Of Time and Turtles
The Underworld
Staff Picks

Smithsonian Magazine Best Science Books of 2023

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, February 20
Check out these recently published science titles that Smithsonian Magazine has singled out for praise.  The list includes Of Time and Turtles, by best-selling author Sy Montgomery, and the thought-provoking Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of O
From One Cell
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, November 16
In addition to titles from perennial best-sellers Carlo Rovelli (White Holes) and Neil deGrasse Tyson (To Infinity & Beyond), recent science publications include a new edition of a monumental classic,
Mr. B
Easy Beauty
Staff Picks

2023 Pulitzer Prizes

  • Bland L.
  • Monday, May 08
Check out the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists in the categories of fiction, history, biography, memoir/ autobiography, poetry, and general nonfiction.
Urban Jungle
National Audubon Society Mushrooms of North America
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, May 04
Ben Wilson is a historian and the subject of much acclaim for previous books such as Metropolis.  Now he has ventured into science with Urban Jungle: The History and Future of Nature in the City, an intriguing look at how hu
Gator, Gator, Gator!
The Reptiles of South Carolina
Staff Picks

What's New at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

  • Taelor J.
  • Tuesday, February 14
What was once Riverbanks Zoo & Garden's Aquarium Reptile Complex has now gotten a new look and a new name! The Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center will be opening March 2, 2023.
Before the Big Bang
The Seed Detective
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Wednesday, December 14
Among the latest science titles are two from award-winning authors whose books regularly appear on the nonfiction best-seller lists.  Unlike most previous books on Covid-19, which have focused on the medical drama of the pandemic, David Quammen’s Breathless takes a purely scientific perspective on the struggle to understand the virus.  Siddhartha Mukherjee’s
All This Could Be Different
When We Were Sisters
Staff Picks

2022 National Book Award Longlists

  • Bland L.
  • Friday, September 16
The 2022 National Book Award longlists have just been announced.  The finalists will be named on 4 October.  In the meantime, check out these contenders in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young people's literature, and translated literature.
Nickel and Dimed
Bait and Switch
Staff Picks

Remembering Barbara Ehrenreich

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, September 06
Barbara Ehrenreich, who for more than fifty years dissected American culture in a series of perceptive books (many of them best sellers), died on 1 Sept.
Below the Edge of Darkness
Bitch
Staff Picks

Nature is Neat!

  • Morgan R.
  • Wednesday, June 22
According to the super reliable and oh-so-scholarly Urban Dictionary, neature is "a combination of the words neat and nature. Best used to describe how neat nature is." I think this is a very fitting term for our wild and wonderful world and all the creatures that live in and on it. If you are a nature lover (and think it's pretty neat, too) or love being outdoors, or maybe just learning about Earth's many environments and ecosystems these titles are right up your alley.   
An Immense World
Bird
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Monday, June 06
Atlantic staff writer Ed Yong is a rising star in the science-writing world.  He received a Pulitzer in 2021 for his reporting on the pandemic, and his first book, I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life, was a best seller.  Now his second book,
The Heartbeat of Trees
National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America
Staff Picks

Arbor Day Reads

  • Bland L.
  • Friday, April 22
National Arbor Day is observed annually on the last Friday in April (4/29 this year), although South Carolina marks its own Arbor Day on the first Friday in December, since saplings planted at that time of year will have a better chance of becoming established before the brutal heat of summer arrives.
Naturalist
The Ants
Staff Picks

Naturalist: E. O. Wilson, 1929-2021

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, December 28
In his long and distinguished career, scientist and author Edward O. Wilson, who died on 26 December, wrote as much for a popular audience as he did for his academic peers.  In addition to several books on ants (on which he was a world authority), he published widely on evolutionary biology and conservation.  One of his collaborations with fellow ant expert Bert Hölldobler, The Ants, won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction.
Super Volcanoes
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2021
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, December 21
Check out the latest in science writing from our collection.  Notable titles include Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, by best-selling author Mary Roach (dubbed "America's funniest science writer" by the WaPo) and Scientist: E. O.
Blog
Richland Library Main

Peppermint Catapults

  • Richland Library
  • Saturday, December 18

Launch yourself into the holiday spirit by learning how to create a peppermint catapult.

