Whenever Kit Freudenberg moves to a new area, she finds the local library.
Libraries contain more than books, Freudenberg said. In the digital age, libraries can unlock the whole digital world.
"I was amazed," Freudenberg said. "I've been a library user since I was 5, but I didn't realize everything the library had."
The Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City named Freudenberg its first Library Ambassador of the Year on April 6.
MRRL Director Claudia Cook said Freudenberg has helped spread the library's mission throughout the community.
Freudenberg said the award caught her off-guard.
Freudenberg retired from her job as a grant writer at the National Churchill Museum in Fulton in 2015. About three years ago, she began volunteering for MRRL after Cook told her Rotary Club about services the library offers other than books.
Ever since, Freudenberg has played an instrumental role in creating the library's pop-up book sale, securing volunteers from her Rotary Club and telling people in the community about the library.
"I was surprised when I was selected," Freudenberg said of the award.
Cook said, in the future MRRL might better define the award and develop a committee to select an honoree. Freudenberg felt like an obvious choice, Cook said, given the ways she spreads the library's mission apart from its professional marketing staff.
"She has always been a big fan of libraries," Cook said. "She took that to the next step by making sure that her friends in organizations were involved in libraries."
MRRL offers far more than books, Freudenberg said. For example, users can access and download TV shows through a service called Hoopla. The library also offers free practice exams for tests like the LSAT, Freudenberg said.
"I think it's an under-utilized resource in our community," Freudenberg said. "People do not realize everything they can do for their business (at the library)."