The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens
Other Boys
Staff Picks

Anxiety is overwhelming. These books can help.

  • Thomas M.
  • Monday, October 11
Anxiety comes in many forms, all of them personal. Recognizing and describing anxiety is an important step in learning how to manage it. The books below include fictional stories where characters struggle with and confront their anxiety, as well as nonfiction books that deal directly with causes and solutions regarding anxiety.
I Know You Remember
I Know You Remember
Staff Picks

Teen Mysteries

  • Alex B.
  • Saturday, October 09
Investigate these mysteries for teens to get clued in on how great they are! 
Blog
Richland Library North Main

Book Talk: Dear Martin

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Monday, October 18

Justyce is a Black teen who is ivy school-bound, a good friend, and always tries to do the right thing. Going to a predominately white, upper-class school, however, poses difficulties that lead to Justyce trying to make sense of the injustices that he regularly witnesses.

The Taking of Jake Livingston
The Companion
Staff Picks

Latest YA Horror for Teens

  • Alison B.
  • Monday, October 04
October is here so it's time for some spooky reads! Whether your cup of tea (or pumpkin spice flavored beverage) is horrific hauntings or supernatural scares, this list of YA horror for teens is sure to add a chill to your fall.
Blended
Anna Hibiscus
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Multiracial Families in Middle Grade Novels

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, October 01
“Tell the Court I love my wife, and it is just unfair that I can’t live with her in Virginia.” --Richard Loving In 1967, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of interracial marriage in all 50 states in the case known as Loving v. Virginia.  Our families may look different, may worship differently and may speak a different language.  Check out one these middle grade novels and discover that, no matter our differences, love connects us all.
Defy the Night
The Beautiful
Staff Picks

New Teen Fantasy From Your Favorite Authors

  • Alison B.
  • Thursday, September 30
Red Queen, Legend, The Raven Boys, The Darkest Minds, and more. These titles are YA fan favorites from years past that made us fall in love with unique characters, unforgettable worldbuilding, shocking plot twists, and each writer's way with words. But these authors aren't done yet! There's more up their sleeves as they delve into new worlds and stories in their latest published releases. Make room on your TBR list for these fantasy series from your favorite teen authors!
Blog
Richland Library Sandhills

In the Know: City of Columbia Mayoral Forum (2021)

  • Alex B.
    Brittany S.
  • Thursday, September 30

Local residents had an opportunity to get to know each of the candidates before heading to the polls and casting their vote during the Municipal Election on November 2, 2021. During the nonpartisan forum, viewers heard from Tameika Isaac Devine, Sam Johnson, Daniel Rickenmann and Moe Baddourah. The candidates shared their plans to move the City of Columbia forward in a virtual, moderated discussion. Check out this blog for more Mayoral Forum details and resources!

Blog
Richland Library St. Andrews

Explore the 47: A Reflection

  • Keith R.
    Lindsey T.
  • Sunday, September 26

How was it visiting all 47 South Carolina state parks? Let me tell you right now! 

Future Tense Fiction
Clap when You Land
Staff Picks

Secret Ingredients ...

  • Helene F.
  • Tuesday, September 21
Americana literature is made better with stories told from Hispanic perspectives.  Here are some fresh stories for our growth.   Some of these titles are available as ebooks and other formats. You can also get personalized reading recommendations by email.
Unbowed
The Basics of Ecology
Staff Picks

🌍World Environmental Health Day [September 26, 2021]🌍

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, September 20
Here is a list to jump-start your dive into learning more about the biosphere you live in, and the ecosystems surrounding you (and also living within you). In addition, for those that are familiar with environmental science, there are additional books to expand your knowledge while possibly making an activist out of you.
Ace of Spades
Inkmistress
Staff Picks

Bisexuality in Teen Fiction

  • Alex B.
  • Monday, September 20
Everyone deserves to see themselves represented in books! That includes teens who identify as bisexual or pansexual. Enjoy these books depicting characters who are attracted to multiple genders. 
Tokyo Ghoul. Vol. 01
Noragami
Staff Picks

If You Like... Demon Slayer

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, September 15
Demon Slayer is tearing up the manga and anime charts like a force of nature. Below are some more supernatural manga about hunting demons, protecting loved ones, and family life threatened and transformed by horrors. 
The Year I Flew Away
Curse of the Forgotten City
Staff Picks

Middle Grade Reads for Hispanic Heritage Month

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Wednesday, September 15
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) recognizes the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans. Celebrate by checking out these Middle Grade titles. Looking for more great reads to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with? Check out this list or use our Personalized Recommendations form to find your next great read!
Indivisible
Muted
Staff Picks

YA Reads for Hispanic Heritage Month

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Wednesday, September 15
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) recognizes the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans. Celebrate by checking out these teen titles. Looking for more great reads to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? Check out this list or use our request  Personalized Recommendations form to find your next great read!
The Ice Pirates
Against All Flags
Staff Picks

Talk Like a Pirate Day - September 19th

  • Mahogany S.
  • Tuesday, September 14
Ahoy! Get ready to sail the briny deep you landlubbers!   Enjoy this list of Pirate movies to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th.
The Only Plane in the Sky
After the Fall
Staff Picks

Fall and Rise: 9/11, 20 Years On

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, September 07
As the nation prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, consider these titles from our collection to learn more about what happened on that day, both from the perspective of the immediate aftermath and from more-recently published accounts that incorporate new information.  This mix of histories, memoirs, and grap
Antiracist Baby
The Talk
Staff Picks

Let's Talk Race (as a Family...)

