club of Fulton presented Sara Henry with the Paul Harris Fellow recognition in honor of the time and treasure she has donated to Rotary and her service to the community. Sara divides her time between the Fulton and Holts Summit libraries.
Tim Dollens, Library Associate
Longtime library staff member Tim Dollens received Cosmopolitan International’s 2024-2025 Patrick J. Hodgins award. This award recognizes “exemplary Cosmopolitan service over a period of not less than 10 calendar years and based on Cosmopolitan service recognized by your Cosmopolitan peers.”
Daniel Boone Regional Library Staff
The Daniel Boone Regional Library received the Senator Chuck Graham Memorial Disability and Advocacy Ambassador Award from the Disabilities Commission of the City of Columbia for the many programs offered for those with physical and mental limitations. These include sensory-friendly programs for children; stories and activities for adults with disabilities; and programs for those with dementia and their caretakers. This award recognizes DBRL’s strong commitment to accessibility, inclusion and disability advocacy.
Staff News in 2025
Aimée Leonhard
After 23 years at the Columbia Public Library, library associate Aimée Leonhard retired in December of last year. She served on the children’s team, bringing much joy and flair with her artistic talent, and she was DBRL’s art archivist, caring for the library’s art collection and enlivening the Columbia library with countless thoughtful exhibitions.
Debb Wheeler
Last fall, we sadly lost staff member Debb Wheeler. As a Public Services team member, she assisted patrons, taught tech classes and was deeply devoted to the library’s sustainability initiatives. Debb is dearly missed by the DBRL community.
Library Funding
Public libraries in Missouri are funded primarily through property taxes. DBRL’s funding increased in 2025, with tax income bringing in $437,652 more than in 2024.
Total Operating Revenue: $16,912,991
Total Operating Expenditures: $15,413,817
Donations & Grants in 2025
Donations and grants totaling $110,520.46 were received through the Daniel Boone Regional Library Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) organization whose sole benefactor is the library.
The Foundation worked on two direct fundraising campaigns in 2025. In the spring, they raised $4,500 to fund “The Creative Age” classes. And in the fall, they surpassed their $43,000 goal by raising over $48,210 to go towards Library-To-Go lockers in Columbia
The Foundation received a donation of $2,600 from Rose Music Hall, a portion of the ticket sales for their annual Grown-Up Book Fair. The library also made $522.87 in direct book sales.
In July, 2025, the Foundation started an online store where people can buy reading and library-related apparel and gifts with a portion of the sales benefitting the library. The Foundation received revenue of $849.07 as a result of these sales. All items are designed by library staff.
DBRL also received several gifts and grants directly.
This year, the Friends of the Columbia Public Library donated $54,000 to the library from their 2025 book sales. The nonprofit library Friends groups in Columbia, Fulton and Ashland raise money through regular book sales.
The Callaway County Public Library received a $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie. The award was part of Carnegie Libraries 250, a special initiative celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and honoring the roughly 1,280 Carnegie Libraries still serving their communities across the United States.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) for the bookmobile was funded with a $1,600 grant from the Boone Electric Community Trust.
A $10,000 grant from Mid-MO Solid Waste Management District to fund our book recycling was renewed for another 16 months.
The library received a $10,000 rural education grant from the University of Missouri School of Education & Human Development to support development of a native demonstration garden at the Columbia Public Library.
Three funding sources awarded the library grants to support our social work efforts. We received $1,500 from CoMoHelps and $1,500 from the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. And we received $500 in grant funds from the City of Columbia Human Rights Enhancement Program.
The Callaway County Public Library received $1,500 from the Fulton Street Fair committee as a thank you for the use of library property to help host the fair each summer.
The Missouri Arts Council awarded the library’s Outreach Department an $8,000 grant to support dementia-related events and services like our “Memory Café” programs and Memory Care Kits.
2025 Library Usage Statistics
Library Users
227,893 people in library district*
94,603 DBRL cardholders
11,667 new cards issued
Check-outs
Total: 2,947,435
Digital branch: 1,323,821
Columbia: 1,312,631
Callaway: 99,090
Southern Boone: 69,917
Outreach Services: 65,892
Holts Summit: 60,210
Hallsville Library-To-Go: 11,450
Website
1,196,640 webpage views
31,158 online resource uses
Library Visits
489,863 library visits (all libraries)
56,491 uses of library computers
53,561 uses of library Wi-Fi
1,788 library programs
39,080 program attendees (or viewers)
2,149 new passport applications executed
915 meeting room uses by community groups
Library Collection
Total items: 528,163
Books: 354,316
eBooks: 72,686
DVDs: 37,941
Downloadable audiobooks: 32,800
Music CDs: 15,725
Audiobooks (CDs & Playaways): 12,930
Devices & Kits: 1,765
Additional Digital Materials
These third-party services expand our digital offerings to provide streaming or downloadable titles not counted above. New titles are frequently added, so totals fluctuate.
Freegal: more than 18 million songs and music videos
hoopla: about 2 million streaming audiobooks, eBooks, comics, music, movies and TV shows
Kanopy: 30,000+ films and videos
OverDrive/Libby: 6,000+ magazine titles (OverDrive eBooks & audiobooks are counted above)
*Based on U.S. Census data for 2020
Mission, Vision & Governance
Library Mission
YOUR LIBRARY: connecting you to ideas, information, community life and each other.
Vision Statement
DBRL strives to be at the heart of the community, a trusted resource and partner known for excellence, creativity and open, equitable access, connecting every person to opportunities for a lifetime of discovery, learning and joy.
Library Governance
The Daniel Boone Regional Library serves two library districts, the Callaway County Library District and the Columbia and Boone County Library District. The library system is governed by a board of 14 volunteer trustees appointed by the Columbia mayor and the Boone and Callaway county commissioners.
Callaway County Library District Board of Trustees (for 2025)
Dawn Dirks, Mary Fennell, Tonya Hays-Martin, Jean Howard, Cori Miller-Ryan
Columbia and Boone County Library District Board of Trustees (for 2025)
Shannon Alvis, Margrace Buckler, Dorothy Carner, Seth Christiansen, Lisa Finn, Jacqueline Kelly, Patricia Powell, Travis Pringle, Jennifer Rodewald