If this is a one-off (which it appears to be) and price is not an overwhelming obstacle, then look at a serial Graphic LCD such as this one http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9351
Besides writing text, this serial graphic LCD allows the user to draw lines, circles and boxes, set or reset individual pixels, erase specific blocks of the display, control the backlight and adjust the baud rate. It costs $35 and you won't need a GLCD library.
Better yet, this full color TFT has a built-in touch screen so you won't need a keyboard http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10089 - it costs more at $85 and is fully programmable OR can can be controlled with a serial port.
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