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mittee was formed to inform and influence candidates for County Supervisor to support millage for constructing a new library building. As a result of the committees’s work, the Board of Supervisors became the first in the state to levy one-half mill for construction before federal funds through the Miss. Library Commission would be received.
Library service continued to grow in 1971 with the official opening of the Waveland Branch Library. This branch is located in rooms in the Waveland City Hall. Later an additional room was provided by Waveland officials. At the present time a building next to the Waveland Elementary School is being remodeled for the Waveland Branch Library.
The years 1973-74 brought many changes to the present library. A storage area was remodeled into a children’s room and electric charging machines were purchased, thus making the circulation of books a more efficient process. A new bookmobile was purchased in August,
1974,	and began making its rounds in the County area.
The work toward a new library continued and finally, seven years after the application for funds, word was received that money would be available for the construction of a new library building under the Library Services and Construction Act of 1974.
On September 3, 1974, a legal agreement was signed by officals from Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Hancock County, the Library Board of Trustees, and the Miss. Library Commission. The Library Board of Trustees had on hand $54,000 which, over the years, had been earmarked for a
new building. Waveland ^ agreed to allocate $4,000;
Bay St. Louis allocated $25,000, and Hancock County agreed to allocate . $53,400. This	was the
$136,400 local money needed before the $204,
521 federal money would be released to the Mississippi Library Commission for allocation to Hancock County.
On Sunday,	July 13,
1975,	the formal groundbreaking ceremonies for the project were held.
The building was designed by Fred Wagner, Bay St. Louis architect. Geo.	i'
P. Hopkins Contractors	j
and Engineers, Gulfport,	i
received the construction	i
bid. The building’s ap-	1
proximately	10,500	j
square feet utilizes all the ! area within the property lines, thus providing enough room	for the	.
present library	collection	\
with additional space for future growth. The building has	a large
children’s room, a reference area, magazine and leisure reading area, an auditorium, a rare book’s room and a bookmobile garage. All the latest audio-visual equipment is being purchased, and periodicals will be on microfilm and microfiche for patrons to use. There will be areas for exhibits and displays, and an outside book return.	.
With the money left in the federal funds, the property adjacent to the	■?-;
building was purchased.
This area will be cleared to provide additional parking spaces.	' -.j
The dream of many -Vf years is now a reality."
But the work is not	.1*?!
IT-*<.
finished. A beautiful	i*-'
building, furniture, equipment, a new Wave-land Branch, and a Bookmobile are just the beginning. In order to turn these into full-ser-vice library and informa-tion centers the support -vj| of every person in the County is needed.
[COMING UP: Interlib-rary loan. ]	'-55a