Member Spotlight: Charleston County Public Library

The mission of the Charleston County Public Library is to connect our diverse community to information, foster lifelong learning, and enrich lives. Charleston County opened the doors to its first free public library on January 1, 1931. The Charleston Free Library of the County of Charleston was initially headquartered in a wing of the Charleston Museum and served residents with five branches and a bookmobile. Currently serving residents with 16 locations and a bookmobile, the Charleston County Public Library is engaged in a building project that will add two new locations, replace three outdated facilities, and upgrade the rest. For more information, please visit the Charleston County Public Library website.
 

The library provides free and open access to a wide range of resources, including: books, audiobooks, movies, music, and magazines, in physical and digital formats; online research databases; research assistance; public computers; Wi-Fi; entertaining and educational programs for all ages; space for public meetings; and much more. Readers of this newsletter may be most interested to know that the library offers consumer health and wellness information in print, audiovisual, and electronic formats, along with resources, including entrance exam preparation, for people considering healthcare careers. We also host informational programs on health topics, and sometimes work with partner organizations to provide direct services, like Affordable Care Act or Medicare assistance, at the library. Every Charleston County resident, business owner or taxpayer is eligible for a library card. Anyone, even non-cardholders, can attend programs, use resources, or receive services within the library buildings. We proudly serve people from all walks of life.
 
Public libraries change people’s lives for the better – every day, in ways both big and small. Knowledge is power, and public libraries offer empowerment to everyone, without discrimination. Everyone is welcome at the library, and everyone can benefit from using our services.
 
Our sixteen branches offer a total of more than 500 programs per month on average. There’s something for everyone, from babies to seniors and all points in between. For a complete schedule of upcoming events, please visit https://www.ccpl.org/upcoming-events. For holiday events, please visit https://www.ccpl.org/news/get-ready-holidays-ccpl.
 
Jim McQueen, Deputy Director (pictured),  attended the Healthy Tri-County (HTC) Kickoff meeting last January and has been part of HTC ever since. Currently he serves on the Access to Care subcommittee.  Jim shared the reason for his work on behalf of HTC;  “I’m passionate about making sure people have access to what they need, in terms of healthcare and beyond. To me, the most exciting thing about HTC is that it’s a multi-sector partnership focused on a vital issue. The library has historically been a source of health information for certain members of the community, and I’m thrilled about the opportunity to collaborate with other nontraditional partners and the healthcare community to increase the odds of better health outcomes in our region. I believe that many tri-county residents will lead healthier lives because of the work we’re doing.”