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, August 27
Having "The Talk" can feel daunting.  Whether it's sexuality, staying safe or race--it can be difficult to know where to begin. By talking about these important topics early and often, parents and caregivers can increase the whole family's comfort and skill in conversation, making these discussions part of their family culture.  
The Women with Silver Wings
2013 Instrument Rating Test Prep
Staff Picks

Aspiring Female Pilots

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, August 25
✈️Zara Rutherford, a 19-year old Belgian pilot, may become the world's youngest female pilot to fly around the world to date. Currently the title is held by Captain Shaesta Waiz, an Afghan refugee, who completed the trip in 2017 at age 30. Rutherford mentioned a huge reason for doing this flight was to help encourage more girls/young women to go into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)✈️
Cowboy Bebop
2001, a Space Odyssey
Staff Picks

Cowboy Bebop's Cinematic Influences

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, August 25
The opening to each episode of Cowboy Bebop contains the text, "They must create new dreams and films by breaking traditional styles. The work, which becomes a new genre itself, will be called Cowboy Bebop." The anime series mixed genres such as westerns, science fiction, martial arts, and blaxploitation to create a unique blend that's still cool to this day. With a live-action adaptation right around the corner, fans might be interested in watching some of the films that directly inspired the anime.
Ace of Spades
Ace of Spades
Staff Picks

Must-Read Teen Mysteries

  • Brittany C.
  • Tuesday, August 24
There's no better way to prepare for spooky season than by reading a good mystery. From a secretive town where thirteen girls mysteriously vanish to a weekend camping trip that quickly turns deadly, these mysteries will leave you in suspense until the very end. Check out our newest teen mysteries below! Looking for more? Check out Great Mysteries for Teens!
Blog
Richland Library Wheatley

Understanding The Great Resignation and Making The Most Of It

  • Jessica Daly
  • Wednesday, August 25

Have you heard of The Great Resignation? If you haven't yet, you probably will soon. It's a post-pandemic movement affecting the job market and your ability to find a job. Read more about it here and find out how to make it work for you. 

Black Sun
A Little Hatred
Staff Picks

NPR's 50 Best Sci-fi and Fantasy of the Decade

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, August 23
📚NPR ran a Summer online poll to see what the top 50 Sci-fi and Fantasy reads were for the decade. Their list included multiple book series and some standalone novels.  📚Below you will find all the books in each series. Most of the formats listed are in physical books, but be sure to click on the titles if you prefer another format such as eBook, eAudio, and/or Audiobooks. 📚Find your next adventure! 
Detransition, Baby
Good Boy
Staff Picks

Fresh LGBT Titles for 2021

  • Amber J.
  • Thursday, August 19
Check out the newest LGBT titles!  Available for toddlers to adults.
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

Buttermilk Pecan Ricotta Pancakes

  • Caroline B.
  • Thursday, September 02

Ricotta cheese and beaten egg whites create a light, fluffy batter that will make you crave breakfast anytime.

Our buttermilk pecan ricotta pancakes combines the flavors of vanilla, nutmeg and lemon to create a delicious breakfast that tastes as good as it looks.

Blog
Online

AiR Presents: Happiness, A Poem.

  • Tammaka Staley
  • Wednesday, August 18

Happiness is a poem I wrote during the middle part of the pandemic last year to express the joy I did feel and the joy I wanted to create. Despite the job losses and loved ones I lost, I still had things to be grateful for, and I felt it necessary to acknowledge that.

War Girls
Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful
Staff Picks

Teen Sci-Fi Adventures

  • Alison B.
  • Monday, August 16
Vast space, high-tech inventions, missions to far off planets, time travel escapades, alien encounters, and more fill these teen science fiction adventures. 
Blog
Richland Library Main

Ode to a Mask

  • Kate B.
  • Thursday, August 12

In April I wrote a blog post about odes: a lyrical poetic form that celebrates or addresses a person, place or thing. The extra credit challenge was to choose a person, place, thing, or idea that generally doesn't bring joy or admiration and describe the subject in such a way that we all have a new appreciation for it. Recently a friend challenged me to write an ode to masks.

Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: The Crossover

  • Taelor J.
    Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23

Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books. These discussions will build our capacity for talking about race and define our roles in fighting against both every day and systemic racism.

