It was a beautiful, sunny morning complemented by a gentle cool breeze; the perfect weather for a unique walking tour of Downtown Columbia where we would learn about life on the streets from the perspective of those who have lived it.

Railroads have been a presence in Columbia for more than a hundred and fifty years. All around town, you are bound to run into signs of their activity past and present, from the former Union Station (now California Dreamin’ restaurant) and Seaboard Air Line Station (now the Blue Marlin), to Norfolk Southern’s Andrews Yard near Williams Brice Stadium and CSX’s yard across the river in Cayce.

Library History

Anna Davis King (Mrs. George S., Sr.) became the Director in May of 1969, having served as acting Director since Mrs. Bostick’s death. During her 10-year tenure, Mrs. King strengthened and further developed the library’s services. The Waverly branch closed and a new branch opened on Devine Street to serve the city’s eastern residents. Two new branches, Landmark Square and North Main, were opened for the citizens in the southeastern and North Main areas of town. Evening hours began at the Cooper and St. Andrews branches. Magazine, journal and newspaper subscriptions grew from 200 in 1967 to more than 1,100 10 years later. Added resources included The New York Times from 1851 to the present on microfilm. An emphasis on excellence increased the number of professional librarians tenfold. During Mrs. King’s tenure, the Friends of the Library was formally organized to establish closer relations between the Library and the Richland County community.

In 1933, the county assumed fiscal responsibility for the library and assessed tax millage. The 1934 South Carolina General Assembly established the library as a county institution supported by the one mill tax and governed by a Board of Trustees. The library’s name changed for the final time. Now officially the Richland County Public Library (RCPL), user privileges became completely free for all county residents. Two years later the Phillis Wheatley Branch was moved to new, larger quarters on Gervais Street. This new Waverly Branch, located in a former church, was popular and widely used. A new or second bookmobile was acquired in 1936 to cover routes in outlying county areas. During the 1930s, a branch library was also established in Eastover.

1926 brought not only the move to Kramer’s, but also an amazing windfall through a series of unusual events. The county had contracted to build a new Broad River Bridge. During the new bridge’s construction, the old, still-insured bridge burned. The insurance money was duly deposited in a bank to earn interest and await dispersal determination. During this interim, the bank failed. Citizen interest and a petition resulted in a county delegation promise that any recovered funds would be used for the public library. Ultimately, the library received $40,000 of recovered funds which became a new books reserve fund. The most important gain, however, was the county delegation’s realization that the community highly valued the library. Consequently, the county delegation now fully supported the library and even encouraged expanding the services to county schools and rural areas.

The rebuilding of Columbia after 1865 went slowly. As late as the 1870s, most of Richardson Street still stood in ruins and the bridge across the Congaree River had not been replaced. Proposals to start a new library were made with the National Library Crusade, a movement aimed to better educate the general public, providing a much needed impetus. However, their efforts came to naught. Finally, a Columbia matron’s group founded the Union for Practical Progress in 1896, which successfully established a small lending library on the first floor of City Hall. This Lend-A-Hand library soon became the Columbia Library Association; Dr. James Woodrow served as the first president, while Wade Hampton III and other leading citizens donated their own books to the collection. Three years later, located at 1528 Main (formerly Richardson) Street, the building and the books burned; a loss keenly felt by the city’s citizens. Fortunately, the library soon rebuilt at the same location. Librarians Mrs. Cramer and Miss Ellen Elmore managed this new book collection, again a gift from the city’s leading citizens.

Based on the artist-in-residence concept, RCPL’s Literary Residency includes actors, scholars and musicians who develop creative presentations, lectures and workshops for the library. These programs stimulate reading and creative thinking while showcasing the library’s outstanding collections and services.

Over One Hundred and Still Progressing: A Library for the Twenty First Century