Overview of September 2024

• "September showed up right on schedule, and lasted a whole month." -Jenny Wingfield

In addition to our usual duties, the BDC has three local history programs planned this month - one north of the Broad; and two south of the Broad.

On Thursday, September 5th Larry Koolkin opens the "Historically Speaking" series with a talk about Jacques Le Moyne.

As you may recall, Tropical Storm Debby required some schedule adjustment on our part. We had to reschedule one local history program - and now those arrangements have been made. Learn about the fascinating history of the Hunting Island Lighthouse and the people who kept the light on in the darkness through all weathers from authors Theodore Panayotoff and Linda Miller of the Friends of Hunting Island. 

Theodore ("Ted") Panayotoff has been involved with lighthouses most of his life. When he relocated to Beaufort in 2016, this former Naval Officer took on the Directorship of the Lighthouse Committee of the Friends of Hunting Island State Park and has continued his research about the structure ever since - and now there's a lovely book. 

The Hilton Head Chapter of the Archaeological Society of South Carolina has let us join them in co-sponsoring a session about the Ford's Shell Ring Project on Hilton Head Island. Some of you may recall that archaeologist Jeff Sherard of Brockington & Associates spoke about shell rings and shell middens before the COVID pandemic. He'll be back - this time at the Hilton Head Branch Library - to discuss an archaeological mystery of sorts: Why is Ford's Shell Ring shaped in an unusual figure 8?

 

Because of the local history programs - and concomitant travel, set up and take down time involved - and the continuing staff shortage, the Research Room will be closed to walk-in customers on Thursday, September 5th and Tuesday, September 24th.  There will also be some lunchtime closures as well.

There will be fewer than usual "Uniquely BDC" and "Black History Note" posts this month because I'm taking some time off this month. This also means that the BDC will be closed Noon to 1 PM for Cassandra to get her lunch break while I am away -- which is why it still behooves potential researchers to make an appointment to come to the BDC.

Given that the BDC is a historical collection, we will highlight materials we have related to local historic aspects of Hispanic Heritage Month from mid-September into mid-October.

September is Library Card Sign up Month. If you don't have one, you are missing out on the best deal in America. Sign-up today!

Tomorrow is Labor Day and the Library will be closed. Cassandra and I will return to work on Tuesday. We'll do our best to respond to any incoming voice mails or emails that come in over the long weekend. All units of the Library system resume regular hours on Tuesday.