Richland Library is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. Our collections, services and programming reflect the broad range of viewpoints and cultures that exist in our community, and we remain steadfast in our mission to provide customers with unfettered access to information and safe spaces for all. 

Below you will find a variety of recommendations from Richland Library staff as well as blog posts and upcoming events. Additional resources on Race, Equity and Inclusion can be found, here.

Soul Food Sunday
Food
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Tasty Treats

  • Heather M.
  • Monday, April 04
Check out these tasty treats that look good enough to eat--I mean, read.  Whether it's a delicious thick red stew shared with neighbors, a food truck rodeo or applesauce in your hair, these books offer a veritable buffet of cuisines and experiences to share together.  (Some of these books even offer recipes so you can make food with your friends and family!)
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As an inclusive public organization, we're working to provide safe spaces where ALL PEOPLE can connect, thrive and belong.

Hard Reboot
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Staff Picks

Robots, Love, and Queer People!

  • Garrett W.
  • Monday, March 28
Books for teens and adults featuring robots, space flight, and rogue artificial intelligence. 
Blog
Richland Library Sandhills

Interview with Councilwoman Jesica Mackey

  • Brittany S.
  • Wednesday, March 30

I had the honor of chatting with Richland County Council Vice-Chair, Jesica Mackey, (District 9) about her leadership, community, and the importance of Women's History Month.

Blog
Richland Library Ballentine

Why Banning LGBTQ+ Books Hurts All Kids

  • Matthew C.
    Emily Barber
  • Wednesday, March 16

Removing LGBTQ+ literature from libraries doesn't remove them from the world, but only deprives readers of the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Blog
Richland Library Main

#OWNVoices: Blackout Book Review

  • Cassie G.
  • Thursday, June 23

Are you looking for #Blackgirlmagic for Black History Month? If so, Blackout is the book for you! Take a look at my review of the novel and see if entices you to read it.  

Sister Outsider
Light From Uncommon Stars
Staff Picks

LGBTQ eAudiobooks We Loved

  • Zita R.
  • Tuesday, February 22
Hoopla and Overdrive have lots of LGBTQ titles to listen to as Audiobooks but here is a short and fun list of Staff Picks that Richland Library workers loved listening to this past year.
Dune
Dune.
Staff Picks

What to Read If You Like: 'DUNE'

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, February 18
So, you've finally seen the movie and/or read the book. Great! Check out the rest of the Dune series or other series of similar themes!  Be careful with how much spice you consume...
Blog
Richland Library Main

Signs of Segregation from Columbia's Past

  • Margaret D.
  • Monday, February 21

Discover places in downtown Columbia that once held signs of segregation through these "then and now" images constructed from historic photographs in our archives.

Anansi Does the Impossible!
Staff Picks

A Year of Black History

  • Helene F.
  • Thursday, February 10
A Year of Black History Continues   Folktales, comics and history ... here we are!  Also, Hoopla is allowing 15 checkouts for the month of February, as well as bonus borrows.  Hoopla offers many comic book/graphic novels to choose from!  Please, enter your email address and password associated with Hoopla.
I Am Brown
The Electric Slide and Kai
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: The Black Joy in Picture Books

  • Taelor J.
  • Wednesday, February 09
"Black children lose teeth, learn to walk and talk, start Kindergarten, and tussle with siblings just as all children do, so books portraying them in these and all scenarios is not just appropriate, it should be the norm." - Kelly J. Baptist, author Below are Joyful books that reflect the everyday happenings in the lives of young black children.
Black Boy Joy
Rebound
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: The Black Joy in Middle Grade Books

  • Taelor J.
  • Wednesday, February 09
The experiences of young black children is not all rooted in trauma. No child wants to constantly read about oppression, hardships and struggles. There is Joy in being black and it is important for children to not just seem themselves in books but see themselves in a positive light. The books below are simply about Black kids just living!
Blog
Richland Library Main

Black-Owned Newspapers in Columbia

  • Margaret D.
  • Tuesday, February 01

Over the years, there have been several newspapers published in Columbia covering news and events for Black readers. Let’s take a look at some of these titles and find out where you can access them.

