Boonville Branch Closing in July for Relocation

LIBRARY BEGINS MOVE ON JULY 6

BOONVILLE, MO – The Board of Trustees of the Boonslick Regional Library (BRL) is pleased to announce that the Cooper County Branch of the Library in Boonville, which is currently located at 618 Main Street, will begin the “Big Move” to its new home at 707 Third Street on the Historic Kemper Campus on Monday, July 6.  The Library has been housed at its current location for 65 years, in a building that previously was a small local grocery store.

The Library will be closed for approximately one month to accommodate the actual moving of books and furnishings, as well as getting everything organized in the spaces of the new building. Cathy Birk, BRL Cooper County Branch Supervisor, shared that online programs and services will still be available during that time. The “Unearth A Story” Summer Reading Program will continue to sign up young readers, up to age 18. All readers in the program will be provided directions so they can continue to record their reading time so that badges, beads, and prizes can be collected at the Library’s new location once it is opened.  The two events planned during July will be held as scheduled—the MU Raptor Rehabilitation Program on July 15 at 3 pm and storyteller Will Stuck on July 31 at 2 pm.  Both events will be held at the State Fair Community College conference room, in the building next to the Library’s new home on the Historic Kemper Campus.

“We are encouraging the public to come in no later than Friday, July 3, at 5 pm to check out as many books/items as they feel they will need during the month we will be closed,” explained BRL Director Linda Allcorn.  “The items checked out will not be due back until the Library reopens in its new home on the Historic Kemper Campus, and there will not be any fines accessed to anyone,” she added.  “We will not be able to accept any returns at either building while the move is taking place.”

Patrons can also visit the Boonslick Regional Library Outreach Services or the BRL branches in Sedalia, Cole Camp, and Warsaw, as well as access the Library website boonslickregionallibrary.com for downloaded books using the number printed on the back of their library card.

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Both the current building on Main Street and the Library’s new home on the Historic Kemper Campus will be closed to the public to allow the move to be handled efficiently and safely.  The Library has enlisted the help of Tiger Moving Company of Columbia to handle the actual moving of books, bookshelves, and furnishings.  The Library staff will double-check the movers to ensure that the books in each collection are kept in order and marked accordingly as they are removed from the current bookshelves, moved, and reshelved at the new building.        The moving company will provide all the necessary equipment for the moving project and will handle all packing, marking identification and

designations for delivery, and unpacking the books to place them in their proper shelving at the new location.  Additionally, they will be providing the same treatment for all the contents in the building that are being moved, which, in addition to the books, include office equipment, files, computers, Library Document Station, shelving, tables, chairs, furniture racks, supplies, etc.  The shelving will include approximately 100 shelving units.  The shelving units will need to be unloaded of books, then disassembled and reassembled for reuse at the new location. The collections of books/items to be moved is approximately 43,000 pieces.

Volunteers, who will be coordinated by Mary Pat Abele, Chair of the Building & Expansion Committee, will assist where needed but will not be asked to do any heavy lifting.

Fundraising continues as donations are encouraged from individuals, businesses, corporations, and organizations who want to “adopt” pieces of furnishings or to help in a general way where funds are needed most.  Interior “wayfinding” signage, as well as exterior signage, is still needed, along with the development of Memorial Hall on the Lower Level with the center display of a Memorial Tree to recognize those who have been remembered by memorial donations to the Library.  Many artistic embellishments of the spaces throughout the building have been planned as funding permits.  Sand-blasting and painting the exterior fire escape on the west side of the building, which was omitted from the construction/renovation project to reduce the overall cost, still needs to be completed.

Tax-deductible donations can be sent to the BRL Cooper County Fund (a 501(c)(3) fund), 618 Main Street, Boonville, MO  65233.  Questions about “adopting” furnishings and other gifts should be directed to Mary Pat Abele at

660-888-1611 or marypatabele@gmail.com.  The continued support and assistance from the community, as well as from friends near and far, are greatly appreciated!