West Virginia Library Commission facts for kids
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1929 |
| Jurisdiction | State of West Virginia |
| Headquarters | 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East Culture Center, Bldg. 9 Charleston, WV |
| Annual budget | $16,793,500 |
| Agency executive |
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The West Virginia Library Commission (WVLC) is the official library agency for the state of West Virginia. It is located in Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital. This important group helps manage and support all the public libraries across West Virginia.
The WVLC is guided by a group of nine people. These members are chosen by the Governor of West Virginia. The Commission helps give money from both the state and federal governments to West Virginia's 172 public libraries. They also keep up the Statewide Library Network, which connects all these libraries. The WVLC even has a special team that makes TV shows for state offices and libraries. They also create public service announcements (PSAs) for local communities.
How the West Virginia Library Commission Started
In 1915, West Virginia passed a law. This law allowed cities and towns to collect taxes. They could use these taxes to create public libraries. The West Virginia Library Association supported this idea. However, only fourteen public libraries were set up between 1917 and 1930.
The West Virginia Legislature officially created the West Virginia Library Commission in 1929. But the Commission did not get money to operate until 1941. This happened after a lot of effort from the State Federation of Women's Clubs.
A big change happened in 1956. That year, the Library Services Act was passed. This new law allowed the Library Commission to get money from the federal government. They could then share this money with public libraries. This helped many libraries grow and offer more services to people.
Where to Find More Information
- Official website of the West Virginia Library Commission: https://librarycommission.wv.gov/
