City’s help sought for Follansbee Library

FOLLANSBEE -- The director of Brooke County Libraries invited Follansbee Council to the Follansbee branch on Monday to learn about repairs needed at the 110-year-old building.

Alexandra Schneider stood by a tall stack of ceiling tiles she and a handful of volunteers had hoped to use to replace ones that were deteriorating, noting they had been purchased with an anonymous local donation.

Schneider said while the group was able to install new tiles for its small meeting room, they found above the other tiles, fragments of the building's original, plaster lattice ceiling.

Mayor David Velegol Jr. and Councilman at large John Casinelli offered to enlist a contractor to take a closer look and offer suggestions and possibly, an estimate for the best remedy.

Schneider added ramps at the rear entrance and front foyer and the rail along the latter all are in need of repair.

She noted the rear entrance is the most handicap-accessible, offering easy access to the meeting room and restrooms.

Schneider also asked for help in patching a corner of the foyer that sustained water damage from a leaking roof that was repaired some years ago.

Formerly the Bank of Follansbee, which opened for business in 1914, the building belongs to the city, which partnered with the Brooke County Public Library to establish the local branch there in 1995.

In addition to assuming various maintenance costs, the city has contributed to wages needed to staff the library.

But Schneider and her predecessors also have secured state and other funds for materials and services there.

She noted she recently applied successfully for a $12,262 grant from a state library facilities improvement fund to install new heating ventilation and air conditioning units for the building.

Schneider said the fund was established in recent years by the state legislature at the behest of the West Virginia Library Association, which noted many of the state's libraries were aging and in great need of repair.

She said one of two 5 ton rooftop HVAC units isn't operating while parts have been cobbled together for both to provide what's been "a Band-Aid approach" at best.

Schneider said the two units are at least 35 years old.

Council has agreed to provide a $12,000 match for the grant needed to replace the units and is slated to consider the final cost at its April 8 meeting.

Schneider said bids for the project are due later this week.

She noted the library and city have worked together in the past, with the city funding the replacement of fluorescent lights with brighter LED bulbs last year.

"It's a world of difference. It's so much better," she said of the newer illumination.

Currently city crews are slated to install a picnic bench outside the courtyard of the library's larger meeting room and repair a gate there.

Schneider said it should make a peaceful setting for lunch.

Linda Amos, who was among members of the library board on hand, said she would like to see the meeting room host guest speakers and special events.

Schneider said since stepping into the director's position in 2014, she's been determined that the branch not be seen as "a forgotten stepchild."

She noted weekly children's story hours and other programs are held at the library, which also is a meeting place for independent groups.