On the BDC's Calendar for February 2026

BDC staff has a good amount of work to do and several opportunities to share local history with the public during this short, often cold, month. We hope that should you not be a Library Lover at the start of this month, that you will be one by its end.  

We honor the contributions of the Gullah people year-round but particularly so in February during Black History Month. The 2026 theme is "A Century of Black History Commemorations" so Sydney's Research Room display will feature some of our local festivals and commemorations as will our Black History Notes Wednesday series on the BDC's Facebook page. Our Field Trip to the Beaufort National Cemetery on February 7 will include a stop by the burial site of United States Colored Troops who fought and died in our area. Ranger Ellis' presentation will include discussion of the role that prominent African-American politicians played in the splintering of the local Republican Party during Reconstruction.  

We are in the midst of the Library system's Winter Reading Program. We began posting Local History related reading suggestions on the BDC's Facebook page on Thursday, January 22nd and will continue doing so weekly through Thursday February 19th. Sydney, Cassandra, and I each chose several books to share with you.

Of all the Library system's "encouraging reading" series, the Winter Reading Program is by far the easiest to complete. All it takes reading something (or somethings) for a total of 6 hours, in small doses of minutes, an hour or so at a time, or in one marathon 6 hour session. You choose what works best for you. In my case I listened to a classic novel on Hoopla while I was traveling to and from my son's wedding. 

The tally cards are available in the Branch Libraries or online. Those who complete the program (but not BCL staff who complete the program) will be entered into a grand prize drawing. All the details are on the Winter Reading page.

We have two local history programs on our schedule:

• Saturday, February 7, 2026 - Field Trip to the Beaufort National Cemetery with BHC's Lead Volunteer Guide, Bonnie Mucia |BDC@ Beaufort National Cemetery, 1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort | 1 PM. 

• Friday, February 20, 2026 - "A Party Divided: Political Divisions of the Beaufort Republican Party during Reconstruction" with NPS Historian Eric Ellis | BDC@ Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street | 11 AM. 

I am reprising my talk about "Hurricanes of Beaufort District's Past" for a local senior living facility early in the month.

Cassandra and Sydney will represent the BDC at a table on February 9th of the Books Sandwiched In series sponsored by the Friends of the Beaufort Library. Drop by to say "hello" and pick up flyers about our shrimp related resources and upcoming local history programs.

The BCL system quietly launched a new website and a new Library events calendar last week. The designers believe that library customers will instinctively know how to find the information they seek on the new platforms. But if you find this is not the case for you, please reach out to us: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468. We'll do our best to assist you in learning the ins-and-outs of how to find and use the BDC's portions on the new website and how to find Local History programs on the new Library events calendar. 

BTW: The URLS or page addresses remain the same as before - only the graphic design and layout has changed: 

• Beaufort County Library system homepage: https://www.BeaufortCountyLibrary.org

• BDC homepage: https://www.BeaufortCountyLibrary.org/beaufort-district-collection

Note: All units of the Beaufort County Library will be closed Monday, February 16, 2026 in honor of Chief Executives of the Federal government. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, February 17.