The Maier Foundation and Verizon West Virginia have each donated $500,000 to the Kanawha County Public Library, Charleston, WV, for a planned new downtown library and six replacement, expanded, or renovated libraries elsewhere in the county. Additionally, the Energy Corporation of America Foundation put in $250,000, bringing the total of privately raised money to $15 million, library officials announced.

The Central West Virginia Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau recently pledged $1 million. The project has an estimated price tag of $50 million, half to be raised privately. It consists of a 135,000 square foot main library, at $40 million, and $10 million for the branches.