Calhoun County Library Celebrates Purple Martins

            The Purple Martin Parade and Festival is coming up and the Calhoun County Library is going to be involved so make sure to find them while you enjoy your weekend!

On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the Purple Martin Parade and Festival will be taking over St. Matthews. Grab a lawn chair and get to Bridge Street to watch the parade at 10 AM. We will have the Calhoun County Library Bookmobile featured!

Right after the parade, head over to the Annex building, beyond the courthouse, and walk through the booths. There will be vendors, food trucks, and performers. The Calhoun County Library will be stationed to the side of the library and will be painting purple martins on canvases from 11 AM - 2 PM. This is a huge hit every year so don’t forget to find your way over and paint one yourself. This is open to all ages and completely FREE!

We look forward to seeing everyone and celebrating the trademark purple martins this year!

Library Proclamation Attendance

            South Carolina Public Libraries were recognized at the South Carolina State House on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in reference to the library proclamation declaring the importance of libraries for education and development of people of all ages, genders, and races. This gathering was in honor of a “concurrent resolution to recognize and celebrate the historical and ongoing contributions of South Carolina Public Libraries and to encourage continued support and investment for the benefit of all the palmetto state’s citizens.” (South Carolina State Library) The Calhoun County Library was invited and recognized via Director Boyd Bruce.

Thriving and Growing Together

            The Calhoun County Library held its annual Grow with Me event on Saturday, March 14, 2026, and it was very successful with over 100 attendees.

At the event this year, we created our own Hairy Harry, made a seed bomb, and crafted a homemade birdfeeder with a pinecone, peanut butter, and birdseed. We also learned about the parts of a flower and taught everyone the importance of helping plants grow as they support our everyday lives.

Each participant received a tomato plant to take home and a bird feeder to hang outside. Plus, we served healthy snacks, including oven toasted English muffin pizzas. Of course, everyone got a healthy plant book to take home for their personal library!

Join Free Yoga Classes

            Every day is a great day for yoga! Find your zen twice a week at the Calhoun County Library.

We invite you to join our welcoming yoga classes, designed for everyone—including seniors and individuals with disabilities—to relax, stretch, and calm the mind in a supportive environment.

Yoga classes are held every Monday and Thursday from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM, and best of all, they are completely FREE. Each session is led by Kathie Goodwin, a certified Sakhi Yoga and YogaFit instructor who is passionate about helping others improve their well-being.

You’re welcome to bring your own yoga mat or materials, but we also provide everything you need.

Come renew, relax, and restore as you learn to find balance and stillness through mindful breathing and movement. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, we’d love to have you join us—come find your zen at the Calhoun County Library!

Celebrate Spring with the Calhoun County Library!

            Spring officially begins on Friday, March 20, 2026, and we’re getting a head start on the celebration! Join us on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 11 AM to 1 PM for our annual Grow with Me event which is always a fun-filled experience for all ages.

At this year’s event, you’ll create your very own Hairy Harry, make a seed bomb, and craft a homemade birdfeeder. We’ll also learn about the different parts of a flower and how each one plays an important role in helping plants grow and support our everyday lives.

Each participant will receive a tomato plant to take home, along with a small windowsill herb garden and a bird feeder to hang outside as soon as you get home. Plus, we’ll be giving away books and serving delicious, healthy snacks!

Stop by the library to kick off the spring season, pick up a plant, and grow with us. We can’t wait to see you there!

Friends of the Calhoun County Library Annual Meeting Meet Author Tom Poland

            The Friends of the Calhoun County Library will welcome acclaimed South Carolina author Tom Poland as the featured speaker at their annual member meeting on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The event, held in the library’s Purple Martin Room, is free and open to the public.

            Poland, a prolific writer whose work explores the culture, history, and natural landscapes of the South, is widely recognized for his contributions to regional literature. He is the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, and the author of more than a dozen books. His work frequently appears in magazines, newspapers, and public talks across the Southeast.

            His presentation, “Carolina Bays: Wild, Mysterious, and Majestic Landforms,” is sponsored by the South Carolina Humanities Speakers Bureau. The talk draws from the book he co‑authored with photographer Robert C. Clark, a richly illustrated exploration of the enigmatic, elliptical depressions scattered across the Carolinas and Georgia. Poland’s storytelling blends science, history, and personal observation, offering audiences an accessible look at one of the region’s most intriguing natural features.  

