Libraries = Strong Communities, National Library Week, April 7 - 13, 2019

I eagerly await National Library Week every year. Ironically, it's almost as old as I am. Since the American Library Association and Libraries Transform get to the heart of the matter better than I can, here's most of the landing page for National Library Week Press Kit:

National Library Week (April 7- 13, 2019) is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. From free access to books and online resources for families to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all. The theme for 2019 National Library Week is "Libraries = Strong Communities," and Gates Foundation Co-founder Melinda Gates will serve as 2019 National Library Week Honorary Chair.


First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and observed in libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate.

National Library Week events

April: School Library Month
Monday, April 8 The 2019 State of America's Libraries Report is released
Tuesday, April 9: National Library Workers Day
Wednesday, April 10: National Bookmobile Day
Thursday, April 11: Take Action for Libraries Day


Libraries = Strong Communities

This year's National Library Week theme mirrors an American Library Association (ALA) presidential effort entitled "Libraries = Strong Communities," a national advocacy campaign aimed at highlighting the value of academic, public, and school libraries. This public awareness campaign is supported by ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo (2018 - 2019) and recognized by communities across the country.

Celebrate National Library Week 2016

National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country usually during the second week in April. The first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme "Wake Up and Read!" This year's theme is "Libraries Transform!"

National Library Week allows everyone to celebrate the contributions of our nation's 119,487 libraries and 366,642 library workers and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate. This year we beat the drum for libraries April 10 - 16. 

On Monday, April 11, the State of America's Libraries Report is released, including a list of the Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books of 2015. (Note: The link should be live by Noon on Monday).

Tuesday, April 12 is National Library Workers Day when the focus is on all those who keep libraries up and running, that is, professional and paraprofessional library staff, Friends groups, Library boards, and the administrative units that help pay each library's bills.

On Wednesday, April 13 we celebrate National Bookmobile Day.  Although the Beaufort County Library retired its last bookmobile in 1993, many libraries still provide a bookmobile service staffed with dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities. 

BTW: You can see some images of bookmobiles from the 1940s to the early 2002 in the South Carolina State Library’s Bookmobiles Collection. See photographs of the bookmobiles, library staff, patrons of all ages and the collections housed in these mobile libraries. Although the State Library doesn’t have a picture of the old Beaufort County bookmobiles, we have one of the 1958 library on wheels:  

(1958: Beaufort County Library archives)

Want to know more about the history of public libraries in South Carolina? The South Carolina Public Library History, 1930-1945 collection consists of photographs and documents from the archives of the SC State Library hosted by the South Carolina Digital Library. These digital images highlight public libraries, bookmobiles, librarians, and patrons from around the state. Many photographs and documents relate to the federal Works Project Administration (WPA) Library Project in South Carolina, which provided statewide library services from 1935 to 1943. 

The Beaufort Township Library opened in 1918; the Colored Library in 1932, so library services in Beaufort County pre-date the WPA project, though the WPA effort did enhance existing library operations here. You can even come into our research room to read through the Library system's archives during our regular hours of operation to discover the working relationship between the Beaufort Township/County Library and the State Library through the years. 

Prefer just the basic facts? We have a Beaufort County Library timeline and history posted on our Local History & Nature pages that provides a brief overview of our Library system's rather complicated past.  

Heads up: Expect to hear more about the history of this community institution as we get ever closer to our 100th Anniversary in 2018. Rest assured, we'll be soliciting your input about how best to mark the momentous occasion. 

In fact, we're asking you for input this month on the matter of what programs you'd like to see us arrange for persons aged 18 to 108. The Library system is conducting a month-long Adult programming survey, April 1-30. It takes a lot of time and energy to arrange, coordinate, and present programs and instructional sessions for adults. We want to make sure that we're spending that time and energy on the type of programs that help us enhance and transform your life. Please participate: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9RD2W2T

 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9RD2W2T

 And don't forget! We have our own adult program on Wednesday, April 13th at 5:30 pm in the Children's Programming Room of the Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, 1st floor. Neil Baxley will be there to share his research into the military career of Beaufort's own Brig. Gen. (CSA) Stephen Elliott: From Bay Point to Bentonville. 

