Join us from noon to 1:00 pm on Thursday, February 7, for a free author talk and book signing: Days of Destruction: Augustine Thomas Smythe and the Civil War Siege of Charleston by Eric Emerson and Karen Stokes. Through a collection of letters written by Augustine Thomas Smythe, a well-educated young man from a prominent Charleston family, we get a glimpse of the long, destructive assault on the Holy City during the Civil War.

The South Carolina State Library is pleased to offer two popular grants research and proposal writing classes:

SC public library staff are invited to join in a fun-filled day learning about the SC Read Eat Grow program. On February 1, attendees will take part in a three-part demonstration to show how to use a commerical-grade kitchen, Charlie Cart and kitchen-in-a-box, all in your library. Throughout the morning we will discuss programming options with each of these three resources as well as the challenges you may face and how to address them. Register today at https://statelibrary.sc.libcal.com/event/4854392

We’re trying something new with Twitter! In addition to our main account (@SCStateLibrary) we are now also tweeting about specific items in our collections (@SCSLCollections). Follow us today and check out all the great resources we have to offer.

Protestors crowded downtown Columbia streets at the height of the civil rights movement. Several places along Main Street played a pivotal role in the fight for equal rights. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the peak of the movent, Columbia partnered with six southern cities and created Columbia 63 SC.  The goal is to tell the stories of those who fought for democracy and social justice.

Are you interested in rare books and how they are constructed? Drop by the South Carolina State Library to see our current display titled, “Anatomy of the Book”. This exhibit includes slipcases, gilt, leather bindings, and even a deerskin binding. The rare books on display range from 1707 to 1932. The oldest book on display is a rebound version of John Archdale’s A New Description of that Fertile and Pleasant Province of Carolina: with a Brief Account of its Discovery and Settling, and the Government thereof to this Time and features a vibrant example of marbling.

The South Carolina Digital State Documents Depository provides access to publications produced by state agencies and state-supported academic institutions. These publications provide citizens with crucial information about state government, including statistics, annual accountability reports, and data on a wide variety of topics related to the state.

This newly available online collection features photos from the 1940s-1970s from the archives of the South Carolina State Library. Many of the images were taken by State Library field agents and include photos of public library staff and patrons, exhibits and displays, library programs, and State Library Board staff and programs.

The collection is available via the South Carolina Digital Library at scmemory.org.