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Library Crawl History

The 1st Library Crawl was started in 2019 by the Bethalto Public Library District to encourage library patrons to find out about a major benefit of having a library card – the millions of items in public libraries throughout Illinois that they are able to access.

That first year, 28 libraries from the Metro East area near St. Louis participated. Now the Library Crawl has grown to include 197 libraries from all over central and southern Illinois.

For the librarians, the best part of this event is meeting the bibliophiles/book nerds/library lovers who come to visit during the Library Crawl. We know you’ll enjoy each and every destination!

      1. Pick up the official passport at Columbia Library.
      2. Travel around central and southern Illinois visiting participating public libraries.
      3. Go to each library’s circulation desk to get your passport stamped. Some libraries have goodies for crawlers! 
      4. Visit 5 or more libraries (not counting your home library) in October to complete the Library Crawl.
      5. Discover all the many library collections your library card gives you access to.
      6. Did you know you can check out items at other libraries and return them to your home library? The Illinois Heartland Library System’s courier service makes this possible.
      7. Columbia participants who turn in their passports by November 1st will receive a small participation prize and their name will go into a gift card drawing.
        1. 5+ Libraries Traveled – Chance to win $15 gift card to The Coffee Pot. 
        2. 10+ Libraries Traveled – Chance to win $25 gift card to Millers on Main.
        3. Most Traveled Participants –  Chance to win $40 gift card to Amazon.  

