Restriction of some BDC Related Services in June and July

As frequent readers know, the Beaufort District Collection has a quite small staff for the number of hours we keep the Research Room open each week and for our other usual and customary operations. While our staff is temporarily reduced due to health issues, we are having to make some adjustments.

• The BDC is suspending local history and genealogy related program coordination until August 2019. We hope to see you at our programs later this summer.
• In the meantime, be sure to check out all the other types of programs, workshops, and events that the other parts of the Beaufort County Library are hosting!
• All reproduction permission applications will be on hiatus for the duration.  
• All BDC social media will be on hiatus for the duration. 
• Continue to send your questions to bdc@bcgov.net or call 843-255-6468 for assistance during regular office hours. Sam and Kristi will do their best to answer your questions thoroughly and fully.

Please note - and this is important: Although every attempt will be made to keep the Research Room open its usual and customary hours during June and July 2019, that is, Monday - Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, it may not be possible each and every work day. I am certain that Sam, Kristi, and Library Administration will do its utmost to minimize any closures during this period.

In the meantime, you may want to check out the offerings of our sister organizations listed here. Some may involve a fee; some may not. Some have exhibits on a regular basis which is a type of public outreach that one can do at one's own pace and on one's own preferred schedule.

• Beaufort County Historical Society
• Beaufort History Museum
• Bluffton Historical Preservation Society
• Coastal Discovery Museum
• Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation
• Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission
• Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition 
• Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island 
• Heritage Library Foundation
• Hilton Head Chapter, Archaeological Society of South Carolina
• Historic Beaufort Foundation
• Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
• Historic Port Royal Foundation
• Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era 
• Penn Center 
• Port Royal Sound Maritime Center 
• Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
• Santa Elena History Center
• University of South Carolina Beaufort

There are probably others as well so please do not accept this list as the be-all, end-all one of historically minded organizations within Beaufort County.

Of course, we encourage all of you to participate in the Library's Summer Reading Program throughout June and July. The Library has completely revamped the program to simplify the process, include all ages, and now there are some really fabulous grand prizes to win.

 
And it's soooooo easy! Read text - any text - for 20 minutes per day for 36 of the 60 days in the program -- and you'll be eligible to enter the grand prize drawings. Two of the Grand Prize drawings even have a local history theme!

• Like foreign movies? Put on the subtitles and read 20 or minutes and you can check off a box. 
• Text with your grandchildren? Read 20 minutes worth of messages and you can check off a box. 
• Making a new recipe? Read the directions over 20 minutes and you can check off a box. 
• Read to your elderly mother for 20 minutes, check off a box. 
• Read to your pet for 20 minutes, check off a box. 
• Read a bestseller on Hoopla as an e-book for 20 minutes, check off a box. 

I'm sure that you get the drift. Details are available online or ask at your favorite Beaufort County Branch Library. Check out my Connections post immediately preceding this one for a host of local history related recommendations! And Sam and Kristi will be on hand to offer even more suggestions should you ask in our Research Room.

Looking ahead: All units of the Library system will be closed on Independence Day, July 4th.