Library Foundation secures largest donation to date

The Springfield-Greene County Library Foundation has received its largest donation to date.

The $2.34 million estate gift comes from the late Ava Louise Gager Smith, according to a news release. A retired geologist and longtime library user, Smith died in May.

"Mrs. Smith’s legacy will forever be remembered by the Library Foundation and the district,” said Bridget Dierks, executive director of the Library Foundation, in the release. "Her generosity will support vital library resources and programs our patrons enjoy for generations."

The Library Foundation intends to donate $300,000 of the funds to the Springfield-Greene County Library District for the Hatch Auditorium, and the project's lobby will be named in honor of Smith. The $7.7 million, 11,350-square-foot auditorium at The Library Center is slated for completion in early 2026, according to past reporting. 

The remainder of the estate gift from Smith would be used to establish an unrestricted endowment fund that would annually benefit the Library District, according to the release.

Library Foundation officials say the previous largest donation came from Jewell Schweitzer in 2016 for the naming rights to the Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library. Schweitzer donated $1.2 million, according to past reporting.