There’s a Lot of Haunting Going On At The Library

            The Calhoun County Library has a very spooky last week of October, full of events and contests for everyone.

Tally Johnson, a local author from the Lancaster County Library, is visiting the library on Thursday, October 30, 2025, for Spirit Spooks and Local Lores. Johnson, author of the book Ghosts of the South Carolina Midlands, will be telling ghost stories from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM. Join us to hear about ghostly encounters that have happened right here in our very own backyards! Because the stories that Johnson will be telling are chilling and true, they are not suited for children under the age of 13. This event is for ages 13 and up.

On Halloween Night, our annual Halloween Boo Bash will take place here at the library from 5 PM - 7 PM. We will be playing games, winning prizes, giving away free children’s Halloween books and free freshly spun cotton candy by Twisted Sugar, and having fun together. Don’t miss the Boo Bash! We look forward to seeing everyone in their costumes and ready to have a good time with us again this year!

Also, don’t forget about our first-ever pumpkin book character contest! All you have to do is design an uncut pumpkin, real or fake, as your favorite book character using whatever you want. This can include markers, paint, foam, fabric, etc. This contest started on October 1, 2025, but it will continue until October 30, 2025. So, you still have some time! Get your creative juices flowing and then bring your pumpkin into the library to enter the contest. Patrons will be the ones voting on their favorites and the winner will receive an Amazon gift card! It’s not too late!

Make sure to stop by the library this week to enjoy both of these free programs and enter your pumpkin in the pumpkin character contest. All three will be fun and bring the spirit of Halloween alive in our small little town. We look forward to seeing you!

The Calhoun County Library’s October Outreach:

 A Health Fair and Two Fall Festivals

The Calhoun County Library had a very busy week last week with multiple opportunities to engage the community through outreach.

On Thursday, October 9, 2025, we were invited to attend Zeus’s Health Fair. We brought free books, flyers for all of our adult programs, and door prizes for special winners. We also offered promotional items such as pens and keychains. Everyone needs to take care of themselves and that includes taking a break and reading a book.

The next day, Friday, October 10, 2025, we attended the Council on Aging’s Fall Festival. While we were there, we painted ceramic pumpkins using a technique called decoupaging. Using Mod Podge and festive fall napkins, attendees painted their pumpkins and created unique designs that turned out beautifully. Council on Aging participants loved doing this project and we had the most perfect pumpkins in the end!

Saturday, October 11, 2025, brought the Sandy Run Fall Festival. The Bookmobile made its appearance and provided free giveaway books for all children. Community members received information about all of our programs for children and adults, and left the Bookmobile with books to read over the weekend! Everyone who attended had a fantastic time. Including us!

We’ve had a very busy October so far and are looking forward to the rest of the month’s activities. Don’t forget about our upcoming events:

Pumpkin Character Contest, from October 1 - 30, 2025 - Bring your uncut pumpkin decorated as your favorite book character.

Spirit Spooks and Local Lores: Tally Johnson Meet the Author Event, on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 5:30 PM - Come listen to local ghost story teller (ages 12 and up).

Boo Bash!, on Friday, October 31, 2025, from 5 PM - 7 PM - Come play games, win prizes, get free books, and eat fresh cotton candy.

There’s a tree in the Calhoun County Library!

            The Calhoun County Library has a designated room for children’s programs now and we’d like you to come by and see our changes.

            The Merle Govan Program Room is now only for children’s programs. To make it more child-friendly, we have a new dedicated children's storytime space with vibrant colors and a reading tree. We made it a bit more colorful and fun. A little paint and a little muscle have transformed the Program Room; each wall is a different color to inspire children’s imaginations. One blue, one green, one yellow, and one orange wall are better and brighter to enhance our young community’s bright future. 

