The History of the Bellaire Public Library
CITIZENS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
A library was established on February 24, 1871 in Bellaire. It was called the “Citizens Library Association.” This was a private library in the sense that it was maintained by private citizens. It was modeled after the subscription library plan. Patrons of the library would pay a membership fee and have borrowing privileges.
On June 3, 1891 this same library was incorporated into the non-profit organization called the “North Bellaire Library Association.” It was established “for the instruction and entertainment of the young people of Bellaire, where they shall be free from the allurements of gambling and strong drink, and they shall be taught habits of industry and the proper amenities of social life…”
Around 1880, a reading room was also established by School Superintendent Cox in the old Central Building.
The building was located where the present Bellaire High School Cafeteria and basketball gym are now. This building was razed to make way for the Bellaire High School Building in 1926.
GRAVEL HILL READING ROOM
“The Bellaire Reading Room,” Bellaire’s first public library, was located on the corner of Forty-Fourth and Noble Streets in what was then called the Weyrick Drugstore. The old reading room, a one story building containing two commodious rooms, was erected in 1881. The grounds were donated by Miss Lizzie Cummins, and the money to erect the structure, $1,000, was raised by subscription. Books and other reading matter were contributed by the citizens of the city and for over 25 years the building was used as a sort of public library. According to a newspaper article from the Bellaire Daily Leader dated November 4, 1916, several years earlier, due to a lack of interest on the part of the young people, the original purpose of the reading room was abandoned.
Since that time the structure had been used as a place of worship by the Slavish population of the city, a meeting place for the Boys Brigade, and various other purposes. The building and grounds were sold at a public auction on November 25, 1916.
BELLAIRE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Bellaire Public Library was founded in 1927. It moved into the basement of the Bellaire High School. School Superintendent J. V. Nelson, donated books from his personal library. It was supported by the County Intangibles Tax until the end of 1985. This was a tax on investments. Since 1986 the library has largely been supported by a portion of the State Income Tax of Ohio.
In the 1940’s James F. Mellott and William D. Mellott left money in their will to establish the Mellott Trust. Their wills provided money ($450,000)to build and maintain a public library and community center in memory of their father, Amos Mellott, and his family. The new Mellott Memorial Building was completed in 1959. The public library moved from Bellaire High School to the new building in 1960.
John J. Rietz was the architect and Walter H. Braum, library consultant. The general contracting was done by the Byrum Construction Company. The library was built within a year and opened to the public on Monday, December 19, 1960.
Construction and Expansion of the Bellaire Public Library
The library was closed from July 11th to August 11th in 1999 to move our books from the “old” part of the building to the new addition. Then we closed for the month of October, to move some of our library materials back to our newly remodeled “old” library. We are now more then double our previous size, with new features.
The New Addition
After 30 years, the need for more space was evident. A new addition to the library and a remodeling of the old building was done in 1998-2000. The Mellott Trust had wisely invested the money left from the Mellott brothers to the extent that there was enough money to build a new building and remodel the original 1959 building. Local architect William Hooker was hired. The total square footage is 20,000 square feet. The building project cost was $1.6 million dollars, which is entirely private money from the Mellott Trust.
Among the features of the new building are an atrium with a pop-up roof. The pop-up roof allows indirect sunlight to enter the building and provide natural light for the 1st and 2nd floors in the new building. There are extensive provisions made to prevent fire, and if a fire starts, the fire alarm system monitors the building 24 hours a day, and automatically notifies the Bellaire Fire Department. The flooring in the areas that receive heavy use are made of Vermont slate. The wood throughout the new and remodeled building is natural oak. The glass areas around the atrium on the second floor and in the new stairways is a durable glass and is modeled after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The shelving is very strong and is manufactured by a company founded by Melvile Dewey, who is famous for inventing the Dewey Decimal System used to arrange the books in many libraries. Currently, the library has about 53,000 books. The capacity of the new library is approximately 90,000 books.
The Children’s Area is now in the basement of the new building. It now allows the books, audio books, periodicals and other library materials to be housed next to a new story hour room for children. It also has a separate “child-sized” restroom and water fountain. Children can now be a little noisy, without disturbing those who would like a quiet area to read.
The lighting in the main reading area and the Children’s room is indirect light that is ideal for reading. The new building is wired for computers. The new building also has a fireplace and comfortable chairs for a relaxed adult reading area. There is also a parking lot, and elevator, and is completely handicapped accessible.
This building project provides more space, an attractive environment, and will serve the patrons of the Ohio Valley for many years.
