In 1959, several Mid-Missouri library districts came together to form the Daniel Boone Regional Library system. Today DBRL serves 223,303* people throughout Boone and Callaway Counties, and we want to include you in celebrations of our 60-year milestone. As part of our celebrations, we’re featuring displays at two of our libraries. The following are on display throughout October.

This year’s World Kindness Day is November 13, but at the Callaway County Public Library we’re recognizing it all month! Starting Friday, November 1, stop by the library in Fulton to see our kindness display and add your ideas and the ways you’ve shown kindness. All ages are welcome to participate.

Happy spring! Here at DBRL we have been busy working on new services, like opening the new branch in Holts Summit and deploying our new Book Rover to area childcare centers. We’re also gearing up for our annual One Read program and Summer Reading. As busy as we are, we find it is again time to pause a moment to take stock of how we are doing. To help us learn whether we are on track in serving your needs, we will be conducting a survey this summer to get your feedback on our current services, and to ask for suggestions on how we can serve you better.

Tonya Hays-Martin loves libraries. She’s been on the DBRL board of trustees for 10 years, she works as a librarian at Fulton State Hospital and, while traveling, she visits libraries along the way, making sure to capture a selfie in front of each one. Tonya currently lives in Calwood with her husband John. They have two sons and a granddaughter. And she has passed on her passion to her family — one of her sons completed his library sciences degree and is now working as a professional librarian.

We understand that demands on families may make getting to a library a challenge, so we are reaching preschoolers where many spend their weekdays: at a child care center.

Thanks to many people and businesses who donated more than $158,000 through the Daniel Boone Regional Library Foundation, we were able to buy the Book Rover entirely through private funding. The Book Rover is a specialized van that comes equipped with shelves that we load with books. The children and teachers we visit at child care centers browse through the mini collection and check out what they want. They can read the books on the spot or take them home. While there, we also offer story times and mentoring to child care staff on how to incorporate school readiness skills into their daily activities.

As of May 2019, the Daniel Boone Regional Library is offering passport services at two of its locations — at the Columbia Public Library and the Callaway County Public Library in Fulton. U.S. citizens planning international travel may apply for their passports any day the library is open. Walk-ins are welcome at the Columbia Public Library and appointments can be scheduled in advance at the Callaway County Public Library by calling (573) 642-7261.

The big bookmobile will be making two new stops in the Columbia area beginning Wednesday, May 15. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the bookmobile will be parked off Grindstone in the Kohl’s parking lot, 1010 E Green Meadows Road. Later in the day, the bookmobile will travel north of I-70 to the north location of Moser’s Foods at 4840 Rangeline Street and be there from 3:30-6:30 p.m. During the six month trial period, the bookmobile will visit these locations on the first and third Wednesdays of every month.

It’s unusual for employees today to spend their entire careers at the same business or organization. But that’s exactly what Frances Bush and Idenia Thornton have done. With 50 years of service and counting under their belts at the Columbia Public Library, they are the longest-serving employees — and perhaps the closest friends — on staff.

“It’s been a long time,” says Frances about working at the library. “It doesn’t feel like it, though.”

The library is hosting a free concert June 1 featuring Justin Roberts and The Not Ready for Naptime Players. After Daniel Boone Regional Library director Melissa Carr retired in January 2018, the DBRL Foundation established the Melissa Carr Literacy Through The Arts Fund. For the second year, monies from this fund are helping to bring in a popular children’s performer to kick off Summer Reading. Last year, the guest performer was Laurie Berkner.

Justin Roberts and The Not Ready for Naptime Players will perform at the Missouri Theatre, 203 South Ninth Street, Columbia, MO at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 1. Tickets are free and can be requested through www.dbrl-justin-roberts.eventbrite.com.