America 250: Finale - A Republic, If We Can Keep It

August 13, 2026
12:00pm - 8:00pm

"A Republic — If we can keep it." Live Public Readings from the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution

On September 17, 1787, as the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia came to a close, Ben Franklin was asked whether the delegates had created a monarchy or a republic. “A republic,” Franklin famously replied, “if you can keep it.” Franklin’s words remind us that self government is fragile and difficult and must be guarded diligently, especially by the governed. In recognition of these existential truths and in the glow of our nation’s Semiquincentennial, OCPL will feature a main exhibit celebrating our relatively young experiment in keeping a republic, exploring 250 years of successes and failures, and, on August 13 at noon, we will invite members of our community to participate in public readings of selections from our most cherished documents: the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Don't miss our new exhibit: "AMERICA 250: A Republic If We Can Keep It" in the main exhibit area from late June through September, 2026.  Experience period artifacts and an amazing amount of information about our Founding Fathers, Founding Mothers, and Founding Docments.

PLUS--> The New America 250 Spring/Summer Edition of the Upper Ohio Valley Historical Review will explore "Wheeling and the Ohio Valley in the National Story."

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ABOUT THE OCPL'S PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY SERIES:

In 1951, the Ohio County Public Library's librarian, Virginia Ebeling, referenced British historian Thomas Carlyle, who said, “the public library is a People’s University,” when she initiated a new adult education program with that name. Miss Ebeling charged the library with the responsibility of reaching “as many people in the community as possible.” In keeping with that tradition of public libraries as sanctuaries of free learning for all people, the Ohio County Public Library revived the series in 2010.

The People’s University features courses (taught by experts in each subject) that enable patrons to pursue their goal of lifelong learning in classic subjects such as history, music appreciation, philosophy, and literature. Patrons may attend as many classes as they wish. There are no tests of other requirements and all programs are free and open to the public. For more information about PU: Fairy Tales for Grown-Ups, EMAIL US,  visit ohiocountylibrary.org or call the library at 304-232-0244.