We Made the Paper!

Longtime Island Packet columnist, David Lauderdale, visited the new Research Room yesterday -- and lived to write about it in yesterday's paper. Read "Library Gives Beaufort history the respect it deserves."

The relocation of the Beaufort District Collection into a more appropriately-sized space was truly a collaboration of government, organizations, and private monies. Thanks again to anyone who did any thing to help bring the project to fruition.

We're Making Good Progress.

Things are moving along quite well with the relocation. Watch the New BDC Take Shape has 10 new images taken this week.
We re-open to serve you upstairs in the Paul Siegmund Room on Thursday, Sept. 30th at 10:00am.

Watch the new BDC Take Shape ...

I added new images late Friday afternoon to our FLICKR account. We've got approximately 1/3 of the cataloged materials now in place on the 2nd floor. Click here for the slideshow.

Woo Hoo.... the new BDC is going vertical

Dennis Adams just posted new images on the progress of the compact shelving installation in the Paul Siegmund Room! There's no turning back now.

Watch the new BDC Take Shape

If you want to monitor the progress of the installation of the compact shelving array in the new BDC Research Room, click here. Dennis Adams (whose office is right next door to the construction. Thank you, Dennis and everyone else who is being patient about the noise!) has agreed to take photographs every couple of days of the progress and post them into the "Beaufort County Library" FLICKR account for us. Watch the new BDC take shape!

Drill, Baby, Drill....

The installation of the compact shelving array in the Paul Siegmund Room has begun! What a joy to hear the drills buzzing when I came in to work this morning! (It's not so good for the aural comfort of customers at the Beaufort Branch nor for the Library's administrative team, but it's very good for the health and preservation of the "Wonders of the BDC." Please be patient with us as we make progress.)

Construction is anticipated to last approximately 2 1/2 to 3 weeks. Once that's done and the roof work (a separate project that is as good for the BDC as it is for the rest of the Beaufort County Library functions that occur inside the 311 Scott Street Building) has been accepted by the County, then the BDC will close down to relocate the Research Room to the 2nd floor. Hurray!

I anticipate the move will take 2 to 4 weeks to be completed. Think of the current BDC's "SC Room" as a gold mine -- one never knows what unexpected treasures we'll uncover during the course of the relocation. If an item isn't already in the catalog or on one of our in-house inventories, we'll have to make a note of the item before taking it upstairs to its new digs. Of course, we're in Hurricane Season, so things may not go according to plan.

Please stay tuned to Connections for construction and moving schedule updates.

Breaking News: Compact Shelving Array Contract is signed

It is with great relief that I share the good news I got via a Blackberry memo from our vendor: The Compact Shelving Array Contract has been signed. Expect further details soon.

Hallelujah!

Update: BDC Compact Shelving

As you may recall, the Public Library Foundation is serving as the fiscal agent for the BDC Compact Shelving Campaign. Sandra Saad, of the Office of Development and Martketing, sent out a notice on Dec. 22nd, that the "total raised to date for the BDC Shelving Campaign is $36,245." Thanks to all who have contributed thus far to the fund.

In case you want to know more about why compact shelves are the best solution to our storage problems, you can review the September 30th posting about the compact shelving project.

Donations are will be accepted until we reach our goal of $85,000. Please send your donation to the "Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County" with a notation that your donation is for the "Beaufort District Collection" compact shelving project. The mailing address for the PLFBC is:

Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County
311 Scott Street, Suite 201
Beaufort, SC 29902

Compact Shelving Fund-raiser Update

This just in from Sandra Saad, Director of Development and Marketing:

As promised, here is our latest update on the Beaufort District Collection Fundraising effort....Our total raised to date is $35,545!

For more information, please contact Sandra Saad, ssaad@bcgov.net or call the Office of Development and Marketing at its office telephone: 843.470.6545.

Time to Register for Drawing Extended

I found out just this morning that the Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County is extending the period during which a donation to the Compact Shelving Fund will also enter your name into the drawing.

If your donation is received by the Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County before November 30th, your name will be placed in a Friends of the Beaufort County Library drawing to win an autographed copy of A History of Beaufort County, South Carolina, vol. 1 by Dr. Larry Rowland.

Checks should be made out to the "Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County" with a notation that your donation is for the "Beaufort District Collection" compact shelving project.

Mailing Address:

Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County
311 Scott Street, Suite 201
Beaufort, South Carolina 29902


Any donation that you can make to help us reach our goal of $85,000 will be graciously appreciated. We really need proper storage for the "Treasures of the Beaufort District Collection." We cannot be good stewards of the historic materials entrusted to us without your financial help in raising the necessary funds to purchase the mobile, high density storage. Please help if you can.

Why Compact Shelves and Why Now?

Click here to see my sales pitch about why the BDC must have compact shelving upstairs before we can move.

The Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County is the fiscal agent for the BDC compact shelving fund-raiser.

You may contact Sandra Saad, Director of Marketing and Development or Miriam Mitchell, her associate, for details.

Checks should be made out to the "Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County" with a notation that your donation is for the "Beaufort District Collection" compact shelving project. [The PLF is currently raising money for another project as well. If you want your donation to go towards the BDC compact shelving project, please indicate this clearly on your donation.]

Mailing Address:

Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County
311 Scott Street, Suite 201
Beaufort, South Carolina 29902

If you can see your way clear to donate funds towards the project, please do.

If your donation is received by the Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County before October 28th, your name will be placed in a Friends of the Beaufort County Library drawing to win an autographed copy of A History of Beaufort County, South Carolina, vol. 1 by Dr. Larry Rowland.

Any donation that you can make to help us reach our goal of $85,000 will be graciously appreciated.