LINN — A partnership serving 75–110 seniors each month through meals, educational programs, health resources, entertainment, and opportunities to connect has earned statewide recognition for Sarah Falter, branch manager of the Osage County Branch of Missouri River Regional Library.

Falter received the Missouri Library Association’s 2026 Outstanding Community Partnership Award for her work developing Senior Connections through a partnership between the library, Central Missouri Community Action of Osage and Moniteau Counties, and Aging Best.

The association presented its awards on Oct. 7 at its conference in Springfield.

According to the association’s award announcement, Falter helped transform the library into a hub for seniors in a rural community that previously had no senior or community center. The collaboration began with a partnership to provide space, outreach, and programming and grew into Senior Connections.

“Sarah’s commitment to collaboration, community outreach, and connecting people with the resources they need has made a lasting impact on the seniors of Osage County,” the association stated in its release.

Falter said Jenn Millard of Central Missouri Community Action and Brenda Doyle of Aging Best share the award with her. Mary Ann Gelven also serves on the leadership team. Millard was unable to attend the awards ceremony.

“Our seniors were really excited that we won an award for our gatherings,” Falter wrote in an email sharing the news.

The Missouri Library Association is a nonprofit statewide membership organization for people working in librarianship. Its mission includes promoting library services, the profession of librarianship, and cooperation among libraries and organizations concerned with library services in Missouri.