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Ground being broken for library, museum

WELLSBURG — Wednesday was a day for big and little news, all of it positive, for officials with the Brooke County Public Library.

Jim Brockman, executive director of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Museum and Education Center, said a groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. June 1 for the 4,000 square foot addition to the library that will provide additional space for the museum located there.

Plans call for the addition to extend from the library’s River Room meeting room and include the creation of a new River Room and 3,000 square feet of additional display space for the museum.

Brockman said like the current River Room, the new meeting room will include a view of the Ohio River while also including a new sound system suitable for business and other meetings and the films shown frequently by the library.

He said the sound system and other interior improvements will be funded with a $50,000 grant from the Charles and Thelma Pugliese Foundation.

The donation of $500,000 each from Jon and Jeanette Meriwether and Dave and Nancy Hubbard for the project was announced earlier.

Since an exhibit relating the experiences of World War II veterans in the Bataan Death and Japanese prisoner of war camps was established at the library by Ed and Henrietta Jackfert, the museum has received numerous artifacts from veterans throughout the U.S. and beyond.

But lack of space prevented much of them from being displayed except on special occasions when the River Room was used. Brockman said with the addition, “Our materials won’t be hidden in boxes. People will be able to see things they normally don’t. It’s going to be great for the library. It will raise it to a new level of community involvement.”

Eberle said she’s also excited about the addition, which also will include updates to the building’s heating system and restrooms.

She added with the expansion, the museum’s board has agreed to contribute to the cost of the building’s utiltities. Currently, the museum contributes to the library’s phone bill and costs for office equipment and materials.

Brockman said Dan Hukill Contracting of Wellsburg is the contractor for the addition, which is expected to be completed in ninth months.

Eberle said the work will be done around the library’s programs and meetings whenever possible. She said groups that will be meeting in the River Room when the work is being done will be advised in advance and may be moved to other library facilities.

In addition to the project’s benefactors, Brockman expressed thanks to Wellsburg Council, which agreed to waive the building permit fee, which amounts to 10 percent of the project’s cost.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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