What's Happening in the BDC During March 2024

March is Women's History Month  so of course, there will be some emphasis on BDC materials about the distaff. I expect to have some trouble keeping to the 2024 theme, "Women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion" from the holdings of the Research Room but I shall indeed try to do so. 

On March 6, I'm going to talk with the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians about the process we follow regarding donations of archival materials. 

Our only scheduled local history program this month is "The History of the Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority" with BJWSA's own Tricia Kilgore on Tuesday, March 19th. We hope that you can join us. 

Adjusted BDC Service Model

The BDC Research Room service model is changing a bit beginning today.

When COVID-19 struck the world in March 2020, a lot of things changed. Since October 2020, we have operated on an exclusively by appointment only basis due to health concerns and chronic BDC staff shortages. First we did one appointment per day mostly for pandemic reasons; then we offered up to three appointments per day; We're going to continue to offer up to three 2-hour appointments per day for those who contact us in advance of showing up at the BDC Research Room door and extend service to some walk-in customers sometimes starting at 9 AM.    

Beginning March 1, we may accept walk-in customers some Mondays through Fridays from 9 AM -- 4:30 PM under certain conditions: 

• If there's sufficient staff to guide walk-in customers and monitor use of special collections materials
• If there's sufficient seating for walk-in customers [Reminder: We have a quite small physical public space.]
• If there isn't already an obligation on our service delivery calendar

In practice, this means that a walk-in might be served if no other customer is in the Research Room and our calendar is open at the moment the walk-in shows up at our door between 9 AM and 4:30 PM most weekdays.  But if we have an appointment, local history program, outreach session, meeting, group session, etc. on the BDC's calendar for that day and time, walk-ins will not be accepted. 

Walk-ins allowed admittance will have access to the BDC's Library Assistant and/or Library Specialist who will guide them to resources that may help walk-in customers answer their own questions about historic houses, local history and family history. 

I repeat: Walk-in customers may be admitted but are not guaranteed admittance nor access to the full BDC staff if s/he/they just drop by the Research Room. Researchers with appointments will always get our best, exclusive, and fullest attention during their scheduled time.

Bottom line: For assured personalized service, make an appointment in advance.  Contact bdc@bcgov.net or call 843-255-6468 for details. 

Wonder why we set the cut-off time for service at 4:30 PM when the 2nd floor is open until 5 on weekdays? Because it takes time for BDC staff to register a walk-in customer, identify relevant materials, pull those materials, note the materials given for the walk-in customer to use inside our facility through the Sirsi circulation system, for the walk-in customer to review the materials, for the walk-in customer to return the materials by 4:45 PM so that BDC staff can check in the materials, reshelve the materials, lock the Research Room and get down to the time clock by 5:00 PM. Beaufort County Government is firm about no overtime for staff. 

The Library will be closed on Good Friday, March 29, 2024.