Blog
Richland Library Main

Let’s Talk Race and Justice Playlist

  • Richland Library
  • Monday, September 25

As Racial Justice Week comes to a close, check out these engaging discussions with past guests, thought leaders and community members that encourage honest dialogue on injustices, anti-racism and diversity.

Blog
Richland Library Main

The Intersection of Race & LGBTQI2SA+ Liberation | Celebrating Racial Justice Week

  • Ashley S.
  • Thursday, January 20

Quite often it is assumed that the LGBTQI2SA+ community is exempt from the discussion of systemic racism. Unfortunately, these assumptions could not be further from the truth. Racism and discrimination as it applies to LGBTQI2SA+ community is evident in access to health care, housing, and even social media platforms like dating websites.

We Shall Overcome
The Electric Slide and Kai
Staff Picks

#OwnVoices: Picture Books of 2021

  • Taelor J.
  • Saturday, January 08
Each year  #OwnVoices authors and illustrators work to close the gap and insure that the black and brown community is equally represented in the literary world. Below you can find a list of picture books published in 2021 written and/or illustrated by African Americans.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

#OwnVoices: Children's Books Reflection of 2021

  • Taelor J.
  • Thursday, June 23

Missed out on 2021 book releases? Don't worry, you can find #OwnVoices books published in 2021 for both younger and older children here. I don't forget to look out for what's to come in 2022!

Blog
Richland Library Main

#OwnVoices: The Mistress of Spices (Book Review)

  • Mona Verma
  • Thursday, June 23

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s bestselling book, The Mistress of Spices is an evocative classic; a magical, mystical tale of a clairvoyant who sells spices that can soothe your soul. The author says that she wrote this novel “in a spirit of play, collapsing the divisions between the realistic world of twentieth century America and the timeless one of myth and magic” in her “attempt to create a modern fable."

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Howl's Moving Castle.
Staff Picks

Celebrating Chosen Family

  • Emily Barber
  • Wednesday, December 15
"Found or chosen families play an important role in the lives of queer people ... For these people, family becomes not a biological happenstance, but a group of supportive people providing unconditional support." — Pallas Gutierrez, GLAAD Campus Ambassador Sometimes family doesn't end up being who you're born with. Celebrate the family you choose with these titles.
Carrie
Carrie.
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #4 - Starting with 'Carrie')

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, December 13
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Beloved
Bel Canto
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #3 - Starting with 'Bambi')

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, December 13
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Blog
Richland Library Main

All Her Little Secrets: A Book Review

  • Mona Verma
  • Friday, December 17

Wanda M Morris’s stunning debut Mystery/Thriller 'All Her Little Secrets' published on November 2, 2021, is riveting. I cannot stop talking about this book and recommending it to my friends. As an addict of psychological suspense, I am always looking forward to the next adrenaline pumping read. This one kept me up at night, navigating its unpredictable twists and turns and I just had to finish the book in one sitting to know how the story ends.

Blog
Richland Library North Main

#OwnVoices: The City We Became - A Review

  • Mahogany S.
  • Thursday, June 23

What we are, what we’re made of, is many worlds coming together. Reality and legends. This world where we’re just people, and that world, where we can be miles-wide cities that just happen to be sitting a couple of feet across from each other because the laws of space, physics, don’t work the same way.

Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story

  • Taelor J.
    Heather M.
    Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, November 04

Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books.  This conversation focuses on the nonfiction children's biography, Buffalo Bird Girl:  A Hidatsa Story by S.D. Nelson.  

Buffalo Bird Girl
Child of the Flower-song People
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Indigenous and Native Biographies & History for Younger Readers

  • Thursday, December 02
Discover the true stories and history of Indigenous and Native people of the Americas in these picture book titles.   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.
This Indian Kid
#NotYourPrincess
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Indigenous and Native Biographies & History for Older Readers

  • Thursday, December 02
Discover the true stories and history of Indigenous and Native people of the Americas in these titles for middle grade and teen readers.   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.
Life After Life
The Shining Girls
Staff Picks

Time Travel Adventures

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, November 29
Take a journey with these characters and travel through time for the ultimate adventure!
Now Beacon, Now Sea
The Secret to Superhuman Strength
Staff Picks