            Speaking of decorations, that moves us on to the second big change in the now colorful room: a big ‘ole tree!  We have added a permanent reading tree! This large tree has cubbies all over that give plenty of space for the best books and toys of the week. These easily accessible shelves and bottom cubbies make it easy to grab the free book from the program and they are perfect for Mother Goose to store Buddy, Mrs. Perky Bird, and Puff the Magic Dragon. Vinyl seats encircle the base of the tree to allow for a relaxing reading area underneath the canopy of foam leaves on the top to mimic a real tree.  Aside from it being big, inviting, and useful, this brand new reading tree is simply just awesome!

            Come visit the library and join us for a children’s program to take a look at these new and improved changes.  Together let’s make this place as fun as possible because reading is FUN-damental and the earlier we can get children to agree, the better!

FREE: New Fitness Classes

            The Calhoun County Library is excited to introduce new fitness classes designed to build strength, improve balance, boost cardio, and support overall wellness. Join us each week for Strong & Stable, Half & Half, and Strong & Limber—all led by health instructor Summer Johnson.

And the best part? Every class is completely FREE—all it costs is a visit to the library!

Please read the class descriptions below and decide which one is right for you.

 Strong & Stable  Tuesdays from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

●       Dynamic and accessible

●     Builds strength, improves cardiovascular fitness, and increases flexibility

●     Combines resistance training and core and balance work

Half & Half  Thursdays from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

●     Perfect blend of movement and mellow

●     Provides 30 minutes of energizing cardio and strength work

●     Slows down with 30 minutes of deep stretching, breath work, and total relaxation

Strong & Limber  Fridays from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

●     Designed to support strength, flexibility, mobility, and overall wellness

●     Offers a mindful approach to movement that nourishes both body and mind

Because all of these classes are at no charge to you, it’s easier to attend one class, two classes, or all three if you would like. There are no limitations and no sign up required. In fact, all classes can be experienced seated, standing, or mat-based, depending on how you would like to participate. Equipment is provided, but feel free to bring your own mat if you prefer.

We’re thrilled to have a calendar packed with exciting events—and even happier to offer more of what our community has been asking for: more exercise classes! Now, patrons can enjoy three fitness sessions each week, and the best part is, they’re completely free. So, next time you feel like you need to get your heart beating, blood pumping, or even just a nice little stretch, find a class that suits you and give us a visit!

Keeping Kids Busy with Books and Toys

            The Calhoun County Library has a jam-packed designated area full of new books, toys, and kits for children to play with while visiting.

There are so many things to keep children of all ages busy while parents and teens browse for materials for themselves. We have something for everyone at the library.

We have a few game systems that children can play as well! There are two Nintendo Switches in the Teen Area, a Nintendo Wii also in the Teen Area, and three Magic Desktop computers at the entrance to the Children’s Area.

With a library card, you can even check out Nintendo Switch games to play at home! Next to our indoor beehive, enjoy our stay and play area full of materials to keep kids amused for hours! We have building blocks, puppets with a mini puppet stage, activity mats, coloring pages, and a grocery store checkout for realistic play. One of the favorites has been the light table with various shapes, alphabets, and numbers for children to use their imaginations. We also have sensory toys.

One of our newest additions has been a wall-mounted tv along with kids’ floor seating so they can watch educational shows like Dora or Blippi while they’re at the library. Our new floor chairs are also great for reading, too! Of course, we’ve got plenty of books to keep kids busy—picture books, board books, even fun puffy books! And here’s a little sneak peek just for you: something BIG is coming to the kids’ area soon. Be sure to stop by and see what’s new so you don’t miss out on all the fun at the library!

Youth Programs at the Calhoun County Library

            The Calhoun County Library is dedicated to our community and this week, we would like to highlight all of our children’s programs.

Every Wednesday, from 10:30 AM - 11 AM, a kind woman whom our community loves, Mother Goose (aka Mary Jo Springs), puts on a lively children’s program. Mother Goose on the Loose is a 30 minute program aimed for littles between the ages of 0 - 5 that focuses on dancing, singing, reading, and having fun. To end each program, Mother Goose always does everyone's favorite: blowing bubbles! The program consists of 10 activities that are repeated each week. This repetition allows our young attendees to follow a schedule and they can even tell us what’s coming up next in the program! Each little one who attends this event gets a free book as well!

