The Rare Book Collection is comprised of approximately 2,000 rare, fragile, oversized, and special items ranging from political speeches and periodicals, to historical scientific works and literature. Approximately half of the Rare Book Collection comes from the personal library of Alexander S. Salley (1871-1961), South Carolina's first archivist.
The Rare Books collection was formed following the opening of the South Carolina State Library building in 1970. The South Carolina State Library recognizes the need to preserve the rare and fragile materials in our collections, and have housed the Rare Book Collection in archival storage cabinets for protection against environmental factors. Additionally, UV filtering lights have been installed in the area, and measures have been taken to house the most fragile items in archival phase boxes and folders.
*Image (top): Detail of Magnolia flore albo from The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, 1771, by Mark Catesby.
Rare Book Collection Resources
- Collections Handling Guidelines
Guidelines for how to handle rare, fragile, oversized, and special collection items. - Make an Appointment to View the Collection
To view the collection, make an appointment with our Metadata and Preservation Librarian. - The South Carolina Book Collection
Digitized titles from the Rare Book Collection. - The South Carolina Digital Library
The South Carolina Book Collection can also be accessed through the South Carolina Digital Library (SCDL).
Alexander S. Salley
Many titles in the Rare Book Collection came from the personal library of Alexander Samuel Salley (1871-1961), South Carolina’s first archivist.
Mr. Salley was born June 16, 1871 in Orangeburg, South Carolina. A graduate of The Citadel (1892), Salley's interest in history and South Carolina played a major role in the career path he would take. Throughout his long career, Mr. Salley authored a variety of articles, indexes, and volumes on a range of South Carolina's history.
In 1905, the legislature made the Historical Commission of the State of South Carolina (now South Carolina Department of Archives and History) responsible for the state's archives and authorized it to hire a full-time secretary to take custody of the non-current government records that were dispersed throughout the State House. Alexander S. Salley was instrumental, through advocacy, in the reorganization of the Historical Commission, and began 44 years of service as the Commission’s secretary in 1905.
Salley's collection features titles across many subjects and interests, with an emphasis on South Carolina's history, between the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Salley signed his name in all his books, and many feature handwritten commentary and notes.
Further Reading
- Orangeburg County Historical Society
- The Palmetto State's Memory
Lesser, Charles H. The Palmetto State's Memory: A History of the South Carolina Department of Archives & History, 1905-1960. South Carolina Department of Archives & History, 2009. - South Carolina Department of Archives & History
- South Carolina Encyclopedia
*Image of Alexander Samuel Salley from Archives and Records Management Division Picture file, circa 1729-2010 (P900051)
