The State Centers for the Book linked by US Route 1 which extends from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida are joining together to promote books that illuminate important aspects of their states/commonwealths for readers traveling the major and meandering highway.

For 2015, The South Carolina Center for the Book’s Route1Reads is James E. McTeer's Minnow. Minnow was the winner of the 2014 South Carolina First Novel Competition. McTeer’s novel was published by Hub City Press and made its debut at the South Carolina Book Festival in May 2015.

The Spartanburg County Public Library invites visitors from August 14 through October 18 to view artwork on display in the AT&T Exhibition Lobby during library's 3rd Annual Juried Exhibition. Amber Smith, former Assistant Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC served as juror for this year's exhibition.  Join the Library in celebrating the hard work of artists in our community.

The South Carolina 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.

During the Civil War, General William T. Sherman gained a reputation for being ruthless.  Learn more about his tactics when the Laurens County Library, the Laurens District Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogy Society and the Humanities Council of SC present “Sherman’s Flame and Blame” at the Laurens County Library at 7:30 PM on September 10, 2015.

Talking Book Services was presented with the Employer of the Year award on August 22, 2015 at the National Federation of the Blind state convention. This award was given “in appreciation of [their] outstanding record of providing meaningful employment opportunities for blind South Carolinians.”

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the South Carolina State Library joins with the American Library Association and public libraries nationwide to make sure that our students have the most important school supply of all – a free library card. 

Resources at your local South Carolina public library are available to anyone who has a library card. Students can turn to the library for materials, programs, and services that support academic achievement.  

Christina Baker Kline, author of the novel “Orphan Train,” will discuss the history of orphan trains in the United States on Monday, September 28 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the York County Library in Rock Hill.   A book sale and signing will follow the program.  Seating is limited and registration is required for this free program. Beginning September 9, you may call 803-981-5845 or visit www.yclibrary.org, then “events and classes,” to register.

The South Carolina State Library’s Center for the Book is pleased to announce its upcoming author line up for the Speaker @ the Center series.  

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 - Bernie Schein, Famous All Over Town | Story River Books, USC Press. A comically candid novel of the small-town south, rampant with revelations from bedrooms, courtrooms, and all points in between.

The South Carolina State Library has created a DISASTER PREPAREDNESS for Libraries LibGuide.  This is a short guide of federal, state, and other online resources for libraries to have ready for staff and patrons for a variety of emergencies when library holdings are in danger of destruction.

For more information about National Preparedness Month, please visit the Ready.gov website.