If you can’t make it to the library during the week, come see us two Saturdays a month! Music & Movement takes place on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month from 11 AM - 11:30 AM. This program is all about dancing, moving, and getting our wiggles out with Celeste from Move with Celeste. With plenty of popular music and dancing props like tambourines and shakers, your little one will be busy jumping, running, clapping, singing, and yelling with excitement. This program is also aimed towards children between the ages of 0 - 5, but older children can enjoy the fun as well! We give away free books to each wiggly baby at this program, too.

We know the littles are having fun, but teens like hanging out at the library also. On the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 5 PM - 6:30 PM, we have an exclusive night for teens ages 12-17.Teen Night is all about keeping teens engaged and connected with their peers. We offer a wide range of activities, from movie nights and jewelry making to hands-on learning experiences like changing the oil in a car. Teen Night always includes a snack and a lot of fun!

All of these programs are free to attend and don’t require registration! We just love seeing all the smiling faces having fun, so come see us at the library!

Grateful for Caring Volunteers

            The Calhoun County Library is proud to give back to our community—but the truth is, we couldn’t do nearly as much without the support of our gracious volunteers.

            For large events like Cookies with Santa, Boo Bash, and Grow with Me, our ability to serve so many families depends on the extra hands and hearts of volunteers. Without them, we would be forced to limit the number of crafts, snacks, or books we could share. Thankfully, we are blessed with a dedicated group of individuals who generously give their time to serve the county.

            To honor their hard work this year, we hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at the close of our Summer Reading Program—our busiest season of the year. We felt it was important to recognize right away the long, hectic, and successful hours our volunteers poured into helping us. As a small token of gratitude, each volunteer was gifted a tiny Bonsai tree, symbolizing the way they nurture not only these plants, but also the minds and imaginations of the community members they serve.

            Without our volunteers, we simply wouldn’t be the library we are today. To all of our volunteers: thank you. We are truly fortunate and deeply grateful for your continued support.

The Fantastic End

 Calhoun County Library Summer Reading Finale

The Calhoun County Library held the Summer Reading Program Finale to celebrate the accomplishments the participants have completed at the end of July.

On July 31, 2025, after a program with magician and illusionist Jesse Greene, it was time to present the results of a wonderful Summer Reading Program.

First, we gave out Participation Certificates to everyone who registered and logged minutes and gave out Certificates of Excellence (Completion Certificates) to everyone who read 300 minutes or more. This was over 150 certificates designed, printed, and ready to hand out!

·         We had 138 participants in our Summer Reading Program.

·         We had 72 participants complete the challenge.

·         We read 101,176 minutes in total.

Then, we presented the Grand Prizes. For everyone 30 minutes read and logged, the participant got an entry in their respective age category. So someone who read 30 minutes still had a chance to win the end of the Summer Reading Program Grand Prize the same as someone who read 300 minutes, who just had more entries. We had multiple winners and we changed up the prizes this year.

·         Early Literacy: Elizabeth Ott and Lorelei Trotter (LeapPads)

·         Children’s: Rylee Strock and Shana-Yessenia Alvarez (Echo Dots)

·         Teen: Bailey Williams and Laionnah Poole (AirPods)

·         Adult: Heather Hess and Jon Coble (Kindles)

To complete the Summer Reading Program and start getting our county ready to go back to school, The Jeffcoat Law Firm set up a table to give away something amazing: over 150 backpacks filled with essential school supplies. These backpacks were completely free! We would love to thank The Jeffcoat Law Firm for their support and generosity to our community. With school starting, this was a huge help. Thank you, The Jeffcoat Law Firm.

This event still was not over. Of course, we had to give out free books and end the summer with ice cream as they exited the library with all of their other goodies.

The Summer Reading Program is completely free to attend and enjoy. We would like to thank everyone who came and volunteered. This project is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the South Carolina State Library.

Illusions for Local Summer Reading Program Finale

            The Calhoun County Library was full of magic and tricks that disappeared into thin air right in front of our very eyes at the Summer Reading Program Finale.

