It’s no secret that libraries have changed over the last couple of years. So instead of just celebrating National Library Week this year, Richland Library is turning the tables and celebrating the communities we serve.

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.

We are here to inspire you - to entertain you - and to inform you! The stories we hear from you, our customers, every day inspire and motivate us. You have told us how you use your library not only to borrow materials, but to find employment, reconnect with long-lost friends and family, learn new skills and spend time with those you care about.

Library Literature & Information Science Index, provides comprehensive indexing of articles from key library and information science periodicals. Created by librarians for librarians, this database encompasses some 390 journals, over 300 books annually, chapters in collected works such as conference proceedings, library school theses and pamphlets. Coverage reaches as far back as 1980.

LISTA indexes more than 560 core journals, nearly 50 priority journals, and nearly 125 selective journals; plus books, research reports and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more. Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.

Storytelling

Guessing

Shapes

Nursery Rhymes & Songs

Richland Library is dedicated to helping you raise a reader. Reading should happen every day and all through the day. These early literacy tips will help you incorporate reading into your family's daily life.We also hope you'll come to the library every week for storytime, and let our expert staff pick out books just right for your growing reader!