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Community Events/Seminars

RCPL Hosts Book Signing with County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson

Join the Richland County Public Library for a book discussion and signing with Richland County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson, author of A Tribute to 101 Incredible Women of Distinction Who Influenced My Life From My House to the White House, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 12 at the Main Library, 1431 Assembly St. This program is free and open to adults.

Dickerson has served on Richland County Council, representing District Two, since 2005. Her main goals are to better manage growth in her community, to improve relations between citizens and county government, and to create economic development opportunities.

“It is now my pleasure to introduce you to these women of honor, whose stories have contributed so much to me,” said Mrs. Dickerson. “Because of them, I was able to look beyond my economic, social and financial circumstances into a new realm of endless possibilities.”

For more information on this event, call 929-3457 or visit www.myRCPL.com.

The Search is on for the Next Teen Idol

RCPL hosts Teen Idol Competition

Are you RCPL’s next Teen Idol? Find out by singing in RCPL’s Teen Idol, a vocal competition just for teens!  The show, which will feature a variety of prizes including studio time and the opportunity to perform at community and library events, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 28 in the Bostick Auditorium of the Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly St. 

Auditions will be held from 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 28 and Sunday, September 12 at the Main Library. Registration forms are available at all RCPL locations and online at www.myRCPL.com/teen.

Finalists for RCPL Teen Idol must attend the Teen Idol Run Through, which will be held from 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 23 at the Main Library.

The quest to become the next Teen Idol starts now.

Questions?  Call 929-3434 or visit www.myRCPL.com/teen.

Quilters of Gee’s Bend to Visit Columbia

Works of Art and Compelling Stories at RCPL this Fall

The Richland County Public Library will host the Quilters of Gee’s Bend, at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 2 at the Koger Center for the Arts, in downtown Columbia. Hear from several of these endearing women as they share their personal stories and the history behind the art of their quilt making at this free event, open to families. The event is free but a ticket is required and will be available beginning Tuesday, September 7. More than 20 of the original, colorful quilts will also be on display at the Main Library, 1431 Assembly St., September 30 through November 14.

The Quilters of Gee’s Bend is a group of more than 70 African-American women from a small, rural community in Alabama that is enriched with history and generations of quilters.  Their compelling stories, combined with their distinctive and original works of art, offer a fascinating look into their lives and this unique quilting tradition. Their skills were passed down through at least six generations to the present.

The quilts are made from everyday fabric: denim, cotton sheets and well-worn clothing. Most of the quilts are known as piece, strip or patchwork, yet their vibrant color schemes and abstract compositions are not associated with traditional quiltmaking but more like modern art. In the past, the quilts were assembled from discarded fabric and created as blankets, but today are recognized internationally. Numerous media outlets have shared the stories of these quilts, including National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation, Art in America, CBS News Sunday Morning, the Martha Stewart Living television show, House and Garden, Oprah’s O magazine, and Country Home magazine.

From September 30 through November 14, the quilts can be viewed during regular hours at the Main Library, located in downtown Columbia, is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Support from AT&T, the Friends of RCPL and the RCPL Foundation has made it possible for the quilters and their art to be shared with the people throughout the Midlands and South Carolina. Other sponsors include, Columbia Chapter of the Links, Inc., Lee Associates, Inc., National Council of Negro Women, Inc. – South Carolina State Mechanism; and South Carolina Bank and Trust.

For more information on this event and exhibit, please call 929-3457. To find out more about the Richland County Public Library, visit www.myRCPL.com/geesbend.

Richland County Public Library to Offer Expanded Internet Access, Help with Job Searches With Knight Foundation Support

Richland County residents will have access to more computers and free Internet service at their local libraries, plus expanded help in using both, thanks to a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The Knight Foundation support will help create a job center at Richland County’s Main Library to assist residents in career and employment searches. Meanwhile, the Eastover Branch, which is currently closed on Tuesdays, will now open for “Tech Tuesdays” to provide computer training and support. 

Other branches will receive additional desktop and laptop computers to increase access for all users.

Over the past two years, the library’s 11 branches have experienced a 30 percent increase in use, with many residents turning to the library for the critical information they need for job searches, resume preparation and unemployment services.

“There’s no doubt that libraries are critical resources for those looking for work, whether they need access to technology or instruction on creating e-mail accounts and resumes,” said  Melanie Huggins, executive director, Richland County Public Library.  “Library staff are knowledgeable and can assist job seekers in numerous ways – but only if there is enough technology available. This grant will allow our libraries to meet a dire need, helping residents provide for themselves and their families and making the community stronger.”

The $438,000 grant is part of a $5.5 million Knight Foundation initiative benefiting library users in 20 communities across the United States. The effort reinforces the sweeping recommendations by the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy, a project of the Aspen Institute.  In a report issued earlier this year, the Commission asserts that democracy in America is threatened by the lack of equal access to quality information. Funding public libraries, as centers of digital and media training, is one key to filling the gaps, the commission says. Its report is available at www.knightcomm.org.

“Libraries offer residents free and easy access to the critical news and information they need to make decisions about their lives,” said Susan Patterson, Columbia program director for Knight Foundation. “Through this initiative, we hope to augment libraries’ roles as vital community centers while helping to create engaged and informed communities.”

Check Out Wii Games at RCPL

Have a Nintendo Wii and looking for a place to find more games? You’re in luck! Wii games are now available for check out at the Richland County Public Library.

Wii games are played on the popular Nintendo Wii gaming station. The Nintendo Wii uses special motion-sensitive controllers that allow you to swing a bat, drive a car, or throw a punch with a flick of the wrist rather than with the push of a button.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Guitar Hero and Backyard Baseball are just a few of the more than 30 titles available at RCPL’s Main Library. Wii games, like DVDs and CDs, check out for seven days, and overdue items will be charged 75 cents per day. A complete list of the Wii titles is featured on the 1431 Blog, which is accessible from RCPL’s Web site www.myRCPL.com.

For more information, visit www.myRCPL.com or call 929-3450.