Blog
Richland Library Main

#OwnVoices Honoring Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary: Cassie's Top 5 Artist

  • Cassie G.
  • Wednesday, October 25

It doesn't matter if it's the lyrics "I can't stand the rain, Against my window, I can't stand the rain" from Missy Elliot or the lyrics "Who you calling a B....!" from Queen Latifah blare out of radio. Once they do, listeners will automatically begin to vibe and finish the lyrics. 

Devil in a Blue Dress
Devil in a Blue Dress
Staff Picks

Walter Mosley's World

  • Morgan R.
  • Wednesday, October 25
Walter Mosley is one of the most versatile and admired writers in America. He is the author of more than sixty critically acclaimed books that cover a wide range of ideas, genres, and forms including fiction (literary, mystery, and science fiction), political monographs, writing guides including Elements of Fiction, a memoir in paintings, and a young adult novel called 47. His work has been translated into twenty-five languages. (Author's Website) 
Database

Heritage Hub

Explore genealogical records from 1704 – today, including obituary content from the mid 1900’s, coverage from all 50 states, and obituary images from historical newspapers.

Read More | Access
Hip-hop at the End of the World
Born in the Bronx
Staff Picks

Honoring Hip Hop's 50th Anniversary: Adult Titles

  • Savannah G.
  • Friday, October 20
This year marks Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary. From music to culture, Hip Hop has solidified itself as a powerhouse genre with its legacy and influence spread across the globe. Celebrate this momentous occasion by reading about Hip Hop from those who know it best: the pioneers, the tastemakers, the innovators, the historians, and the lovers of the craft! 
The Future
Bookshops & Bonedust
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for November 2023

  • Sarah C.
  • Friday, October 20
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in November 2023, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Blog
Richland Library Main

The Origins of South Carolina Pride

  • Margaret D.
    Evelyn B.
  • Wednesday, October 18

Friday, October 20, is the 2023 Famously Hot Pride Parade. How did Pride celebrations in South Carolina begin and who played a role in the origins of the Gay and Lesbian Pride March?

Blog
Richland Library Main

South Carolina Cartoonist Jak Smyrl

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, October 10

Jak Smyrl (1923–2007) delighted readers of The State newspaper with his illustrations for more than thirty-seven years.  His reputation was such that the South Carolina State Legislature passed a resolution honoring him in what turned out to be the last year of his life.

Apr 27 10:00 a.m.

Event
Richland Library Operations Center

Public Spring Book Sale

Come get great deals on your favorite reads at the Richland Library Friends and Foundation used book sale to benefit Richland Library programming!

Event Type(s):

Other

Audience(s):

Parents, Families
Framing Lesbian Fashion
How to Survive a Plague
Staff Picks

LGBTQ History Month Streaming

  • Zita R.
  • Wednesday, October 04
Dive into LGBTQ History from the comfort of your own home with movies, ebooks, and eaudiobooks on Kanopy, Hoopla, and Libby.
Blog
Richland Library Main

8 Books for October

  • Megan M.
  • Thursday, October 05

Here's a tiny selection of October's bounty of new releases...

I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home
Call Me by Your Name
Staff Picks

2023 Charleston Literary Festival Authors

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, October 03
The Charleston Literary Festival, which will run from 3 to 12 November, has entered the lit-fest big leagues, to judge from the roster of writers participating this year.  In addition to contemporary fiction stars such as Rebecca Makkai and Claire Keegan, luminaries such as Lorrie Moore, Richard Ford, and Margaret Atwood are also on the list.  Nonfiction is well represented too, with noted historians Simon Schama and Simon Sebag Montefiore, public TV regular Lucy Worsley, perennial best-seller Tracy Kidder, and New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik
Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird
The Scourge Between Stars
Staff Picks

Terrifying Tales for Spooky Season: Adult Edition

  • Leighan C.
  • Monday, October 02
2023 has been a banner year for horror lovers!  Check this list to see if your favorites from this year are included, or discover some new, amazing authors.  
Black Stars Above
The Silver Coin. Volume 1, Issue 1-5
Staff Picks

Horror Comics To Keep You Up At Night

  • Thomas M.
  • Sunday, October 01
Spooky season is here, and with it comes a horrific host of graphic novels to make your skin crawl via print and digital. These titles may include death, gore, and/or disturbing imagery - the stuff nightmares are made of!
Gender Queer
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
Staff Picks

Most Challenged Books Since 2020

  • Sarah C.
  • Thursday, September 28
According to a recently released report from the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, there has been a 20% increase in the number of unique titles challenged since this time last year.  Most of the books challenged in that period were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community or people of color. 
Wildfire
Wreck the Halls
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for October 2023

  • Sarah C.
  • Saturday, September 23
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in October 2023, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Blog
Richland Library Main

Cuban Trainees at Fort Jackson

  • Margaret D.
  • Friday, September 15

For Hispanic Heritage Month,take a look at a little-known chapter of history that unfolded in Columbia at Fort Jackson, where several thousand Cubans came to receive military training and United States citizenship.

