Library Partners With Museum, Local Author to Enrich Third Graders’ Experience

In South Carolina, there is a noticeable gap in third grade reading levels and limited opportunities for students to experience authentic education on South Carolina history.

Much of 71-year-old Anna Jean Mayhew’s work reflects her vivid memories of growing up in the segregated South. Her debut novel, The Dry Grass of August, is no different. Set in 1954, the book deals with the abundance of racial, gender and social stratification issues prevalent after World War II.

Fifty years after the end of segregation, Columbia is taking a hard look back at its civil rights struggles and racial progress.

How do I find them now? We know that change can be hard, especially when your favorite things have moved and you can't find them. But our goal at the library is not to make finding the things you need hard. We want to make getting what you need easy so we have collected a list of the most used online resources for your convenience. Just click on the links below to get started.

As we look ahead to the future of Richland Library, it is a good opportunity to also look back and see how much library services have changed over the years. Despite these changes, the needs of the library's users always comes first. Take a look at these photographs from our library scrapbooks on our Local History Flickr page. These are available in the Walker Local and Family History Center.

The Walker Local History Room is located on the third level of the Richland Library’s Main Library. Anne, Debbie and Margaret are available to guide your research during regular library hours.

Our library had modest beginnings. “Lend-a-Hand” was the first name for the Richland Library, which, in 1896, was located in City Hall and run by a single librarian, Martha Cramer. It was begun through the efforts of the local women’s group, the “Union of Practical Progress.” Later the Columbia Library Association was chartered and provided a limited operating budget. Members were charged an annual fee to use the library and many books were provided through private donations.

The library’s Walker Local and Family History Center accepts donations of books, photographs, maps, yearbooks, funeral programs, etc., that are of local and/or regional historical significance.  If accepted these materials are added to the collection and are available for in-house genealogical and historical research.  If you have materials that you’d like to donate to this collection, please contact the Walker Local History Room for more information or visit our online uploading form to share your materials.

Researching your family history?

• Stop by the Walker Local and Family History Center for:
  • Family history document beginner packets.
  • Advise and recommendations to further your research efforts.
• Search the online local obituary index and request retrieval of archived obituaries.
• Search the genealogy databases listed below. Free to Richland Library card holders.
• The Local History digital collection includes several resources including Columbia City Directories and the newly discovered Confederate rolls.
   

Need an obituary from the Columbia area?

Thank you for visiting the Richland Library's Media Room. Below, you will find the latest library news as well as updates about how we're working and partnering with the community to enhance our long-standing tradition of providing access to information, new ideas, different opinions, knowledge and learning opportunities.