            On Thursday, July 31, 2025, local magician Jesse Greene performed for us through a billow of fog and mystery. We were excited to have Jesse amaze us as part of our Summer Reading Program Finale to have a great sendoff for a magical, colorful summer. What better way to do that than to have all kinds of colorful illusions?

            Even our very own staff members, Janice and Beth, joined Jesse on stage as his magician’s assistants. During their debut performance in front of a crowd of over 180 people, both were left astonished by Jesse’s sleight of hand, mind-reading skills, and his ability to reveal cards marked with unique, hand-drawn images. Jesse wowed the audience with a variety of impressive tricks. Among them were illusions like producing oversized objects from beneath small, seemingly empty steel cups. We won’t spoil too much—if you want to experience the full magic, you’ll have to catch one of Jesse’s shows for yourself!

            The Summer Reading Program is free and open to the public. The library also thanks all attendees and volunteers who helped make the event a success. This program is supported by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the South Carolina State Library.

Calhoun County Library Hosts Colorful Paint Party for Summer Reading Program

            The Calhoun County Library recently brought creativity to life with a vibrant Paint Party as part of its Summer Reading Program, held on Thursday, July 24, 2025.

            Young participants kicked off the fun with do-a-dot markers and simple cardstock designs perfect for little hands. As they painted, the children were treated to a live musical performance by The Ukaloonies, who filled the room with energy and laughter. The musical duo kept the excitement going with interactive games, including a color game where children held up pieces of construction paper to match the colors sung in the lyrics. Favorites like “Singin’ in the Kitchen” and the classic nursery rhyme “BINGO” had everyone singing along.

            While the younger kids enjoyed their musical art session, older children and adults participated in a more structured painting experience in a separate room. Guided by Calhoun County High School art teacher Mr. John Sawvell, participants learned step-by-step painting techniques using brushes and canvases. Mr. Sawvell introduced various brush types and demonstrated specific painting methods, helping each artist bring a sunflower in a vase to life. Though everyone painted the same subject, each piece reflected a unique personal touch—highlighting the beauty of individual interpretation in art.

            The library extends a heartfelt thank-you to The Ukaloonies for their engaging performance and to Mr. Sawvell for sharing his artistic expertise. The event saw a wonderful turnout, proving that creativity comes in all ages and colors.

            The Summer Reading Program is free and open to the public. The library also thanks all attendees and volunteers who helped make the event a success. This program is supported by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the South Carolina State Library.

A Wildly Fun Summer Reading Program at Calhoun County Library

            The past few weeks have been buzzing with excitement at the Calhoun County Library, thanks to two action-packed Summer Reading Program events that drew in fantastic crowds.

On Thursday, July 17, 2025, the library welcomed a dozen fascinating live animals as part of an unforgettable visit from the Critter Keeper. Known for his creepy, crawly companions and engaging educational shows, the Critter Keeper delivered not one, but two packed performances—one at 10:30 AM and another at 1:30 PM—due to overwhelming demand.

To kick things off, the Critter Keeper jokingly “charged admission” in the form of petting Mr. Beasley, his friendly bearded dragon. Some attendees eagerly accepted the challenge, others hesitated before bravely reaching out, and a few opted to skip the petting—something the Critter Keeper graciously allowed.

Throughout the show, guests met returning stars like Plasma the blood python and Misshell the turtle. Several lucky attendees even got to hold a tarantula! Each animal encounter was paired with fascinating facts, from how they protect themselves to how we can help protect their habitats.

In keeping with this year’s Summer Reading Program theme—“All About Colors”—the Critter Keeper introduced a brilliantly colored red-eyed tree frog. With shades of red, blue, green, orange, brown, and more, this vibrant amphibian perfectly captured the spirit of the theme and delighted everyone in attendance.

But the highlight of the show was still to come. For the grand finale, the Critter Keeper invited a few brave volunteers—and some nervous-looking adults—to help him handle his star attraction: Julius Squeezer, a massive 50-pound albino boa constrictor. Recently fed and full of energy, Julius required the strength of several kids to hold him up for an epic group photo.

