Missouri Library Association

A new statewide rule introduced by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has librarians concerned for their ability to curate their collections in a way that serves the entire community.

A new St. Charles City-County library policy requires anyone under 18 to have a parent or guardian present to sign up for a library card. The library’s board approved the policy following new rules from Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. It creates a certification process for state-funded public libraries to adopt policies for age-appropriate reading materials.

Facing budget threats and efforts to criminalize books, Missouri librarians are fighting back.

The St. Louis County Library has been named Missouri Library of the Year by the Missouri Library Association. The association cited the library’s community programming throughout the coronavirus pandemic and its partnerships with organizations like the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and Operation Food Search.

In "The Last Children of Mill Creek," Vivian Gibson describes the lives of herself, her parents and siblings in their Mill Creek home in the 1950s. The predominantly Black neighborhood, which encompassed parts of midtown and downtown St. Louis, was demolished in 1959 as part of an urban renewal campaign. The Missouri Library Association has named Gibson author of the year.