Wow has it been years since I've stepped into a physical library!!!…read more After igniting my love for reading again, I found I needed a more sustainable place to cycle through books instead of hitting up B&N every week or so. Columbia public library made it easy to register for a free library card all online! I could even start checking out books before my card was shipped to me. We decided to check out the place in person and what a beautiful safe haven! There's lots of quiet spots to sit and read or study. Checking a book out was also so simple using their little kiosks located all around the library. Can't wait to come back!

Very friendly people. The small cafe was very nice. It was very accessible as well, as a person…read morewith disabilities this was a big deal to me

Modern library, though the layout is both good and bad. Good flow but bad for noise…read more Kids area transmit sound to magazine and all other areas, the librarians behind desk are often too loud conversing with each other or patrons (due to bad layout and periods of boredom when there is no one there?). And Frequent flopping of the swing door and some staff loudly putting stuff away (think angry dishwasher loading)...ugh They need a glass partition like at the library in Sedalia, more study rooms... I've rarely seen any students even during peak after school hours... They need to rearrange the the tables and move some librarians from the cluster area... I tried moving to different areas but noise/sound seeps into every area...the architect or interior designer needs to get a sound meter and understanding of how sound travels...though it's on the staff now and hopefully they will figure out a better rearrangement...and vacuum the seats to remove the cat/dog/human hair/dust. *To staffs credit they sometimes spray the seats and pipe instrumental music in the center to offset noise...and reduce fees on faxing (Camden libraries have free outgoing).

Looking for a place to kill time before a meeting, I remembered that all small towns have decent…read morelibraries with free wi-fi, even if they don't have a Starbucks. This particular library is outstanding, spotlessly clean and a heavenly place to visit on a hot, sticky day. The librarians had some very classical music playing in the background and the a/c was perfect. There are plenty of comfy chairs and tables, lots of good light and super clean restrooms. I found a plug by one of the comfy chairs to charge my phone and check my email. Beware though, there is a strict NO CELLPHONE policy in place. I'm thinking texting and checking email is okay, chatting is not. Check the used book section as you come in, I bought two hard back books in perfect condition for .50 each!! There is a large children's section and the requisite public computers. What an oasis in the middle of nowhere, this lovely library is. Unfortunately, they will lose a star because as I was leaving at 5pm (they close at 5:30) I heard the librarian say "Hey folks, I'm going to shut the wi-fi down." Are you kidding me? Is that wi-fi switch on top of a big mountain, accessible only by helicopter? Lame, our taxes pay your salary, this place is very important to so many people. Please don't do this close early because one of you wants to go home early.

...spent another few hours and things are better…read more Ring volume of phone could be better and more subtle ring tone

Got some new chairs rearrange periodicals and a white noise (set on night time woods) generator…read more.. Nice hope light color seats stay clean! Like the longer hours...2 librarians in front desk meets needs of patrons times I've been here for hours...unlike Morgan County with 5 librarians and just me for hours...

A free gallery of local history and Missouri fine art from the past is inside the historical…read moresociety on campus, and there is also art displayed on the walls in the halls. I learned that Brad Pitt went to Mizzou! It is a small collection, but it works well together, with multiple pieces by the same artists. Stop by if you are on campus. It is in the same building as the library, but with a different entrance.

I have enjoyed having this art gallery/library/archive in my backyard, but I never really used it…read more I mean, it was only for folks researching their geneology or something, right? Well, when it came time that I needed to do some digging around for local Missouri lore related to square dancing, I did a little checking on their website and as Emeril says, BAM!, they cooked up exactly what I needed. The best part was, it was free. I mean, I guess my taxes are paying for it, but the folks who work there are really helpful, they actually seem like they want to assist me, and they had all this equipment for me to use when I needed to listen to some cassette tapes and even some reel-to-reel audio. Of course, there were some weird things I had to get used to. No pens. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zed. But I could carry around electromagnets, no problem? Anyhow, that being said, I had to get used to other archivist rules (keep everything that was in a folder, actually keep it in the folder). But since they deal with one-of-a-kind stuff, and they don't want to lose anything, this makes sense. I wish I had a reason to delve into their archives earlier, now this place is on my list whenever I have any inkling to learn something about Missouri history.

A great library well run and organized the people are friendly and knowledgeable hat work here.read more

This library is a great facility. Their children's department is marvelous. They have computers…read morefor the kids, many activities, book packs, etc. Different groups are able to meet in their rooms. I like the fact that you can eat and drink at this library. The staff at the library are also very helpful!

