ST. LOUIS — When a devastating tornado tore through St. Louis in May 2025, the St. Louis Public Library (SLPL) did more than rebuild its damaged buildings. It helped a community begin to rebuild its lives.
Now, those efforts have earned SLPL one of the state's highest library honors: the 2026 Missouri Library of the Year Award from the Missouri Library Association (MLA).
“Being named the 2026 Missouri Library of the Year is an incredible honor and a testament to the dedication, compassion and resilience of our staff,” said Justin Struttmann, COO of SLPL. “In the aftermath of the tornado, our team demonstrated what it truly means to serve a community. Even as we faced damage to our own buildings, our focus never wavered from helping our neighbors recover, rebuild and move forward. This recognition belongs to every member of our library team who went above and beyond to ensure that, when our community needed us most, the St. Louis Public Library was there.”
In July 2025, SLPL launched weekly Community Rebuilding events at Divoll Library, the closest operating branch to the tornado's path. The events transformed the Library into a central resource hub, connecting residents with organizations and services essential to their recovery.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, SLPL worked to reopen the Cabanne and Julia Davis locations, while ensuring the community continued to have access to vital library services. SLPL shifted services to neighboring branches, expanded operating hours and increased staffing to minimize disruptions.
In May 2026, both damaged branches reopened, marking a significant milestone in the library's recovery and the neighborhoods they serve.
The reopening of Julia Davis Library also introduced an innovative new resource: a circulating Tool Library that allows customers to borrow tools for home repairs and improvement projects. The service provides residents with practical resources to maintain and improve their homes, extending the Library's commitment to supporting the community beyond books and traditional library services.
In its award recognition, the Missouri Library Association highlighted SLPL's ability to respond to extraordinary circumstances while continuing to serve as a trusted neighborhood resource.
"Through a challenging year for the City, St. Louis Public Library showed how libraries continue to be a resilient, responsive, and vital community resource," the association stated in its award materials.
The Missouri Library of the Year Award recognizes distinguished achievement in library service and celebrates the important role libraries play in strengthening communities across the state.
For St. Louis Public Library, the recognition underscores a mission that extends far beyond its buildings: providing resources, creating connections and standing alongside the community when it matters most. The Missouri Library Association is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing library services, supporting library professionals and fostering collaboration among libraries throughout Missouri.