            The evening will begin with a reception at 5 PM., followed by the Friends of the Library annual business meeting at 5:30 PM. Poland’s presentation will start at 6 PM.

            The Friends of the Calhoun County Library invite community members, readers, and anyone interested in Southern landscapes to attend this special event.

Bird Bam! Dot Dragon! Soap! What’s Going On At The Library?

            It’s Community Mah Jongg! The Calhoun County Library has seen a fantastic response to its newest adult program, Community Mah Jongg.

            Officially introduced as a monthly program at the beginning of 2026, Community Mah Jongg centers around the classic Chinese tile game that blends strategy, luck, and skill. The program is held on the first Tuesday of every month and welcomes both beginners and experienced players.

            For those who would like guided play and instruction, sessions begin at 4 PM, where participants can learn the rules and gameplay. Open play runs from 5 PM to 6:30 PM, when the full game gets underway and the fun really begins.

            Everyone is welcome to join us for this engaging and social program. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mats and tiles if they prefer, though all are welcome regardless. With a strong and growing turnout, we’re excited to continue building this community.

            Come join us on the first Tuesday of the month at the Calhoun County Library for Community Mah Jongg—we’d love to have you!

A Fantastic Mother Goose on the Loose Program

            Very well-attended by parents and children alike, Mother Goose on the Loose is a staple of the Calhoun County Library.

            Every Wednesday from 10:30 AM – 11 AM, Mary Jo Springs steps into her role as Mother Goose. The program features ten short activities that remain consistent each week, helping children anticipate what comes next and notice what’s missing. During the music portion, babies are encouraged to dance, sing, or even rhythmically crawl along to the ukulele and vocals. The movement segment gives little ones the freedom to roam the room—because we all know some babies just can’t sit still, and that’s perfectly okay! The session also includes a reading time with a short, engaging book designed to hold their attention. There’s nothing better than keeping babies happy and busy, and it’s even more wonderful when reading is part of the fun.

            This program is not just for babies and toddlers either. This also gives parents an opportunity to meet other parents who have children in that age range; children can make new friends and parents can, too! Feel free to come earlier or stay later to talk in our stay and play area.

            We love the community we’ve built and the relationships that continue to grow through this program. Countless playdates and birthday party invitations have come from families who first met here. Mother Goose on the Loose is one of the largest programs at the Calhoun County Library, and we invite everyone with little ones to join us as we sing, dance, and read together.

Calhoun County High Art Reception

            The Calhoun County Library held its very first art reception to showcase the talent in our local schools. We displayed artwork from Calhoun County High School art students!

            On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 5 PM - 6 PM, we had an art reception at the library. We had light refreshments while we pondered the pieces on the art wall. We had 20 pieces of art from Calhoun County High School’s art class, mentored by Mr. John Sawvell. Masterpieces include silhouettes of trees, butterflies, dolphins, and many others here at the library for everyone to come see and you can interpret them for yourself.

            We would like to thank everyone who came to this reception to help show our support to our young local artists. We look forward to working with all area schools, so keep an eye out for the next one!

Teens Learn CPR, Heimlich Maneuver, and Fire Safety

            The Calhoun County Library hosted a special Teen Night featuring Emergency Medical Services and firefighters.

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 5 PM – 6:30 PM, we had our regular Teen Night program. Little did they know that we had professionals coming in to teach them lifelong skills that could potentially not only save their own lives but someone else in danger as well.

The EMS team  taught our teens how to do CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is the act of pressing on a person's chest to a specific rhythm to stimulate the heart. Teens were able to gain hands-on experience performing CPR on dummies designed to simulate real people. After “saving lives” using CPR, teens moved on to learning the Heimlich maneuver. This involved standing behind a person and applying quick inward thrusts to the abdomen to help dislodge food and restore breathing. The EMS team demonstrated the technique several times and then allowed each of our teens to practice, ensuring they were performing it correctly and effectively. Then the firefighters arrived and taught everyone about fire safety and how to correctly use a fire extinguisher. Many people may feel hesitant about using a fire extinguisher, but with proper instruction from our firefighters, it proved to be simple. Participants learned to pull the pin, aim the nozzle toward the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, and sweep the extinguishing agent back and forth until the fire was out.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to our incredible county EMS and firefighters who volunteered their time to teach these essential skills. The event was a great success and provided a wonderful opportunity to educate our teens while also making the experience engaging and fun.

