York County is taking literacy on the road with its new outreach van. On February 24, Director of Finance and Grants Wendy Coplen joined YCL Director Jason Hyatt and his team to celebrate the Sprinter van and cut the ribbon, signifying its launch into the community. The van contains a wheelchair lift and roll-on book carts for serving senior patrons. A $50,000 grant from the Institute of Museums and Library Services and $50,000 from the Friends of York County Library made the purchase possible.

Public libraries are gathering places, information spaces, entertainment hubs, and centers for lifelong learning. South Carolinians depend on their public library for access to technology and educational resources. Libraries provide equal access to information, which creates opportunity. With over 21.5% of households in South Carolina not having internet access, libraries are the connection point for many. During 2020, over 2 Million wireless sessions occurred in a library.

We're a little partial to lions given that two regal lion statues, named Sol and Edgar for former South Carolina politicians Solomon Blatt and Edgar Brown, frame our building. However, more than the cover of the Midlands Technical College Training Guide intrigues us. The student-centered content is color-coded and divided by school, making it easy to navigate. Concise infographics and career spotlights describe the benefits and requirements of each program.

Our digital collection now houses 100 editions of the South Carolina Wildlife Magazine. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources publishes the magazine to educate the public about ways to conserve, protect, and preserve our state’s natural resources. Readers may enjoy conservation success stories, heartwarming reflections, humorous tales, intriguing field notes, delectable recipes, and awe-inspiring outdoor adventures. We add additional volumes monthly.

Director Leesa Aiken joined Governor Henry McMaster and other leaders from the Early Childhood Advisory Council to unveil South Carolina’s Birth through Five Plan and celebrate the launch of First Five SC. The First Five SC program provides families of young children with immediate access to resources to help their children grow and succeed.

We are honored to participate in the New York Academy of Medicine’s “Color Our Collections” campaign allowing libraries, museums, and archives to feature special collections and rare books as coloring books. To showcase the historical component of our collection, we selected fairytales, storybooks, and illustrated magazines dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. Print your favorite pages and put a colorful spin on the past.

Every five years, we must provide an independent evaluation of how our agency implements Library Services and Technology grants in South Carolina. Quality Metrics gathers information from various sources for 2018 to 2022, including the State Program Report, personal interviews, and survey data. Would you please share how federal Institute of Museum and Library Services funds helped your community? The short survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete.

We may be the library’s library; however, we also serve South Carolina citizens. A grandchild of Retha Mark, the Secretary of the South Carolina Library Association in 1964, asked our reference librarians to search the collection for information about her career. Articles surfaced, including one from the Charleston Evening Post, which included this photo from her swearing-in ceremony. According to the family, Retha Mark had a famous pupil while working as the librarian at Sumter High School in the early 1970s.

Snuggle up to statistics during Love Data Week, February 14-18. Join the fun with deep dives into the Public Libraries Survey and a new theme each day.