New York Times Books of the Year: Biography and Memoir

  • Bland L.
  • Sunday, November 28
The recently released list of the New York Times notable books of 2021 includes a number of compelling biographies and memoirs you won't want to miss.  Check these titles out from our collection.
The Art of War & Other Classics of Eastern Philosophy
Anna Karenina.
Staff Picks

Rory Gilmore's Reading Challenge (List #2 - Starting with 'Angela's Ashes')

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, November 24
☕ Take a deep dive into all the books seen and referenced on the Gilmore Girls from Season 1 to A Year in the Life.  📚 Just in time for our winter weather. So, grab your books, a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and bundle up by the fire. ❄️Smells Like Snow❄️ (except for SC)   Since there are 408 titles, there will be multiple lists sent out over the next few months. Enjoy!
Bicycling with Butterflies
Water
Staff Picks

Expand Your Knowledge of the World

  • Ariel H.
  • Wednesday, November 24
🌎Take a look at some titles that will continue to grow and challenge what you think you know about the world. Keep seeking to grow and learn more about the world you live in. These books will hopefully change how you see the world, and may encourage you to help build a better world for all (if you haven't already done so). Take a look below, and enjoy!
Feminist Af
Every Body Shines
Staff Picks

Issue-Driven Teen Titles

  • Richland Library
  • Tuesday, November 23
Issue-driven and thought-provoking topics have become mainstays within contemporary teen books. Check out these selections that tackle subjects like race, gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, and environmentalism for titles that will inspire you to take action and stay conscious. Access even more information on these topics and other perspectives using the Gale Opposing Viewpoints database.
The Other Black Girl
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Staff Picks

Book-to-TV In Development: Part IV

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, November 23
As of November 2021, these are the current highly anticipated titles that are being transformed for TV.
Mexican Gothic
Americanah
Staff Picks

Book-to-TV In Development: Part II

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, November 23
As of November 2021, these are the current highly anticipated titles that are being transformed for TV.
The Vanishing Half
The Power
Staff Picks

Book-to-TV In Development: Part I

  • Ariel H.
  • Tuesday, November 23
As of November 2021, these are the current highly anticipated titles that are being transformed for TV.
#NotYourPrincess
Native American Voices on Identity, Art, and Culture
Staff Picks

Soaring Voices

  • Helene F.
  • Friday, November 12
Many First Nation voices, past and present tell us of their worlds, experiences and dreams.  Some of these titles are available as ebooks and other formats. You can also get personalized reading recommendations by email.
Apple
#NotYourPrincess
Staff Picks

YA Reads for Native American Heritage Month

  • Kenyanah B.
  • Friday, November 12
  November is Native American Heritage Month/American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This month celebrates the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, histories, and important contributions of Native people. It also educates the public about the unique challenges that Native people have historically and presently face.
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Fry Bread

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

Inspired by his family, author Kevin Noble Maillard writes about the love a family has for each other and how the food they make, in this case fry bread, brings them even closer together.

Braiding Sweetgrass
The Botany of Desire.
Staff Picks

If You Like...Braiding Sweetgrass

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, November 08
📚Below you'll find a variety of books that share a theme or more with Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Enjoy!🌱
Blog
Richland Library Edgewood

Dinner Table Talks: Dear Martin

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

Dinner Table Talks create the opportunity for families to have important conversations centered around books.  This conversation focuses on the New York Times bestselling YA novel, Dear Martin by Nic Stone.  

Blog
Richland Library North Main

#OwnVoices: Me & Mama

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23

In Cozbi A. Cabrera's Coretta Scott King Award-winning Me & Mama, the day begins with Mama sings "bright as sun" to welcome her young child to a brand new, exciting day.