Killing the Black Body
Four Hundred Souls
Staff Picks

National Wellness Month: Black Women's Health

  • Ariel H.
  • Thursday, August 05
August is National Wellness Month⚕️ Here is a list on systemic racism and the history on the battle for control of black women's health throughout the centuries. Also, included are some wellness guides promoting self-care and healing. 
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The Bear and the Nightingale
Staff Picks

Popular BookTok books

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, August 04
Here is a list of what's currently trending on BookTok!
It Ends with Us
Sense and Sensibility
Staff Picks

Must Read Love Triangles❤️

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, August 04
Whether you're here because of a book suggestion from Tik-Tok or for a bit of fun, we have just the list to keep you entertained with a hint of drama! Decisions...Decisions...Decisions...! 🤔
The Color of Money
The Little Black Book of Success
Staff Picks

Black Business Month

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, August 02
In honor of National Black Business Month, a list has been compiled of books, read and authored, by black entrepreneurs! Go support your local Black entrepreneurs!
The Lost Apothecary
Purple Hibiscus
Staff Picks

Herbal Aficionado

  • Ariel H.
  • Thursday, July 29
With the season of Summer beaming down on us and more time outdoors, grab a hold of a fiction read that will encourage a little foraging in the woods.🍃
Moon of the Crusted Snow
Touching the Void.
Staff Picks

Beat the Heat - Winter Books for Summer Reading

  • Sara M.
  • Wednesday, July 21
For some people, a "beach read" is likely to be a book about people having fun in the sun - splashing in the waves, vacationing by the pool, sizzling on the beach.  Not me.  I am hot enough already, and by the time July comes around I am tired of being hot.  I want to read about snow!  I want hats and scarves and murder on the slopes!  I want ice floes and frostbite and all the avalanches you can give me.  Cool me down!  These books are all set in the cold - maybe they'll help you beat the heat.
Start Now!
Be the Change!
Staff Picks

Make Every Day a Mandela Day: Children's, Middle Grade, and Young Adult Books That Take Action and Inspire Change

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Saturday, July 17
International Nelson Mandela Day is July 18th and celebrates Mandela's legacy as a  human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa.  The Nelson Mandela Foundation and the U.N ask that you spend 67 minutes of your time helping others in honor of Nelson Mandela 67 years of public services.
Best of Japan.
Seeing Kyoto
Staff Picks

Japan 2021 for Olympics 2020

  • Helene F.
  • Wednesday, July 14
We now get to see Japan, her culture and history after seeing China and Korea present their cultures in previous Olympic Games.  What do you want to learn about first, anime, manga, the language, the food, and the places they all come together in?  Looking for more, and in different formats? Check out our personalized recommendations here or call us at 799-9084.
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

The Grilled Peaches You Didn't Know You Needed

  • Caroline B.
  • Thursday, July 22

This grilled peach with strawberry goat cheese recipe combines the sweetness of peak season peaches with the tanginess of goat cheese blended with strawberries.  Topped with toasted walnuts and honey, this quick low-fat dessert is a great finish to a summer meal. 

The Olympics, A Very Peculiar History
Olympic Track and Field
Staff Picks

Tokyo Olympics 2020

  • Helene F.
  • Tuesday, July 13
Tokyo Olympics 2020 games are about to begin!  The trials for the USA team members are going on now.  You can pick and choose which parts of the games you watch, the gymnastics, track and field, soccer, equestrian, or one of the new sports like surfing.  Looking for more? Check out our personalized recommendations here or call us at 799-9084.
Blog
Richland Library Eastover

Texting via Haikus

  • Kimberly Jones
  • Tuesday, July 13

Let's explore Kwame Alexander's usage of Haikus to depict text messages in the novel in verse The Crossover.

Blog
Richland Library Sandhills

Civic Engagement is Civic Power

  • Alex B.
    Brittany S.
  • Sunday, September 26

Are you interested in being more involved in your community? Find out why it's important to be civically engaged and more!

Blog
Richland Library North Main

#OwnVoices: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Wednesday, June 30

This 2014 John Newbery Medal Winner and Coretta Scott King Honor title poetically and rhythmically tells the story of twelve-year-old Josh Bell, also known affectionately as Filthy McNasty, who is a star on his school's basketball team.

Blog
Richland Library Main

A Soft Lesson to Learn: Teaching Soft Skills

  • Bland L.
  • Wednesday, June 30

As employers continue to lament the soft-skills deficiencies they see in new hires, more attention is being paid to making these skills part of the educational curriculum.

Blog
Richland Library Main

The Crossover: Sports Fiction

  • Heather M.
  • Wednesday, July 07

I did not play sports.  I was a theatre kid and a book kid all the way.  But I have an appreciation for sports, for athleticism and teamwork. 

So I reached out to my friends and colleagues who did play sports to find out what I missed.

Girls Like Us
Accused!
Staff Picks

SC Young Adult Book Award Nominees 2021-2022

  • Heather M.
  • Wednesday, June 23
"Since 1976 when sixteen schools participated, the South Carolina Book Award program created by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians has expanded to include almost 64,000 participating students.
My Brother's Husband, Vol. 01
Stonewall
Staff Picks

Out and Proud Young Adult Books

  • Alex B.
  • Friday, June 18
From joy to heartbreak and LGBTQ+ history, these YA books explore many facets of queer life.