Blog
Richland Library Wheatley

What is an Informational Interview, and is it Important?

  • Jessica Daly
  • Saturday, June 05
The Informational Interview...arguably the most underused yet most important part of your networking and ultimately finding a career you love. Informational Interviews are a fundamental part of building your network. Learn the steps to a successful informational interview from identifying who to interview, to preparing what to ask, to how to follow up after the interview.
A Lowcountry Bride.
The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes
Staff Picks

Romantic Beach Reads

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, June 02
Fall in love this summer! Enjoy this list of Romantic fiction that's great for your Beach getaway!❤️🤟💕
The Last Train to Key West
Florence Adler Swims Forever
Staff Picks

Historical Beach Reads

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, June 02
Get lost this summer, and travel back in time! Enjoy this list of Historical fiction that's great for your Beach getaway! 🌊⛵🏖️
Blog
Richland Library Eastover

#OwnVoices: Say Her Name

  • Kimberly Jones
  • Thursday, June 23
In this YA non-fiction, Elliot graced us with a beautiful collection of poetry that showcased the intersectionality of being black and a woman.
Children of Blood and Bone
Children of Blood and Bone
Staff Picks

I Like Big Books And I Cannot Lie: Teen Fiction Edition

  • Thomas M.
  • Wednesday, June 02
There's something satisfying about cracking open a huge block of pages. The story will have time to breathe and you'll get to know the characters really well. Bonus: this year's Summer Learning Challenge recommends counting reading time in 30-minute chunks. What better way to add lots of reading time than spending it in one massive story? The books below all offer over 500 pages for your long-term reading experience, including print, ebook, and audiobook options.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Making Summer Count

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, June 12
Avoid the Summer Slide with a summer full of reading and learning thanks to expert book suggestions, the Summer Learning Challenge and, of course, school reading lists.
Blog
Richland Library Northeast

¡Que Rico!: Stuffed Honduran Pastelitos

  • Elisa D.
  • Friday, May 28
Bring the rich flavors of our community to life in your kitchen! Try our Stuffed Honduran Pastelitos—inspired by a recipe from one of our ¡Que Rico!: Community Cookbook contributors, Karin Cantarero.
Extra Lives
The Art of Cuphead
Staff Picks

Games, Gamers, Gaming: Nonfiction Works About Games and the People Who Love Them

  • Bryan B.
  • Wednesday, May 26
If you're like me, you grew up surrounded by video gaming, which led to a lifelong passion for interactive experiences. This collection of works are all about games, and the people like us who love them dearly. From narrative nonfiction about arguably the most influential game of the 1990s, to a deep dive on the culture of contemporary game design, these picks will surely satisfy any gamer (or nongamer's) curiosity.
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun. Vol. 01
The Osamu Tezuka Story
Staff Picks

Manga About Creating Manga

  • Thomas M.
  • Tuesday, May 25
Feeling meta? Manga stories about making manga can take you deeper into an artist's life, showing how masters of the craft became creative titans. They can also comment on the comics industry, winking at titles and tropes that fans recognize. These manga tend to be a bit of both, sharing the highs and lows of the illustrated life.
Arsenic and Adobo
While Justice Sleeps
Staff Picks

Chiller-Thriller Reads to Beat the Heat

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, May 24
Ready to enjoy some of the heat of the Summer, with a hint of fun? Check out these riveting and thrilling books that are guarantee to take you on a ride. Enjoy!🤪
Sky in the Deep
Loki's Wolves
Staff Picks

Vikings and Norse Mythology For Teens

  • Thomas M.
  • Tuesday, May 18
Stories featuring vikings and Norse mythology usually feature epic battles, magic runes, and trickster gods. Forget horned helmets and Avengers, these books spin new tales from history and folklore of long ago.
Watch over Me
The Education of Ivy Blake
Staff Picks

YA and Middle Grade Reads to Celebrate National Foster Care Month

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Monday, May 17
National Foster Care Month has been observed during the Month of May in the United States since 1988 when President Ronald Reagan recognized May as a month to show appreciation and gratitude to foster parents across the nation. The purpose of National Foster Care Month continues to evolve based on the needs of the time. For example, in 2019, the theme for National Foster Care Month was "Foster Care as a Support to Families, not a Substitute for Parents."
Akira.
Cowboy Bebop
Staff Picks

Where to Start Your Anime Journey

  • Bryan B.
  • Saturday, May 01
Anime can be an overwhelming medium, especially for someone new. This collection of anime movies are a great starting point to begin your exploration of the medium. Works range from family friendly works by Hayao Miyazaki to the deep and psychological works of the late Satoshi Kon. Whichever you choose, you're bound to find a new world in anime.
Maya Lin
Fred Korematsu Speaks Up
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Asian & Asian American Biographies for Children