If you’re between the ages of 12 - 17, feel free to join us for our next Teen Night. It will be on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 5 PM. We will be making jewelry and eating snacks. We would love it if you would join us!

Reserve a Room at the Calhoun County Library

            The Calhoun County Library has plenty of spaces, places, and rooms available for people to reserve…and it’s FREE!

            Are you trying to find a place to hold an event? Do you need space? Did you know that we have rooms here at the library that you can reserve? Come reserve a room for your next meeting, tutoring session, party, reunion, or whatever you may need. We have tables, chairs, podiums, and Smartboards for you to use as well, if needed.

            The best part is it's FREE! You do not need to pay anything at all to use our rooms. All you must do is give us a call, see if we have that area and time available, and answer some simple questions like how many people you think will be attending and if you will be serving food. On the day of the event, you must present your ID, sign our agreement form if you haven’t already done so, and then tell us how many people came! It’s that easy!

            So if you ever find yourself needing a room for any reason, give us a call and book a room! We love to see all the different community members come into the library for all events!

Passport Services

            Are you dreaming of getting away? Maybe you prefer white beaches and crystal blue water or are you more interested in sitting by a cozy fire watching the snow fall outside?

If you answered yes, come down to the library to get your passport! Applications are free and so is making an appointment to get your application completed! Appointments are only scheduled 11 AM - 3 PM on Monday -Thursday. We do not take appointments on Friday or Saturday.

 

Adult requirements for a first-time passport:

-Completed application (black ink only, with no mistakes)

-Valid picture ID or driver’s license

-Long-form birth certificate

-Passport photo (2 inch by 2 inch, offered at CVS and Walgreens)

-Payment method (check or money order ONLY)

-$35 processing fee (cash, card, or check)

-Valid proof of name change, if needed

 

Minor Requirements for first-time passport:

-All of the above

-Both parents must be present at the time of the appointment

-Both parents need to bring a valid ID and birth certificate

 

Passport fees are:

Adult:

-First Time Book: $165 ($130 application fee and $35 execution fee).

-First Time Passport Card: +$65 ($30 application fee and $35 execution fee).

-Renewal Book: $130 ($130 application fee)

-Renewal Card: $30 ($30 application fee)

Minor (under 16):

-First Time Book: $135 ($100 application fee and $35 execution fee).

-First Time Passport Card: +$50 ($15 application fee and $35 execution fee).

Extra:

-Expedited Service: +60

 

 Normal processing and delivery takes between 4 to 6 weeks. Expedited takes 2 - 4 weeks. We don't usually recommend expediting your passport materials unless you have travel plans VERY soon (within a few weeks).

Whenever you’re ready and you have all of your information together, just call the library at 803-874-3389 and make an appointment with one of our passport representatives! Adult renewals can actually be completed online, if that is easier. There's no need to schedule an appointment if you’re an adult and your passport has not expired for more than 5 years. If it's past 5 years, the application process needs to be completed from the beginning (as if it were the first time).

Otherwise, we will be glad to help you get everything in order and send out your application to get you on your way for your trip! While you’re here, see if we have a book about your destination or check out a book looking for your next stop!

Electronics Class

            Did you get new electronics for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa? Do you need a little help on learning how to use them? The Calhoun County Library would love the chance to teach everyone how to use their computers, phones, or other electronics during Adult Computer Class every Wednesday.

Each Wednesday of the month, from 3 PM - 5 PM, we hold a free Adult Computer Class taught by Lauren Culclasure. This class includes lessons on how to use simple software on computers,setting up an email, working on Microsoft Word, and creating pretty designs for stickers, labels, etc..

One of our loyal attendees even made labels for water bottles for an upcoming party and another made party invitation cards! These patrons were novices working with computers, but regular attendance at our computer classes had them up to speed in no time. We love a good progress story, especially when we are able to see it step by step each week.

We want everyone to not only feel comfortable using our computers in the library but to also know how to use their electronics at home. Did you know that you can even check out computers and mobile hotspots called Kajeets? So you can come to the class, check one out, and then practice at home!

Our Adult Computer Class is not only for computer instruction. We have transitioned into teaching patrons how to use cell phones as well! Whether you have an iPhone or Android, we will teach you how to take pictures, text, download and delete apps, and so much more.

So, make sure to visit the library every Wednesday from 3 PM - 5 PM to join us for our free Adult Computer Class!