The library was thrilled to host the Critter Keeper once again, and with about 250 people attending, it’s safe to say the event was a huge success. His show continues to be a favorite in our community and a memorable highlight of our summer programming.

The Calhoun County Library’s Summer Reading Program is completely free and open to all, made possible through a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the South Carolina State Library.

A big thank you to everyone who attended and volunteered—you helped make this summer one to remember!

Former teacher, Kathy Link, has been captured by a python at the Calhoun County Library. Beware!

Special Calhoun County Library Dedication

            The Calhoun County Library has a lot of great things happening and we’re making changes to better serve our community! One change we recently made was to honor a long-term board member with a special dedication.

 In honor of one of our long-standing library board members, we have dedicated one room to her and have placed her portrait in the room along with a placard designating the room name. We’re delighted to announce that the conference room to the right of the front circulation desk is now named the Ann Kissam Thornton Board Room in honor of Mrs. Ann Thornton of St. Matthews, one of our most loyal board members. Mrs. Thornton has served on the Calhoun County Board of Trustees since 1979 and is just as excited about the library’s impact on people’s lives now as she was back then. She is actively involved in library programs, and she volunteers for numerous children’s programs and events. You will probably see her at the Boo Bash in October and at Cookies with Santa in December. Mrs. Thornton is an avid reader herself and can frequently be seen at the library checking out her favorite books. We are pleased to welcome the Ann Kissam Thornton Board Room, available to the public upon request.

Mrs. Ann Thornton has been a member of the Calhoun County Library Board of Trustees since April 27, 1979. We were able to congratulate Ms. Thornton and have her join us for a quick little interview.

 

Question: What led you to decide to be a committed member of the Calhoun County Board of Trustees?

Answer: I had three young children and I always enjoyed reading to them. Reading is just important as a whole and so is love for libraries, which I had and passed down to my children. Although libraries are more than just reading, we initially did not have lots of programs here in Calhoun County. I wanted to get more people involved in reading.

 

Question: What has contributed to your longevity on the Library Board?

Answer: I came to love the library more throughout the years. I loved how the library was growing and the direction it was going in. I also loved the other board members who shared the same desire to create the best library possible.

 

Question: What are some of the best changes you have seen take place at the library while serving on the Calhoun County Library Board?

Answer: One of the best changes is that we have witnessed people realizing that there is more to a library than just books. From when I joined, we have moved buildings, added more activities and programs, and created bigger opportunities for everyone. For example, there is a sense of camaraderie amongst the parents and guardians who bring their little ones to the Mother Goose on the Loose program.

 

Question: How has serving on the Board impacted your life?

Answer: This is a deep and loaded question. The answer has to be that it gave me purpose and belonging. That does not mean that it was easy though. I was raising three children and working full time while being on the Board. I am a big believer that if many do a little, a lot gets accomplished.

 

We would like to thank Ms. Ann Thornton for her many years of devotion and commitment to the Calhoun County Library by serving on the Calhoun County Library Board of Trustees. So, come by and see the Ann Kissam Thornton Board Room!

Summer Reading Magician and Illusionist

            The Calhoun County Library welcomed a fantastic magician and illusionist for the Summer Reading Program last week, and we had a packed house!

            Tim Sonefelt came to the library on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 10:30 AM to perform for everyone. This performance involved a lot of tricks and misdirection that had our audience in awe. Some of these magic deceptions involved erasing the colors in a coloring book in front of their eyes (without moving this book too much) and then, with the quick wave of his hand, it was perfectly colored again. This had the crowd screaming like crazy! Other illusions included finding the hidden Skittles inside magical colored boxes and a visit from Larry the Duck!

            A lesson that Tim taught everyone was that color and art come in multiple forms. Instead of just thinking about painting or drawing, art can be cooking, baking, making music, designing structures through architecture, designing fashion, writing, and others. Art comes in multiple forms, and Tim included this in his performance perfectly.

            The Summer Reading Program is completely free to attend and enjoy. We would like to thank everyone who came and volunteered. This project is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the South Carolina State Library.