Free! but seating is limited.

September is Library Card Sign Up Month

Beaufort County Library has been observing National Library Card Sign-Up Month for quite some years now. We love to celebrate the most valuable card of all – your library card! New to the area? Drop by one of the branch libraries to apply for a card. Lost your old card?  Drop by to get a new one. Are you a child or a teen? Stop by your branch's youth's desk to see what they have planned to celebrate this special month, and enter into their special prize give away! Winners will be contacted October 1st.

The observance was launched in 1987 to meet the challenge of then Secretary of Education William J. Bennett who said: "Let's have a national campaign...every child should obtain a library card - and use it." Since then, thousands of public and school libraries join each fall in a national effort to ensure every child does just that.

Library cards are generally free to those living in the library's service area. In most cases, borrowing privileges are granted on the spot. Some libraries may require some form of identification, proof of residency or the signature of a guardian.

How to Get Your Beaufort County Library Card:

Library cards are free to the following groups:

• Beaufort County residents who present proof of current residency in Beaufort County.
• Military personnel who present military ID and proof of current address.
• Non-residents who own property in Beaufort County and show proof of paid property tax and home address.
• Students who are non-residents may show a current student ID and proof of a Beaufort County mailing address.
• Faculty and staff of any Beaufort County school may show an employee ID badge and proof of address.
• County employees may show an employee ID and proof of address.
• Residents with no physical address may provide a letter of sponsorship on official letterhead from a recognized non-profit organization

You may visit any branch library location to get a library card. (To print out the form ahead of time, click here for English, click here for Spanish.)
You may use your card at any Beaufort County Library location.
You may borrow materials from any of the consortial libraries of SC LENDS, the University of South Carolina at Beaufort Library and the Technical College of the Lowcountry Learning Resources Center, subject to their policies and procedures.

Meet the New Beaufort County Library Director

The Beaufort County Library welcomed its new director, Ray McBride, on May 4^th. Mr. McBride brings with him a storied background that includes years of public library administration and military service.

McBride began his career in the United States Army in 1971 and after decades of service, retired as Command Sergeant Major, Military Intelligence. During his service, he lived and worked over a decade in Germany and two years in Tokyo, Japan. He was awarded the Legion of Merit medal for exceptionally meritorious service. 

McBride’s library career began after his retirement from the Army, where in 1997 he joined the Darlington County Library system as Systems Administrator/Reference Librarian. There he managed the automated library system and was responsible for the training, installation, maintenance and repair of its computers and servers, as well as managing staff and facilitating technology training to the public.

After Darlington, he joined the Greenville (SC) County Library system in 2000 as Information Technology Manager where he supervised technology staff, computers and servers in one of the largest library systems in SC.  Shortly after, he was promoted to Operations and Information Technology Manager where he also served as Project Manager for all new library construction (five branches).

From 2007-2013, McBride served as the Executive Director of the Florence, SC County Library System where he was responsible for managing six branch libraries and served as Project Manager for the construction of four branch libraries and one community center. 

In 2013, he became the Executive Director of the Lake City (SC) Community Museum Society, Inc., where for two years, he managed a 501(C)3 non-profit organization dedicated to establishing and maintaining museum facilities and programs for art, agriculture, and history which included the National Bean Market, Jones-Carter Gallery and Lynches Lake Historical Society.  He also coordinated the Pee Dee Regional National History Day Competition, ArtFields® and the Lake City Farmers Market. 

He has served as Chairman of the SC LENDS Consortium Executive Board (2009-2011), President of the SC Association of Public Library Administrators (2009-2010), President of the Public Library Section of the South Carolina Library Association (1999-2001), and President of the Darlington County Historical Society (1999-2001). He has served on many Boards, including the Florence County Museum Board of Directors, the Lake City Partnership Council Board of Directors, the Lake City Community Foundation Board of Directors, the Ronald E. McNair Foundation Board of Directors, and currently serves as a member of the Scarecrow Press Library Board.