Total number of participants: 197

    1. A. Herr Smith & E.E. Smith Library Loda Township Library
    2. Albion Public Library
    3. Allerton Public Library District
    4. Altamont Public Library
    5. Anne West Lindsey District Library
    6. Arcola Public Library District
    7. Argenta-Oreana Public Library District – Argenta Public Library
    8. Argenta-Oreana Public Library District – Oreana Public Library
    9. Arthur Public Library District
    10. Ashley Public Library District
    11. Assumption Public Library District
    12. Athens Municipal Library
    13. Atwood-Hammond Public Library District
    14. Auburn Public Library District
    15. Barclay Public Library
    16. Belleville Public Library – Main Library
    17. Belleville Public Library – West Branch Library
    18. Bement Public Library
    19. Benton Public Library District
    20. Bethalto Public Library District
    21. Blue Mound Memorial Library
    22. Blue Ridge Township Public Library
    23. Breese Public Library
    24. Brighton Memorial Library District
    25. Bryan-Bennett Library
    26. Bunker Hill Public Library District
    27. C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District
    28. Cahokia Public Library District
    29. Cairo Public Library
    30. Camargo Township District Library
    31. Carbondale Public Library
    32. Carlinville Public Library
    33. Carnegie Schuyler Library
    34. Carrier Mills-Stonefort Public Library
    35. Case-Halstead Library
    36. Casey Township Library
    37. Caseyville Public Library District
    38. Catlin Public Library District
    39. Central Citizens’ Library District
    40. Centralia Regional Library District
    41. Charleston Carnegie Public Library
    42. Chatham Area Public Library District
    43. Chester Public Library
    44. Chrisman Public Library
    45. Cissna Park Community Library
    46. Clifton Public Library
    47. Columbia Public Library
    48. Coulterville District Library
    49. Crab Orchard Public Library
    50. Danville Public Library
    51. Daugherty Public Library District
    52. Decatur Public Library
    53. Divernon Township Library
    54. Dongola Public Library District
    55. Du Quoin Public Library
    56. East Alton Public Library District
    57. Edwardsville Public Library
    58. Effingham Public Library
    59. Eldorado Memorial Library
    60. Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library
    61. Elwood Library District
    62. Evans Public Library District
    63. Fairfield Public Library
    64. Fairview Heights Public Library
    65. Flora Public Library
    66. Forsyth Public Library
    67. Frank Bertetti Benld Public Library
    68. Freeburg Area Library District
    69. Galatia Public Library District
    70. Georgetown Public Library 
    71. Germantown Public Library District
    72. Gillespie Public Library
    73. Gilman-Danforth Library District
    74. Girard Township Library
    75. Glen Carbon Centennial Library
    76. Golconda Public Library
    77. Goose Creek District Library
    78. Greenfield Public Library
    79. Greenville Public Library
    80. Groff Memorial Public Library & Museum
    81. Harrisburg District Library
    82. Hartford Public Library District
    83. The Hayner Public Library District – Alton Square Mall Library
    84. The Hayner Public Library District – Downtown Library
    85. The Hayner Public Library District – Genealogy & Local History Library
    86. Herrin City Library
    87. Hillsboro Area Public Library District
    88. Homer Community Library
    89. Hoopeston Public Library District
    90. Hope Welty Public Library
    91. Illinois State Library Gwendolyn Brooks Building
    92. Illinois/Niantic Public Library District
    93. Jerseyville Public Library
    94. Johnston City Public Library
    95. Jonesboro Public Library
    96. Kinmundy public library
    97. Lawrence Public Library District
    98. Lebanon Public Library
    99. Lincoln Library, The Public Library of Springfield
    100. Lincoln Public Library District
    101. Litchfield Public Library Districf
    102. Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library
    103. Lovington Public Library District
    104. Madison Public Library
    105. Mahomet Public Library
    106. Marion Carnegie Library
    107. Marissa Area Public Library District
    108. Maroa Public Library District
    109. Marrowbone Public Library District
    110. Marshall Public Library
    111. Martinsville Public Library District
    112. Maryville Community Library
    113. Mascoutah Public Library
    114. Mason City Public Library District
    115. Mattoon Public Library 
    116. McCoy Memorial Library
    117. Metropolis Public Library
    118. Milford District Library
    119. Millstadt Library District
    120. Mississippi Valley Library District – Collinsville Center
    121. Mississippi Valley Library District- Fairmont City Center
    122. Morrison-Talbott Library
    123. Mounds Public Library
    124. Mount Olive Public Library
    125. Mount Pulaski Public Library District
    126. Mount Zion District Library
    127. Moweaqua Public Library District
    128. Moyer District Library
    129. Nashville Public Library
    130. New Athens District Library
    131. New Baden Public Library
    132. Newman Regional Library District
    133. Newton Public Library District
    134. Nokomis Public Library
    135. Oakwood Public Library District
    136. O’Fallon Public Library
    137. Ogden Rose Public Library
    138. Olney Public Library
    139. Onarga Community Public Library District
    140. Palestine Public Library
    141. Paris Carnegie Public Library
    142. Paxton Carnegie Library
    143. Petersburg Public Library
    144. Philo Public Library District
    145. Pinckneyville Public Library
    146. Potomac Public Library District
    147. Rantoul Public Library
    148. Red Bud Public Library
    149. Rick Warren Memorial Public Library District
    150. Riverton Village Library
    151. Robinson Public Library District
    152. Robinson Public Library District – Hutsonville Public Library
    153. Robinson Public Library District – Oblong Public Library
    154. Robinson Public Library District – Susie Wesley Memorial Library
    155. Rochester Public Library District
    156. Roodhouse Public Library
    157. Rosiclare Memorial Public Library
    158. Roxana Public Library District
    159. Saint Elmo Public Library
    160. Saint Elmo Public Library Beecher City Branch
    161. Saint Elmo Public Library Brownstown Branch
    162. St. Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library
    163. Sallie Logan Public Library
    164. Shawneetown Public Library
    165. Shelbyville Public Library
    166. Sheldon Public Library District
    167. Sherman Public Library District
    168. Sidell District Library
    169. SIUE East St. Louis Learning Resource Center
    170. Six Mile Regional Library District – Delmar Location
    171. Six Mile Regional Library District – Johnson Road Location
    172. Smithton Public Library District
    173. South Macon Public Library
    174. Sparta Public Library
    175. Staunton Public Library
    176. Steeleville Area Public Library District
    177. Stinson Memorial Public Library – Anna Location
    178. Stinson Memorial Public Library – Cobden Location
    179. Stonington Township Library
    180. Taylorville Public Library
    181. Tolono Public Library District
    182. Trenton Public Library
    183. Tri-City Public Library District
    184. Tri-Township Public Library
    185. Vance Township Library
    186. Vespasian Warner Public Library District
    187. Watseka Public Library
    188. Wayne City Kissner Public Library
    189. Weldon Public Library District
    190. West Frankfort Public Library
    191. West Sangamon Public Library District
    192. Westville Public Library District
    193. White Hall Township Library
    194. Williamsville Public Library and Museum
    195. Windsor Storm Memorial Public Library
    196. Wood River Public Library
    197. Worden Public Library District
Mayor Metter Break Ground, 1976
New Building, 1976
Fundraising new addition, 1994

About Us

In 1951, the Columbia Women’s Club felt Columbia, Illinois needed a public library. They gave up their normal meeting space in the room above City Hall and began furnishing it as a demonstration library. After a few attempts, the Columbia Library was established as a tax payer funded library on May 1, 1959. 

Our Mission

Columbia Public Library seeks to enrich the lives of their community by supporting literacy, learning, and personal growth.

Our Services

Columbia Library has a diverse collection of materials for patrons to checkout,

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electronic Books & Media

Checkout books, magazines, newspapers, and movies on your smart devices.

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Library of Things

We have more than books! Checkout some fun games, educational kits, exercise programs, hotspots, and more!

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Interlibrary Loans

If you cannot find the item you want from a library in our SHARE catalog, we can request the item from another library around the world!

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Other Services

Columbia Library has printing, copy, fax, lamination, and notary services available to the general public.