Posted February 18, 2005.

Pierce City Rebuilds Its Library after 2003 Tornado

Nearly two years after a tornado swept through downtown Pierce City, Missouri, and completely destroyed the David H. Jones branch of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library system, a new facility has risen up to take its place. Opened to the public February 15, the new branch cost about $500,000 to build and furnish, and has nearly twice the space as the old library.

“The collection of books is 99% new,” BLRL Director Jean Berg said in the February 15 Joplin Globe. “Never before have I opened a library where I have put up all new books. It boggles the mind, I’ll tell you. We now have around 12,000 volumes in the library. Before the tornado, the library had about 10,000 volumes.”

Many of the books were donated by library supporters who read about the damage caused by the May 4, 2003, tornado. Library Friends group Secretary Judy Bowman told the Globe that books were sent from 49 states, the Marshall Islands, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and England.

The construction was financed by state and federal emergency funds, community development block grant money, county tax dollars, and private donations. Springfield attorney David H. Jones, the library’s benefactor and namesake, donated $75,000 towards a public meeting room.

Posted February 18, 2005.