User:Scstatelibrary/sandbox/South Carolina State Library

= South Carolina State Library = The South Carolina State Library is the primary administrator of federal and state support for the state's libraries.

History
South Carolina State Library Board was created in 1929. At the urging of citizens interested in quality county-wide library service, the General Assembly passed legislation establishing the State Public Library Association and a State Library Board composed of five citizens. In the depths of the Great Depression, no funds were appropriated for the library extension agency, but grants from the South Carolina Library Association and the Rosenwald Foundation enabled the State Library Board to employ a field agent from 1929 to 1932 to assist communities interested in the development of public library service.

In 1930, the State Library Board created Library Leaves. Library Leaves was a publication by the State Library Board that shared news about libraries and library development to librarians and other interested parties across the state of South Carolina.

Library Leaves' publication ran from 1930 to 1932.

In 1969, as the result of action by the General Assembly, the State Library Board was redesignated as the South Carolina State Library and assumed responsibility for public library development, library service for state institutions, service for the blind and physically handicapped, and library service to state government agencies.

Headquartered in Columbia, SC, the State Library is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and other sources.

The Library’s tagline is Innovation Collaboration Participation Preservation.

Facility
The South Carolina State Library building, located at 1500 Senate Street, was authorized by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1965. It was financed with state funds and a federal grant under the Library Services and Construction Act. Construction on the library, which was designed by architect John Califf of the firm of Geiger, Califf and Player, was begun in 1967 and completed in 1969.

The most distinctive features of this building are the two bronze lions that flank the front entrance. These statues were designed by sculptor A. Pelzer and manufactured by the firm of W. H. Mullins in Salem, Ohio. They originally stood at the Court Inn in Camden, South Carolina. After the Inn closed in 1962, a private citizen in Camden acquired them. When they were offered for sale in the fall of 1965, the lions were purchased by South Carolina state government for use at the planned State Library building.

The lions were subsequently nicknamed Sol and Edgar, after two powerful state politicians, both from Barnwell County. Sol, the lion on the west side, was named for Solomon "Sol" Blatt (1895-1986), Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives for more than three decades. The lion on the east side was named for Edgar Brown (1888-1975), long-time President Pro Tempore of the South Carolina Senate.

In September of 2019, the Library celebrated its building’s 50th anniversary.

Departments
The Library’s executive team consists of the Director, Deputy Director for Statewide Development, and Deputy Director of Library Resources and Services. Additional departments are Human Resources, Library Development & Grants, Statewide Services, Communications, Talking Book Services, SCLENDS, Information Technology, Collection Management & Digitization, Electronic Resources, and Finance & Administration.

Board Members
The Library is governed by the State Library Board consisting of seven members, one from each congressional district. The members must be appointed by the Governor for terms of five years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. All vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the unexpired term.

Programs and Services
The Library serves three main groups: South Carolina residents, libraries, and state government. It also provides training events on a regular basis on a wide variety of library-related topics. The library regularly hosts exhibits on the first floor. The first floor is the only level open to the public; however, visitors going to other levels within the library may check in at the information desk for an ID badge.

South Carolina State Library Directors
1. Estellene P. Walker, Director of the South Carolina State Library Board from 1946 to 1969, Director of South Carolina State Library from 1969 to June 30, 1979.

2. Betty Callaham, Director of the South Carolina State Library July 20, 1979 to June 1, 1990.

3. James B. Johnson, Director of the South Carolina State Library from July 1991 to June 30, 2005.

4. Patti Butcher, Director of the South Carolina State Library from July 1, 2005 to October 20, 2006.

5. Dr. Curtis Rogers, Interim Director of the South Carolina State Library from October 21, 2006 to March 19, 2007.

6. David S. Goble, Director of the South Carolina State Library from March 19, 2007 to [2013?].

7. Hulen Bivins, Director of the South Carolina State Library from [2013?] to [2014?].

8. Leesa Aiken, Director of the South Carolina State Library, May 2014 to present day.