Bentleyville Library Celebrates 75 Years with Diamond Anniversary Celebration

Last Updated on Saturday, 28 May 2016 21:28

The Bentleyville Public Library will celebrate its 75th anniversary on July 1-2, 2016. The Diamond Anniversary Celebration will include an open house at the library from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, July 1. Refreshments will be served and displays relating to the library’s history and programs will be available.

The celebration will also include a ‘diamond dig’ for children. The ‘diamond dig’ will be held on the lawn at the library from 12 p.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, July 2. Children will have the opportunity to ‘dig’ through piles of sand for plastic diamonds. The diamonds can be exchanged for prizes.

The Bentleyville Public Library was founded in 1941 by the Bentleyville Chapter of the Daughters of the American Pioneers. The library’s mission was to provide residents with resources for lifelong learning, to advance knowledge, and to support the love of reading.

The first library was located at the corner of Main and Lincoln (Mancini Building). The first librarian was Neil Thompson Weir. Mrs. Weir served the library for more than 35 years. The library later moved to the basement of Mesler’s Dairy Bar and then to the building located at 832 Main Street. In the 1970s, the library moved to its present location.

The present library was the former Lower End Elementary School. Bentleyville Borough acquired and renovated the school for use as a library and community center. In 2012, ownership of the building was passed to the library.

The library is organized as a non-profit corporation and is governed by an independent board of trustees. Each municipality served by the library is represented on the board of trustees. The IRS has approved the library as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

In our current library, computers, the internet, and e-books have joined printed material as resources for patrons; however, the library’s mission remains constant - to provide the community with resources for lifelong learning, to advance knowledge, and to support the love of reading.

The Bentleyville Public Library serves the residents of Bentleyville, Cokeburg, and Ellsworth boroughs and North Bethlehem and Somerset townships.