2025 was another busy year at Rawlins Municipal Library in Pierre.
Director Abby Edwardson says Rawlins Library offers a variety of services and programs.
Edwardson says kids are some of their main patrons.
Edwardson says over 100,000 items were checked out by the library’s more than 7000 cardholders.
Thanks to support from the Fort Pierre City Council and the Pierre City, Hughes County and Stanley County Commissions, residents of those jurisdictions were able to get free library cards in 2025. The 7119 cardholders breaks down to:
- 5,594– City of Pierre Cardholders
- 543– City of Fort Pierre Cardholders
- 86– Stanley County Cardholders
- 732– Hughes County Cardholders
- 164– Paid Patron Cardholders
Find a full recap of Rawlins Municipal Library’s happenings in 2025 below.
Summer Reading:
- 1172– Library participants
- 206– Outreach participants
- 1378– Total summer reading participants
- 9972– Total books read
1000 Books Before Kindergarten:
- 37 participants in 2025
- 3 participants reached the 1,000 level
Computer and Internet Usage:
- Visits to the Rawlins Library online catalog inside the building: 26,531
- Visits to the Rawlins Library online card catalog outside the building: 26,692
- In library Wi-Fi sessions: 10,983
- In library public computer sessions: 7,727
Library Outreach:
- Materials delivered to homebound patrons (including those in a facility): 2,267
- Materials packaged for curbside pickup: 355
Library Visitors:
- Library hours changed in 2025
- Total Yearly Visitors: 75,307
- Days Open: 350
- Daily Average: 214 Visitors
Library Circulation:
- Digital materials (eBooks and audio books) collection circulation total: 52,022 (including 4,094 digital magazine checkouts)
- Physical book collection circulation total: 69,477
- Combined circulation total: 121,494
Library Collection:
- Continuation of digital magazines for the Overdrive digital collection
- Digital books added to the Overdrive digital collection: 645
- Physical books added to the collection: 3,489
- Average cost per digital material added to the Overdrive digital collection: 39.53
- Average cost per physical book added to the collection: $14.62
Interlibrary Loan (ILL):
- Continuation of OCLC (online computer library center) interlibrary loan software package
- Rawlins Library designated as the central South Dakota hub for interlibrary loan services
- ILL items borrowed: 697
- ILL items loaned: 229
Library Programs:
- Total programs offered: 375
- Total program attendance: 6,896
Statewide Involvement:
- Library Director Named President of the South Dakota Library Association
Professional Development:
- CPR and 1st Aid Training for Staff
- Jumpstart Summer Reading Training
- South Dakota Library Association Conference Trainings
- Trustee Training with the State Librarian
- Trustee Training on Braile and Accessible Library Services
Ten Policies Updated by the Trustees:
- 3D Printing Policy
- Active Shooter Policy
- Bylaws Policy
- Collection Development Policy
- Confidentiality of Library Records Policy
- Display Policy
- Gift Policy
- Media, Photography, and Filming Policy
- Meeting Room Policy
- Personnel Policy
- Programs Policy
- State Park Policy
- Technology Plan
- Test Proctoring Policy
Added Services:
- Introduced 3D printing services to expand technology access
- Established an interlibrary loan hub center for Central South Dakota
- Added Memory Kits designed specifically for senior citizens
- Installed a self-serve public copier
- Expanded the large print collection to include non-text picture books for senior citizens
- Launch of the Books and Coffee program: a Keurig coffee pot was donated by the Friends of the Library group, with K-cups available to the public for $1
Library Improvements:
- Cleared and emptied the library basement
- Cleaned all interior and exterior windows
- Replaced eight public computers with new workstations
- Installed new server computer
- Added a Community Resource information folder to the desktop of each adult computer
- Expanded the Riggs High School yearbook collection through a donation
- Organized and sorted materials in the glass display case of the South Dakota room
Capital Improvements:
- Installed a new ventilation system in the public bathrooms
- Completed plumbing repairs in both public and staff restrooms
- Repainted the library foyer
- Repaired exterior flagpole
- Replaced non-working exterior lights with energy efficient LED lights
- Repaired HVAC system
- Repaired electronic Daktronics sign on Church Street
- Repaired loose and damaged bricks on the library sidewalk
The Challenges:
- Experienced a temporary loss of the South Dakota State Library courier service
- Loss of the Ancestry database
- Loss of the library’s main book vendor
- Despite the challenges, the local library remained strong in 2025
Comments