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, April 30
Celebrate the amazing accomplishments and stories of Asians and Asian Americans of yesterday and today, by reading the wonderful and powerful titles below. Looking for even more good books? Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. Find more resources on race, equity, and inclusion, here.
The Killing Floor.
10,000 Black Men Named George.
Staff Picks

Movies for Workers' Day

  • Keith B.
  • Thursday, April 29
The first day of May has been celebrated as International Workers' Day since 1889 when labor activists were demonstrating and organizing for the eight-hour-day. The following list is made up of dramatic features, documentaries, and educational series on the labor movement, unionizing, leftist political activism, economic inequality, and working conditions. Mostly focused on American culture and history, it nontheless includes films set around the globe, helping to illustrate the shared struggles of workers everywhere.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Celebrating National Bike Month

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, May 20
May is National Bike Month, and although it may strike you as something that was only recently adopted, it has actually been observed since 1956.
Blog
Richland Library Main

AiR Presents: Local Artist Directory!

  • Ashley Warthen
  • Friday, April 30
Let’s give our local artists as much of the spotlight we can! With the pandemic and other issues facing our community, I’m elated to share that One Columbia’s artist directory now lives here on Richland Library.com
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Staff Picks

Lower Richland Staff Picks

  • Bryan B.
  • Thursday, April 29
Lower Richland is Richland Library's newest location, located in Hopkins! Here are some staff picks to help get to know us better:
The Gilded Wolves
Children of Blood and Bone
Staff Picks

For Fans of Shadow and Bone

  • Alison B.
  • Wednesday, April 28
Binge watched your way through Netflix's new number one show Shadow and Bone yet? You can of course pick up Grishaverse creator Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone trilogy or Six of Crows duology to finish the tale.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Day of Silence: My Silence, My Story

  • Richland Library
  • Friday, April 23
The Day of Silence is an annual student-led demonstration meant to raise awareness of bullying and harassment directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students.
Blog
Richland Library Main

An Interview with Spoken Word Artist Tammaka Staley

  • Phillip W.
  • Friday, June 24
For this post, I spoke to Tammaka Staley, the library's current Artist-in-Residence, and the tenth AiR at Richland Library. She's a poet, spoken word artist and educator. We discuss her background, her approach to her work, and more.
Thyme of Death
Garden Spells
Staff Picks

Herbal Medicine fiction

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, April 23
As we cultivate our gardens and spruce up the place, why not entertain yourself with some herbal medicinal reads? Fiction, of course! Let's take a break from the dust, dirt, and heat. Time to grab a glass of ice cold lemonade, tea, or infused water and add just a hint of herbal fun to the mix.
Blog
Richland Library Wheatley

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

  • Jessica Daly
  • Wednesday, April 21
Resumes need to be customized for every job; there's no one size fits all. Here are some tips on how to make your resume standout to hiring managers.
The Factory
Atlas Shrugged. Part 1.
Staff Picks

Are There Limits to Human Creativity? (Philosophical fiction)

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, April 21
A list of 30 top philosophical reads--included with these selections are various formats (eAudio, eBook, Blu-Ray or DVD, & Standard or Large print). Enjoy your journey with these philosophical fiction novels that will make you think and analyze the conditions and nature of humans, and maybe gain a different perspective. Some of these titles have been made into motion pictures or turned into TV shows. Feel free to decide if there are limits to human creativity...
Herb Gardening for Dummies
The Integrative Guide to Good Health
Staff Picks

Herbal Guides from the Ground Up

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, April 16
Great Weather! Awesome Temperatures! Spring Cleaning! Now, How About Your Garden? Dig into These Books to Get Your Herbs Up and Growing.
Pitch
Bad News Bears
Staff Picks

Batter Up for the Next Season of Baseball

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, April 16
Whether you watch on TV or attend the games in person, it's time to gear up and get your head back in the game. There's a mixture of books, videos, and eOption material for spectators and the aspiring/training athlete. Batter UP!
Martha Stewart's Organizing
Complete Guide to Natural Home Remedies
Staff Picks

Inspiration for Spring Cleaning

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, April 16
Need a lot of pick-me-up this year to kick off your Spring cleaning? Try some of this titles to inspire your creative cleaning flow! NEXT STOP:
Blog
Richland Library Main