McBride holds a Bachelor of Science in History (Magna Cum Laude) from Campbell University and a Masters Degree of Library and Information Science from North Carolina Central University. He received the Lyrasis Excellence Award (2010) and was named South Carolina Librarian of the Year in 2009.

Each of the five branch libraries of the Beaufort County Library have planned Meet and Greet sessions with Director McBride. These sessions are open to the public and are sponsored by the Friends of the Library at each branch. Dates and times are as follows:

Hilton Head Branch: June 4th, 11:00am – 12 noon

11 Beach City Rd, Hilton Head, SC 29926

Lobeco Branch: June 8th, 11:00am - 12 noon

1862 Trask Parkway, Lobeco, SC 29931

St. Helena Branch: June 9th, 5:00pm – 6:00pm PLEASE NOTE CHANGE: 3:00pm - 4:00pm  5/26

6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Rd, St. Helena, SC 29920

Beaufort Branch: June 10th, 5:00pm – 6:00pm

311 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC 29906

Bluffton Branch: June 11th, 3:00pm – 4:00pm

120 Palmetto Way, Bluffton, SC 29910

You'll notice that he doesn't have a Meet & Greet scheduled for the Beaufort District Collection.  We serve anyone over age 12 who is interested in delving deeper into Beaufort's long and storied history regardless of their home library. Therefore, feel free to tell him how much you appreciate and value the services offered through this department at any - or all - of the Meet & Greets.

Connecting with Archaeology

      

      The mission of the Beaufort District Collection is to acquire, maintain, and share materials about the local history, Gullah culture, archaeology, genealogy and natural history of this area.  Through the years we have been connected to and supportive of the study of archaeology. For more than a decade we've partnered with Beaufort County Planning Department, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) and the Hilton Head Chapter, ASSC and other agencies to bring programs about archaeology to the community during the month of October.  We've amped up our commitment to advocate for archaeology by helping establish and partnering with the new Beaufort Chapter, Archaeological Society of South Carolina this year.  

      Mary Lou Brewton summarized our partnership on page 2 of the latest Archaeological Society of South Carolina newsletter. Read all about how working together is raising the archaeological ante here in Beaufort County.   

SCAA in Beaufort County

The South Carolina Archival Association (SCAA) is holding its 2014 Spring workshop for cultural heritage professionals and para-professionals in Beaufort County on May 2nd!   
Following tradition, the SCAA workshop will offer registered attendees a Society of American Archivists webinar followed by a panel discussion of the webinar topic.  Because the webinar will focus on mitigating risks, building bridges with local law enforcement and developing a holdings protection program, the panelists are front-line archivists, librarians, public relations specialists, or administrators who are responsible for ensuring the integrity of collections. Panelists include: Gina White (Winthrop University), Steven Tuttle (South Carolina Department of Archives and History), Lynette Stoudt (Georgia Historical Society), and Douglas Henderson (Charleston County Public Library).

The SCAA Board (of which I am a member) hopes to get a good mix of cultural heritage folks to attend this first ever SCAA workshop here.

 

Protecting the Past to Safeguard the Future: Balancing Access with Security in South Carolina’s Cultural Heritage Repositories

Date: Friday, May 2, 2014

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Fee includes lunch)

For more information, please visit www.scarchivists.org.

Odds are it will be quite some time before we’ll have the opportunity to participate in cultural heritage training at such a low cost – with lunch provided! - on our home ground.  Charmaine and I will certainly be there to get up to snuff about the challenge of simultaneously providing security for and sharing our holdings and network with other cultural heritage folks from South Carolina and Georgia.  (Traci Cox and Brenda Beasley-Forrest will be in the BDC Research Room that day to assist you while we’re learning how to be better stewards and sharers!)

Q: Why St. Helena Branch Library over the BDC or Beaufort Branch?
A: It came down to: location, space, technology, and free parking. The 311 Scott Street Library facility doesn't have the physical space to hold the expected number of workshop attendees; nor the technology necessary to support the webinar; nor enough free parking nearby to accommodate attendees.