A History of Green Bank Library by Jane Mospan, Libarian
The Green Bank Community Library, the first public library in Green Bank, was started in 1960, in the hallway of the National Radio Observatory (NRAO) with employees acting as librarians. Five hundred books were received from the West Virginia Library Commission (WVLC). These books were to serve as a standing basis for the community library and act as part of the traveling library schedule serving rural communities. As part of the program about 75 new books were added to the collection every three months with an equal number then returned to the WVLC. Specific books, with a shorter loan period, could be requested. Books were loaned for a three-week period. Two books could be borrowed by any one person with a maximum of six books per family.
It wasn't long before a need for more space prompted some of the volunteers to ask for community support, and they rented a cottage from Virgil B. Harris. With support from the WVLC, the library was opened in July 1963. The name was changed to Upper Pocahontas Free Library in 1965, in keeping with the policy of extending services to more and more of the county. Volunteers maintained the library until 1967, when the Pocahontas County Free Libraries system was born. Rose Bowyer was hired as the Head Librarian, and Upper Pocahontas became Green Bank Public Library. Adults and children over eight years of age were charged five cents to offset the cost of library cards. Persons living in the area for a short period of time (summer residents, etc.) were charged $2.00 (with a maximum of $5.00 per family). This amount was refunded upon return of all borrowed books. No other membership fee was charged patrons.
The library's steady growth in the number of patrons and volumes and community involvement impressed Frances Jones, who was the District Supervisor from the WVLC. She recommended Green Bank as one of the first communities in West Virginia to obtain an "instant carousel library," the capacity of which was estimated at 6,000 volumes. It was erected along State Route 28/92 in November 1976 on land donated by the NRAO. The new library was opened for business during the summer of l977. It soon became a center for community activities, so much so that in 1979, under the direction of Omar Bowyer, an "activity room" was added. This room was built by all volunteer labor of many local citizens, with money supplied by the Benedum Foundation, WVLC, and Green Bank Senior Citizens. Many public meetings are held in the "activity room" each month.
Jane Mospan was hired on a part-time basis in 1980 and up-graded to full-time librarian in 1984. Maria Tenney was hired on a part-time basis during the early fall of 1992 to help with the 18 school classes that visited the library weekly. Rose Bowyer retired as Head Librarian in September 1993. Maria Tenney moved away in June, 2002. Tara Stricklin filled in during the summer in Maria’s role. In September, 2002, Pam Ford became Green Bank Library assistant as well as Durbin branch librarian.
The library was automated in 1986, using the Micro VTLS System and a modem was added later to link the library with the database at WVLC. A computer was added in 1992 for patrons to search the on-line catalog. In 1997, internet access for the public arrived with the purchase of a computer by the WVLC using a technology grant. Two more public access computers were added in 1999. The first was received through a grant to the Pocahontas County School System and the second through the Gates Foundation. In 1999, the library’s database was converted from Micro VTLS to VTLS using Raleigh County as the sub-hub.
Heavy use of the library and an increase in volumes and computers has caused overcrowding once again. To alleviate this problem, the goal of the patrons, volunteers, and the library board is building a larger structure on the back of the property to house the 15,000+ volumes and five computers, with room for expansion. Completion is expected in spring, 2003.