Augusta Baker and the Art of Storytelling

  • Rebecca T.
  • Thursday, March 24
"Storytelling at its best is mutual creation. Children listen and, out of the words they hear, create their own mental images; this opening of the mind's eye develops the imagination." - Storytelling: Art and Technique by Augusta Baker and Ellin Greene
Does My Head Look Big in This?
First Comes Marriage
Staff Picks

Biographies and Novels that Explore the Arab American Experience

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Tuesday, April 13
Let’s take the time to celebrate the history, contributions, and culture of the diverse population of Arab Americans. Arab Americans have roots in 22 countries located in the Middle East and North African regions and within all those countries, there are various languages, religions, traditions that are now part of the American story. Explore their stories though verse, memories, and more.
Blog
Richland Library Sandhills

Five Trailblazing Women of Richland County

  • Brittany S.
    Alex B.
  • Tuesday, April 27
Let's look at five amazing women leaders who not only have made a positive impact all across Richland County, but have broken down barriers while they were at it.
Blog
Richland Library Main

April is National Poetry Month: Ode to the Onion

  • Kate B.
  • Friday, April 09
What do an onion, a sock, a hummingbird, and ironing all have in common? Chilean poet Pablo Neruda wrote odes to each of these. Learn more about elemental odes and write one yourself.
The Pros of Cons
Beauty Queens
Staff Picks

Teen Books to Make You Laugh

  • Alison B.
  • Saturday, April 03
Looking for laughs in your reading selection? Try some of these humorous teen titles from an alien-hunting cheerleader (Flying by Carrie Jones) to a convention center mismatched with a percussion competition, fandom con, & taxidermy championship (The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry) that'll have you chuckling and smiling throughout.
A Place Inside of Me
Ellington Was Not A Street.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: African American Experiences in Poetry

  • Richland Library
  • Friday, April 02
"for there is love inside me true love deep down inside of me I am in love with my people"-- A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliott These #OwnVoices collections, picture books and novels for older readers explore themes of community and connection, family and faith, racism and resilience. These books give poetic voice to African American experiences and history and should be read and shared by everyone.
Artemis
Reynard the Fox
Staff Picks

#BroaderBookshelf 2021 - Antihero's and Villains as the protagonist

  • Mahogany S.
  • Thursday, April 01
Do you believe there's always an "other" side to each story? Well here they are. Read some titles that talk about the perspective of the villain or an antihero. Some are tricksters and some are downright murderers. All are darkly enjoyable. Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.
Brazen
Drawing Power
Staff Picks

Women's History Month: Graphic Novels For YA Readers

  • Thomas M.
  • Monday, March 29
Women History Month is a time to celebrate and examine women’s history, issues, and contributions. Our team's contributions this month will be providing a quality booklist every Monday featuring strong female characters, movements, and historical figures.
Blog
Richland Library Main

She Changed Her Name

  • Helene F.
  • Thursday, May 20
Many generations work together to reveal how Sojourner Truth fits in our history or herstory.
Blog
Richland Library Southeast

Mini-Retreat: Play Birdsong Hero

  • Amy A.
  • Sunday, March 28
Wish you could identify birds by their songs? Try this simple game and turn "someday" into "today" for your bird watching bucket-list daydreams.
Blog
Richland Library Main

COVID-19 Resource Review

  • Ariel H.
  • Thursday, October 14
Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, but don't know where to look? Check out these resources!
Watch Us Rise
With the Fire on High
Staff Picks

Women's History Month: Realistic Teen Fiction

  • Alison B.
  • Monday, March 22
Women are strong, creative, hardworking, innovative, inspiring, and so much more. The women that go down in history and those that impact lives and communities around us were young teen girls at one point. Explore what it's like living as a young lady, the highs and lows as well as the joys and difficulties, in these contemporary teen fiction books.
The Making of Asian America
Internment
Staff Picks

Let's Talk Race: The Asian & Asian American Experience

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, March 19
Reading books is a great way to begin working on becoming more anti-racist, and the words on a page can help provide insight into the thoughts, feelings, fears, pain, hopes, and wishes of another human being. Below is a list of titles about the Asian and Asian American experience, to get you started on having a better understanding of what it means to be of Asian heritage in America and how to be a better and more vocal ally. Also, take a look at these past Richland Library booklists for more recommendations:
The Malevolent Volume
Unspeakable Acts
Staff Picks

Dark Reads

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, March 17
Hunker down with a few Dark and Gritty reads.
Buzz Kill
The Eagle Has Landed
Staff Picks

Underrated Science Fiction

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, March 16
Here is a list of Science Fiction that is worth reading. Whether your new to the genre or jumping back in, we got you covered!
Other Words for Home
Walk Two Moons.
Staff Picks

