Mo. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 570
Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 570.210 (2026)

Library theft, guilty of stealing

✓ laws through the 2026 session (checked Sept. 2026)
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  570.210.  Library theft, guilty of stealing. — 1.  Any person who:

  (1)  Knowingly removes any library material from the premises of a library without authorization;

  (2)  Borrows or attempts to borrow any library material from a library by the unauthorized use of a library card;

  (3)  Borrows library materials from any library pursuant to an agreement or procedure established by the library which requires the return of such library material and fails to return the library material to the library; or

  (4)  Knowingly writes on, injures, defaces, tears, cuts, mutilates, or destroys a book, document, or other library material belonging to, on loan to, or otherwise in the custody of a library;

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shall be deemed to have appropriated said item with the intent to deprive the library of said item without its consent and shall be guilty of the offense of stealing under section 570.030.

  2.  It shall be prima facie evidence of the person's purpose to deprive the library of the library materials if, within ten days after notice in writing deposited as certified mail from the library demanding the return of such library material, such person without good cause shown fails to return the library material.  A person is presumed to have received the notice required by this subsection if the library mails such notice to the last address provided to the library by such person.  Payment to the library, in an amount equal to the cost of replacement of an item of no historical significance shall be considered returning the item for purposes of this subsection.

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(L. 1986 S.B. 450, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1888, A.L. 2004 S.B. 1211, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491)

Effective 1-01-17

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 1987–1993 · leading case: State v. Carpenter, 736 S.W.2d 406 (Mo. 1987).
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State v. Carpenter, 736 S.W.2d 406 (Mo. 1987). · cites it 3× “060, RSMo 1986, or even threatening to steal a book from a library, section 570.210, RSMo 1986. The state’s interest in prohibiting persons from threatening to commit offenses such as these does not outweigh the public interest in exercising free speech.”
State v. Reyes, 862 S.W.2d 377 (Mo. Ct. App. 1993). “190 — Telephone Service Fraud; § 570.210 — Library, Theft; § 570.300— Theft Cable Television; § 575.”
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