Community Outreach

Contact us

1431 Assembly St.
Columbia, SC 29201
United States

Garden Level

Hours

Our Community Outreach team is dedicated to bringing the library directly to the communities in Richland County who need it most. Serving customers who have both a great need for services and barriers to receiving those services is at the heart of everything they do. 

Features

  • JUSTICE-INVOLVED

    Jessica Blizzard-Henry, LISW-CP 

    jblizzard@richlandlibrary.com | 803.929.3411 (ext. 3411) 

    • Lifeskills and Wellbeing Programs

     

  • BOOKS TO YOU PROGRAM

    Julie Ellis

    jellis@richlandlibrary.com | 803.929.3416 (ext. 3416) 

    • Books to You Home Delivery 
    • Connect + Grow for Seniors 
    • eReady Assistance
  • EARLY LEARNERS & CAREGIVERS

    Rebecca Thomas 

    rthomas@richlandlibrary.com | 803.988.0891 (ext. 3891) 

    • Growing Readers at Home
    • Pop-Up Preschool 
    • Growing Readers at Daycare

     

  • SPANISH-SPEAKING FAMILIES:

    Geltrudis “Gert” Cabrera Wells 

    gwells@richlandlibrary.com | 803.509.8358 (ext. 3358) 

    • Personal Assistance for Career and Social Services
    • Community Programs, Storytimes and Support
    • Ofrecemos programas y servicios en comunidades cuyo idioma principal es el español. Póngase en contacto con nosotros para saber cómo podemos ayudarle.
  • COMMUNITY BOOKS & EVENTS:

    Cassie Gary

    cgary@richlandlibrary.com | 803.509.8358 (ext. 3890) 

    Kim Carnes

    kcarnes@richlandlibrary.com | 803.509.8358 (ext. 3332) 

    • Community Books Delivery to the Comet, Laundromats, Barber Shops 
    • Pop-Up Library at Housing Sites and Community Hubs
    • Connect + Grow: Community Programs for All Ages
Contact Us

Invite Us To Your Event

Lori Cook

Lori Cook
Community Outreach Manager

803.929.3460
lcook@richlandlibrary.com 
 

 

 

 

Community Books

Community Books

We are building home and community libraries by providing books that can be enjoyed without a library card or due date. Our Community Books can be found in laundromats, barber shops, on Comet Buses, or at a Pop-Up Library in one of our mobile vehicles.

Alvin S. Glenn Program

Services for the Justice-Involved

We encourage resiliency through life skills and well-being classes, including creative arts, book groups, and informational sessions for reentry programs.

Pop up preschool

Growing Readers at Home and Daycare

Focused on supporting parents and caregivers to be their child’s first and best teacher, Community Outreach offers programs like Read and Play Together in pre-selected housing and community sites throughout Richland County. 

Pop-Up Library

Pop-Up Library

Community Outreach visits housing sites and community hubs in our mobile programming vehicles, the Learn Freely Bus and Play Freely Sprinter, to provide books and programs in the heart of neighborhoods and communities that need them most.

Spanish Speakers

Spanish Speakers

Community Outreach supports Spanish speaking members of our community by working with partners to provide literacy tutoring to for school aged children, programming on family literacy, and assistance navigating community resources.
 
books to you

Books to You

Using the library doesn't have to stop if you can't visit in person. Our Books to You program allows customers of all ages to continue reading and learning with regularly scheduled book deliveries, Connect + Grow programs, and one-on-one eReady assistance. 

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