Classroom Reads on Hoopla for Middle School

  • Rebecca T.
  • Monday, March 15
Looking for a great novel for your class to read together? Try one of these eBook titles available for download on Hoopla that are perfect for a middle school reader! Materials on Hoopla are available for simultaneous, instant access - meaning every student in your class could read the same eBook at the same time. Each customer may borrow 10 items a month from Hoopla.
Stitches
El Deafo
Staff Picks

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: Graphic Novel Recommendations for YA Readers

  • Thomas M.
  • Monday, March 15
March has been recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month since 1987 when President Ronald Reagan issued a public proclamation urging Americans to provide individuals with developmental disabilities "the encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential." Developmental disabilities include disabilities such as cerebral palsy, autism, muscular dystrophy, down syndrome, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and affect a persons growth and/or cognition. The aim of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is to raise aw
Flesh & Blood So Cheap
The Nazi Hunters
Staff Picks

Page-Turning Nonfiction for Teens

  • Jennifer N.
  • Saturday, March 13
Who doesn’t love a great true story? These nonfiction titles will transport you to different time and place, leaving you racing toward the end of the book to see how it all turns out while devouring every detail. Scale a mountain (No Summit Out of Sight), survive the wild (Marooned in the Arctic), win the game (Attucks!; Games of Deception), or dig into history’s gruesome side (The Borden Murders; Flesh & Blood So Cheap; The Family Romanov) in these fast-paced reads.
45-love
55 Dynamic Agility & Conditioning Drills for Tennis
Staff Picks

Swing into Tennis (Game, Set, Match)

  • Ariel H.
  • Thursday, March 11
A list of Tennis related material has been compiled as you gear up for the courts. Lace up your shoes and tighten your strings, it's time to ace this year's season.
The Gilded Ones
Children of Blood and Bone
Staff Picks

Fierce Female Protagonists in Teen Fantasy

  • Brittany C.
  • Thursday, March 11
Fierce female protagonists fill the pages of our favorite books these days. From Deka who leaves her life behind to train for battle in The Gilded Ones to Jenna who learns her secret may be the only way to save her kingdom in Shielded, these warriors are brave, strong, and so much fun to read about. For our favorite heroines and their riveting stories, check out the list below!
The Scapegracers
Undead Girl Gang
Staff Picks

Teen Witchy Reads for WandaVision Fans

  • Alison B.
  • Thursday, March 11
The latest hit from the Marvel Universe may have wrapped last week with the finale of WandaVision, but there are plenty of riveting reads of powerful witches and complex female characters to fill that void.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

  • 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.
The Rock and the River
Saving Savannah
Staff Picks

Let's Talk Race: Historical Fiction List Inspired by Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You

  • Richland Library
  • Friday, March 05
“But what some folks want you to be and what you is...well, sometimes they gonna be two different things. But you will always know who is in here. Got me? This is who you are.”--Karyn Parsons, How High the Moon Inspired by Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, these books shed light and humanize history by allowing readers to go beyond dates and facts to get to know the true story.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

#OwnVoices: Class Act

  • Taelor J.
  • Monday, August 07
New Kid, the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal, is now joined by Jerry Craft’s powerful Class Act.
Love from a to Z
Love from A to Z
Staff Picks

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: Fiction Recommendations for YA Readers

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Wednesday, March 03
March has been recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month since 1987 when President Ronald Reagan issued a public proclamation urging Americans to provide individuals with developmental disabilities “The encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.” Developmental disabilities include disabilities such as cerebral palsy, autism, muscular dystrophy, down syndrome, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and affect a persons growth and/or cognition. The aim of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is to rai
Blog
Richland Library Eastover

#Brainbreak: Solar S'mores Oven

  • Kimberly Jones
  • Monday, February 06
This week's #brainbreak is all about solar energy. I know...we are supposed to be taking a break from learning, but I promise it will be fun!
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Read Woke Across America Week

  • Taelor J.
  • Friday, March 05
Let’s show out children a world where everyone does not look the same, worship the same, or even think the same—and that this is the beauty of the world. Let’s teach them that in spite of our differences, we’re more alike than different, and learning brings us closer together. Let’s join together and Read WOKE Across America!
Blog
Richland Library Main

iRead: Jason Reynolds

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, March 01
Jason Reynolds is an author and poet who grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Inspired by Queen Latifah and the other rappers he listened to in his youth, he began writing poetry at the age of 9. In January 2020, Jason Reynolds was named as the Library of Congress’s national ambassador for young people’s literature, a position designed to encourage young people to develop an interest in reading.