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!
Blog
Richland Library Main

Women Who Dared

  • Caitlin B.
  • Friday, November 19

The Children's Room holds many fascinating biographies about these women, from Ada Byron Lovelace, who created the language for future computer code, to Maryam Mirzakhani, modern mathematician. These women kept asking questions, kept reading, and kept discovering, no matter what obstacles they faced.

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!🌱
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.
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)✈️
Blog
Richland Library North Main

DIY: Viruses Science Activity

  • Jocelyn T.
  • Wednesday, March 23

In this experiment, you will follow directions and learn how important it is to protect yourself from viruses by washing your hands.

Database

PebbleGo Animals

Learn about animals including birds, dinosaurs, insects, pets and more; their behavior, habitats, and classification.

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The Arbornaut
Fear of a Black Universe
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Thursday, July 15
New titles by best-selling authors Michael Pollan (This Is Your Mind on Plants), Peter Wohlleben (
This is Your Mind on Plants
A Closer Look at Plant Classifications, Parts, and Uses
Staff Picks

Get Outdoors: Learn More About Plants

  • Ariel H.
  • Friday, June 11
Time to get outside and go on an adventure! Here are a list of books to help you explore your surroundings. Learn more about plants and even go on a foraging trip!
When Sue Found Sue
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins.
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Dinosaurs & Fossils

  • Heather M.
  • Thursday, June 03
Dig into these books all about dinosaurs and fossils.  Discover how we learned about dinosaurs from their bones and what they left behind.  Find out about paleontologists like Mary Anning and Barnum Brown.   Looking for even more good books?  Check out our personalized recommendations or call us at 803-799-9084. 
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.   
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.
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!

The Disordered Cosmos
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2020
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Friday, March 05
Catch up on the latest developments in science with these fascinating new titles.  Among them are books by best-selling science writers Carl Zimmer (Life’s Edge) and Elizabeth Kolbert (Under a White Sky), and by scientists such as Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek (
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!

Leviathan Wakes
This is How You Lose the Time War
Staff Picks

Fans of THE EXPANSE Series Should Try These

  • Ariel H.
  • Monday, December 28
Are you a huge fan of Amazon Prime's hit SYFY series, The Expanse?! The show is based off of 9 novels plus 7 short stories and novellas written by James S A Corey (a joint pen name for the authors Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham).  
Best American Food Writing 2018
The Best American Food Writing 2019
Staff Picks

Food Writing (and Watching)

  • Bryan B.
  • Thursday, December 17
 These passionate works are not just about the foods, but the science behind them as well as the lives of the people who create, consume, and make their living through it. 
Tree
Wishtree
Staff Picks

An Arbor Day Celebration

  • Richland Library
  • Thursday, November 19
Arbor Day (the first Friday in December) is the beginning of tree planting season in South Carolina.  Celebrate safely by finding moments to walk among the trees and appreciate their quiet majesty. Reading can also deepen our knowledge of even every day subjects. This curated selection of books offers titles for everyone - stories about the importance of trees, the science and even hands-on activities. 
The Secret Lives of Planets
The Fragile Earth
Staff Picks

New in Science

  • Bland L.
  • Tuesday, October 27
Science writing has its own celebrities, and a few them have new books coming out.  Astrophysicist Janna Levin is back with her fourth book, Black Hole Survival Guide, while famed biologist and #1 world “ant guy” Edward O. Wilson sums up a long lifetime of research and discovery with Tales from the Ant World. 
Blog
Richland Library Main

SC Science Standards: Plant Growth and Survival

  • Emily J.
  • Friday, October 30

Plants tell an important story about the environment. Take time to explore and investigate the plants in the backyard with your kindergartener. Visit local gardens and discuss the types of plants in the area. Ask questions about how the environment provides plants with the resources they need to survive, water and sunlight

Electricity in Your Life
Buried Sunlight
Staff Picks

Read All About It: Understanding & Saving Energy

  • Heather M.
  • Thursday, September 24
How is electricity made?  And how does it get to my house?  From understanding the basics of electricity to a mystery complete with experiments, this list has all that you need to become an energy expert.   And...just in time for Energy Action Month, learn about alternative energy like solar and wind and how to conserve and save energy.   Energy expert?  You'll be an energy star!
Database

Gale in Context: Science

Science in Context is an in-depth, curriculum-oriented science database that provides a one-stop resource for all science-related research needs.

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