Late library director leaves funds for roof replacement

Hallie Yundt-Silver, on the day of her retirement reception in 2023. She died in January 2024. Photo by Mary Lou Montgomery

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

A troublesome skylight, installed in the “new” addition to the Hannibal Free Public Library in the 1980s, will soon be replaced, thanks in part to the generosity of library patrons both past and present, who donated to the library’s “Raise the Roof” campaign.

The fund raising campaign, launched in 2023, netted some $90,000 in individual contributions. While that is a significant amount, it wasn’t nearly enough to complete the project.

The fund finally reached its goal with the announcement of a bequest from the woman who originally started the ball rolling on the “Raise the Roof” campaign - Hallie Yundt Silver.

Yundt-Silver, who served the library as director until her retirement in 2023, died in January 2024.

That is when it was learned that Yundt-Silver had bequeathed a significant amount of money to the library; enough to pay for the remainder of the roof project, with some left over.

“Anyone who knows her, knows how stubborn she was,” said Caitlan Greathouse, who was named library director following Silver’s retirement. “(Hallie) started (this project) and she’s finishing it.”

Work on the project is already under way.

Architechnics of Hannibal served as the architect for the project, working to resolve all issues currently plaguing the library addition. Bleigh Construction was the low bidder. Costs are estimated at $584,000.

“The current roof holds water up there,” Greathouse said, “especially snow melt. They are fixing the incline, it won’t hold water up there as much. They are seeing what the root of problem is.”

The planning stage for the project has taken a year and a half.

Part of the work has already been completed.

“We had some drainage issues on the south side of building,” Greathouse said. “They dug out the foundation, and did water remediation on that side, to get the water to flow away from the building.”

The roof itself is being constructed off site by Bleigh Construction.

“The skylight is coming out, but we didn’t want to lose natural light,” Greathouse said. It will be replaced by a slanted membrane roof, set atop a row of windows. “It will be straight membrane roof replacement.”

When completed, the new roof will be lifted onto the library building via crane.

“I will be across the street, a nervous wreck,” Greathouse said. While the library will be closed during the installation, patrons will be able watch the progress from outside of the building.

Roof leaks have been a common occurrence during recent years, buckets strategically placed around the premises to collect consistent drips.

During Yundt-Silver’s retirement reception in 2023, Greathouse pointed out the stained ceiling tiles and buckets around the library, bringing laughter from those gathered for the reception  while pointing to the library’s ceiling.

“Those lovely spots on the ceiling and those buckets are not decorative,” Greathouse said. “Our roof is leaking everywhere.”

Once the repairs are complete, “It should be great moving forward for many generations,” she said.

The current status of the Hannibal Free Public Library’s roof shows stained and missing ceiling tiles, damaged by repeated roof leaks over the years. Work is currently under way to replace the troubled skylight with a slanted membrane roof, set atop a row of windows. Much of the money needed for the construction project was bequeathed to the library by its former director, Hallie Yundt-Silver. Contributed photo.