Blog
Richland Library Main

7 Books for September

  • Megan M.
  • Monday, September 18

Exploring the wilderness and family drama are hot topics in this crop of new releases.

The Woman in the Library
The Card Catalog
Staff Picks

Library Card Sign Up Month

  • Kristin A.
  • Saturday, September 02
Celebrate National Library Card Sign Up Month with these great reads about libraries and librarians.
Blog
Richland Library Main

The Underworld: A Book Review

  • Morgan R.
  • Wednesday, August 23

After the flurry of news surrounding the ill-fated submersible, Titan, this summer, Susan Casey's timely new book The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean takes readers on a world tour to some of the oceans' greatest unknowns.

The September House
Perfectly Nice Neighbors
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for September 2023

  • Sarah C.
  • Tuesday, August 22
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in September 2023, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Blog
Richland Library Main

Hip-Hop Highlights from the Local History Collection

  • Leslie L.
  • Friday, August 18

Columbia, SC, has played host to some of hip-hop's most iconic figures. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, let's take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some of the genre's defining moments in the city from Richland Library’s Local History Digital Collections.

Blog
Richland Library Main

Ten New Books for August

  • Megan M.
  • Wednesday, August 16

August is jam-packed with new releases. Including a new title from James McBride!

Western Lane
A Spell of Good Things
Staff Picks

2023 Booker Prize Longlist

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, August 01
The longlist for the 2023 Booker Prize has just been announced.  This major award recognizes English-language fiction published in the UK and Ireland.  The winner will be announced in November; in the meantime, check out the following longlist titles from our collection.
Our Best Intentions
A Likely Story
Staff Picks

2023 First Novel Prize Longlist

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, July 27
The longlist for the 2023 First Novel Prize has just been announced.  This prize, created by the Center for Fiction to honor the best debut novel of the year, was first awarded in 2006.  This year's prizewinner will be announced in December.  In the meantime, check out these longlist titles from our collection.
Happiness Falls
Family Lore
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for August 2023

  • Sarah C.
  • Wednesday, July 19
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in August 2023, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Barbie
Barbie.
Staff Picks

Barbie Party!

  • Alex B.
  • Friday, July 14
It's her DreamHouse and we just live in it. Check out these nostalgic and Barbie-inspired books before the big movie. 
Legends & Lattes
A Mirror Mended
Staff Picks

2023 Hugo Award Nominees

  • Megan M.
  • Monday, July 10
The Hugo Awards, first presented in 1953 and presented annually since 1955, are science fiction’s most prestigious award.Check out the 2023 nominees...
Lessons in Chemistry
The Last Animal
Staff Picks

If You Liked...Lessons in Chemistry

  • Megan M.
  • Thursday, July 06
Lessons in Chemistry was a GMA book club pick and a TV series is coming out later this year. Check out theses similar titles while you wait for your hold...
A Touch of Jen
Finna
Staff Picks

Look in the (Black) Mirror

  • Alex B.
  • Monday, July 03
Enjoy these books inspired by Black Mirror, the Netflix show that explores the pros and cons of a technology-driven society. 
Blog
Richland Library St. Andrews

Safety Keith's Bucket List (Part 1)

  • Keith R.
  • Friday, December 29

Now that everything is back to normal, I offer you some of South Carolina’s iconic places and events that you should visit throughout the year.