Blog
Richland Library Main

#OwnVoices: The Death of Vivek Oji

  • Ronisha J.
  • Thursday, June 23

"The Death of Vivek Oji is a propulsive, titanic book. Emezi doesn't simply tell stories; they create genres, making new stories, new characters, feel as forever as thunder, clouds, and betrayal." -Kiese Laymon

Dear Martin
Black Enough
Staff Picks

Introducing: Nic Stone

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Wednesday, October 20
Author Nic Stone is a YA favorite, and it's no surprise, as her debut novel, Dear Martin, openly and honestly tackles the reality that teens (especially Black teens) face on a daily basis. This book, which is also one of Time Magazine's 100 Best YA Books of All Time, has led to other great titles that you are sure to enjoy reading. Below are the many titles written by Stone, as well as other titles that include her work that are available for check out from Richland Library!
Blog
Richland Library Main

Remembering the Palmetto State Fair

  • Margaret D.
  • Thursday, October 14

Generations of Black Columbians attended the Palmetto State Fair, held each fall at the State fairgrounds in Columbia. Let’s look back at a brief history of this fair.

Blog
Richland Library Main

#OwnVoices: Clean Getaway by Nic Stone (A Review)

  • Ariel H.
  • Thursday, June 23

How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma:
    Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED.
    Fasten Your Seatbelt: G'ma's never conventional, so this trip won't be either.
    Use the Green Book: G'ma's most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home.

What Not to Bring:
    A Cell Phone: Avoid contact with Dad at all costs. Even when G'ma starts acting stranger than usual.

Gearbreakers
The Candle and the Flame
Staff Picks

Altered Bingo: YA edition Booklist

  • Diamond T.
  • Tuesday, October 12
Looking for your next must read? From Classic Categories like Fairy Tale Retellings, myster​ies and books that make you cry, to fun ones like a book with an incredible fight scene, an unreliable narrator and even a space opera.  This list has them all. Have fun linking each title with a Book Bingo Category or filling your own chart with new ones. 
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.

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.
Black is Brown is Tan
Black is Brown is Tan.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Multiracial Families in Picture Books

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, October 01
Families across the world might look different from yours or have different customs, and they might even have different challenges that you might not know much about or fully understand. Some of these families might consist of people from different races, however, at the root of it all, is love. Below is a list of beautiful and thoughtful picture books about multiracial families that you and your family are sure to enjoy and learn from!
Blog
Richland Library Main

iRead: Selina Alko

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, September 24

iRead features the best ebooks, eaudiobooks and print books for children and teens curated by the Children's Room and Teen Center staff.  

Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia with a Turkish Jewish father who spoke seven languages and taught painting, and a Jewish mother who worked in the family’s century-old metal recycling business, Selina Alko was surrounded by the melody of words and stories from different places and varied visual possibilities.

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!

For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts
Once Upon a Quinceañera
Staff Picks

30 Great Reads for National Hispanic Heritage Month (Non Fiction/Memoirs)

  • Mona Verma
  • Wednesday, September 22
September 15 to October 15  is recognized as National Hispanic Heritage Month in America.  This month is chosen as a nod to the anniversaries of national independence for a number of Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all recognize September 15 as the date of their independence, while Mexico's independence is celebrated September 16 and Chile celebrates its independence September 18.
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.
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba
Lost City Radio
Staff Picks

35 Outstanding Fiction Books For National Hispanic Heritage Month

  • Mona Verma
  • Tuesday, September 21
September 15 to October 15  is recognized as National Hispanic Heritage Month in America.  This month is chosen as a nod to the anniversaries of national independence for a number of Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all recognize September 15 as the date of their independence, while Mexico's independence is celebrated September 16 and Chile celebrates its independence September 18.
Blog
Richland Library Main

iRead: Sean Qualls

  • Heather M.
  • Friday, September 24

iRead features the best ebooks, eaudiobooks and print books for children and teens curated by the Children's Room and Teen Center staff.  

Artist and Children's book illustrator Sean Qualls finds inspiration everywhere.

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. 
Blog
Richland Library North Main

#OwnVoices: The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Thursday, June 23

To some, 1967 seems like it was so long ago, but that was only fifty-four years ago. Only fifty-four years ago, Richard and Mildred Loving were fighting the state of Virginia to recognize their marriage. Only fifty-four years ago, two people (who just happened to be different races) had to fight to legally show their love to the world. 

This is the Rope
Alma and How She Got Her Name (read Along.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Family History in Picture Books

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Friday, September 03
Learning about the people who came before you can be a fascinating, exciting, and emotional adventure. It helps you gain more knowledge about your family, as well as who you are. Below are wonderful picture books about different families and what makes them special and unique.