I am writing this on behalf of my sister. She wasn't a big fan of this library to begin with but…read moretoday she left so upset that she felt sick. My sister said that she and her kids were the ONLY patrons in the whole library. They were sitting on the large floor carpet (furnished by said library) playing jumbo Jenga game (furnished by said library) and two of her kids decided they wanted to get out the huge chess board/set (furnished by said library). The kids laid it out and set up all the pieces when a librarian (an old rude lady) came over and started fussing at them. They weren't loud or running or making messes or playing rough. Literally they were just sitting playing games. She said, "I like to keep a path clear here to the bathrooms." So my sister moved the large chess board over a bit so someone didn't have to step over the kids or have to go three steps around the table out of their way to the bathroom. The librarian just stood there staring at them looking annoyed. Then she started saying the path had to be big enough for a wheelchair to get through. So my sister slid the board over AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. (It was touching a large connect four set, which was touching the game cabinet, which was touching a wall.... They couldn't go any further.) I mean...I could see the fuss if they were sitting directly in the doorway but they were in the middle of a completely empty library sitting on the rug THE LIBRARY put down (in the direct path to the bathrooms). Nonetheless... Again, the Librarian just stood staring at them all annoyed. Then she began talking about how there needed to be a path for wheelchairs and the emergency exit at the back of library. Again, my sister was like, "There is no one else in the whole library. We are the only ones here. If someone comes in and needed to get by us we would move out of the way." The librarian then started in on them saying, "How would you like it if you needed to go to the bathroom but had to wait for someone to move out of the way." Again she just stares at them waiting for them to move and starts up about wheelchairs again. Again, my sister said, "NOBODY is here!? Nobody is here in a wheelchair!" Then the Librariam started in saying, "Well we have designated handicapped parking spots even if there isn't anyone using them... FINALLY when my sister couldn't take being harassed any longer she was like, "Okay okay WE are going. Apparently WE are in the way." So they cleaned up and left. She doesn't know if she will return. She left so upset, she felt ill. My question is: if the library has large, over-sized floor games... WHERE are they supposed to be played? What if there were 10 people all wanting to play them at the same time and completely crowded the rug area? Did this lady just have an issue with my sister or just people in general? It's people like this librarian that make people NOT want to come. Oh an in addition, my sister said that you have to PAY for a library card. She couldn't remember if it's $20 or $40. (My husband and I have lived all over the country and we have never had to pay for a library card... let alone have to pay for one and be harassed while enjoying the library.) It made me sad that my sister had to feel this way. Our library in Texas is SO friendly, welcoming and we've NEVER even had a librarian give us the side eye. Maybe this cranky librarian needs to retire.

I've never had a problem with any of the employees here. They are always warm and ready to serve…read more The collection is rather small, and ILL is inconvenient, it's true, but the *new director* is working hard to join a consortium. They have lots of programs, including book club and summer reading program for adults as well as for children. And they're receptive to ideas about how to serve patrons' needs and about which new books to buy. I, personally, love that they have kept older books, especially children's, as I'm catching up on what I should have read when I was a child (but couldn't, because my small town library was *tiny* compared to this one).

This review is for the Route 66 Museum located inside the Library…read more Find the museum entrance to the right of the information desk. We were not sure what to expect from this community collaboration and it is an excellent collection of artifacts and information. The floor plan is roughly shaped like a "P". We almost passed a whole section so be sure to walk down the side aisle. A guest room has been recreated using salvaged items from an actual guest accommodation. Photos of businesses in their prime. The history of how a tent with cots eventually became a fist class hotel. One area goes over roads made of dirt and organizers trying to get better roads installed. Historical maps show early roadways in different parts of the country. The Ozark Trail association played a large part in updating roads in MO that eventually became part of Rt. 66. Information on the 'Bloody Highway' include mass murderers and sad accidents. You'll also find info on the'Will Rogers Highway'. Room keys, matchbooks, post cards, souveniers. So much very interesting information about who was involved in the creation of Rt. 66, how it was consteucted, how businesses changed through the decades and more. You can quickly walk thru, look at the many recreated full scale business models and photos, or spend a couple hours reading all the information. Free of charge. Donations welcomed.

Not a good experience for me. Ordered the wrong book all they wanted to do was argue with me about…read morewhose fault it was I will not go back there. They won't post anything under three stars