500 All-time Great Recipes
Ancient Israel
Staff Picks

The Selden K. Smith Holocaust Collection, Part 1

  • Leighan C.
  • Friday, June 30
Richland Library welcomes items from the personal Holocaust collection of Dr. Selden K. Smith. Housed primarily at Richland Library Main the collection includes over 250 items.
Time Shelter
The Gospel According to the New World
Staff Picks

2023 International Booker Prize

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, June 27
Bulgarian novelist Georgi Gospodinov's Time Shelter has won the 2023 International Booker Prize.  This prize was created in 2004 to recognize works of fiction that weren't eligible for the regular Booker Prize (awarded to books by authors hailing from anywhere in the British Commonwealth).  Check out this prizewinning title, as well as these other nominees for the 2023 prize.
An Immense World
What an Owl Knows
Staff Picks

Animal Behavior

  • Morgan R.
  • Tuesday, June 27
If you've ever wondered what elephant think, or how cats evolved, or how whales communicate, or how hundreds of birds know how to fly together without running into one another, check out one of these books! 
Light Bringer
Hello Stranger
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for July 2023

  • Sarah C.
  • Monday, June 26
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in July 2023, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
The Enchanted Hacienda
Garden Spells
Staff Picks

The Blurred Line: Magical Realism

  • Kristin A.
  • Saturday, June 24
Originating in Latin America, Magical Realism is a genre which depicts a setting rooted in realism, but which has elements of fantasy. Magical realism offers audiences the opportunity to look at the world from a different angle. The familiar becomes strange, and the strange in return becomes ordinary. Here are just a few books that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to Columbia

  • Margaret D.
  • Friday, June 23

On October 28, 1938, First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt visited Columbia. Remarkably, we have photographs of this visit in the Walker Local and Family History Center at Richland Library.

Secret Wars
The 22 Murders of Madison May
Staff Picks

Across the Multiverse

  • Savannah G.
  • Friday, June 16
With its incredible animation, soundtrack, and attention to even the most minute details Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a showstopper that left audiences wanting to see more of the spider-verse. This list is for anyone who’s given up on waiting for their own dimensional rift to open up in their backyard. Here are some fantastic titles that will whip you from one world to the next. Just be warned, not all multiverses are full of wise-cracking crime fighting spider people. Some are just filled with spiders.
Blog
Richland Library St. Andrews

I'm With The Banned: Flamer

  • Lindsey T.
  • Tuesday, June 27

Flamer by Mike Curato is challenged in the Beaufort County School District in South Carolina. Learn more about this title here and why it might be banned. 

Database

Mergent Intellect

Mergent Intellect provides access to a collection of worldwide business information (using D&B’s Hoover’s data.) 

Read More | Access
It Came from the Closet
Queer Fear
Staff Picks

Queer Horror

  • Leighan C.
  • Friday, June 02
Horror isn't just for Halloween.  Shiver through Pride Month with help from these frightful reads and listens by LGBTQIA+ authors and/or featuring LGBTQIA+ characters.  
The Mermaid Princesses
The Jumbies
Staff Picks

Books Featuring Black Mermaids & Sirens

  • Ashley S.
  • Thursday, May 25
In celebration of Disney's release of the live action version of The Little Mermaid, check out these amazing titles that feature Black mermaids and sirens. Mermaids and sirens are fantastical creatures; however, they have religious and historical importance to the Black community. Some of these titles are light-hearted while others explore more complex themes such as grief, racism, misogyny, slavery, and more. What they all have in common is the celebration of the impact that mermaids and sirens have had on the Black community for centuries. 
The Quiet Tenant.
The Whispers
Staff Picks

LibraryReads for June 2023

  • Sarah C.
  • Wednesday, May 24
Each month, LibraryReads lists the top upcoming titles recommended by librarians across the country.  All these books will be published in June 2023, so stay ahead of the curve and get on the holds list now!
Blog
Richland Library Main

First Steps to the Library: You Did It! I Did It!

  • Heather M.
  • Tuesday, May 23

First Steps to the Library highlights the skills young children need to be ready for school and helps caregivers understand how they can grow these skills.  This month's school readiness skill is about growing your child's self-esteem and confidence through connection.  

Alba Series. Book 1, Lost
Alba Series. Book 2, The Plan
Staff Picks

Level 1 Decodable Chapter Books: Alba Series

  • Emily J.
  • Tuesday, May 16
This 12-book series follows the adventures of the feisty and determined Anna. She uses her super-sleuthing and problem-solving skills to battle the mighty superbugs who threaten to destroy her father’s scientific work. 
The Clam
Crabs!
Staff Picks

Level 1 Decodable Chapter Books: Magic Belt Series

  • Emily J.
  • Tuesday, May 16
Looking for action and adventure? The Magic Belt series follows Zak’s quest to save his grandfather’s life. He sets out on a magical quest to collect hidden gems that will unlock the cure for grandfather illness. Zak races against time as he hurdles through obstacle after obstacle.