The Paden City Library, Jan. 14-25, is to host the exhibit Born of Rebellion:? West Virginia Statehood.

Born of Rebellion: West Virginia Statehood, an award-winning traveling exhibit, will be on display to the public at the Paden City Public Library from Jan. 14-25 during regular library hours. Joanna Casto, director of the Paden City Public Library, said she is also willing to adjust and extend library hours to accommodate students, clubs, and other groups and organizations who would like to view the display. It was designed by the West Virginia Humanities Council to help observe the 150th birthday of the state.

The circumstances of the creation of West Virginia remain unique in American history. Questions arose as to the constitutionality of the process and even as to whether the new state should be dissolved once Virginia was restored to the Union. The issues involved in West Virginia’s birth still engage people even far beyond our borders-providing material for a 2003 C-SPAN debate and lengthy article in the California Law Review. Born of Rebellion examines the constitutional questions surrounding the statehood process.

Consisting of three freestanding kiosks, the exhibit originally toured the state for two years starting in 2006, when it received a Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History. Using text, photographs, images, and maps, it has been redone with a new, lightweight panel system.

Exhibit viewers are given an opportunity to cast their vote on the constitutionality of our state.

It is available for loan to historical groups, museums, cultural organizations, and other interested venues for a minimum display period of two weeks.

There is no charge for the exhibit, which is currently booked through October 2013.

The Humanities Council made the design phase of the exhibit an innovative, educational project by working with graphic design students at West Virginia University. Sixteen students working in four teams designed the exhibit as a class project, as well as the accompanying brochure.

For more information call the Paden City Public Library at 304-337-9333. Please call the West Virginia Humanities Council at 304-346-8500 for information on how to bring Born of Rebellion to your community.