Grow with Me 2024

 

Calhoun County Library Activities

            The Calhoun County Library went to visit the legislative delegation at the State House for Library Day as directed by the State Library. Typically, library directors and representatives all go once a year to meet with their representatives and senators and promote libraries as a whole and their county libraries specifically.

Melissa McLeod of the Calhoun County Library met with Representative Russell Ott at the State House and then went to the Senate office building to meet with our senators on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. Senators Nikki Setzler and Vernon Stephens are currently our senators, and Melissa was able to see Senator Setzler in person and wish him well in his upcoming retirement. She left materials for Senator Stephens and also met with Senator Kevin Johnson, who will represent our region in the future. During these meetings, Melissa was able to share information about our Library’s successes with continued exciting programs and opportunities for patrons.

With the help of the SC Rural and Primary Healthcare grant, we welcomed a health and social services manager to our staff for the first time. She immediately set to work to utilize her skills and knowledge of the community. Confidential appointments provide assistance with benefits as well as guidance on housing, food, and social service provided to long-underserved residents. Health fairs were implemented, COVID testing and vaccination programs were offered, and long-desired plans for a county-wide, monthly pastors’ breakfast became a reality. This opportunity to provide community outreach and share the services available to the public with pastors has been a true blessing.

Our regular programs, from youth to adult, have continued to be popular and well-attended. With Mother Goose on the Loose and Music & Movement offered for babies and toddlers, Teen Programs led by the Teen Advisory Board, and valued adult programs like Bee Creative, Computer Class, Yoga, Strong & Limber, and BINGO, there are many weekly programs to appeal to all ages. Holiday programs have drawn huge crowds with more than 500 spooky guests at Halloween, a packed house for our Christmas program featuring cookies and cocoa with Santa and performances by the inimitable Porkchop Productions, and a new Grow With Me program at Easter that promoted healthy eating, growing fresh vegetables, and spending time outdoors.

Our STEM programs visit every school in Calhoun County and provide a feeder for our Summer STEM camp. Additionally, many staff members enjoy the outreach opportunities provided by story times at the various public, private, and faith-based schools across the county. Our beautiful Bookmobile makes multiple stops around the county, as well, with regular visits to our disabilities and special needs friends at The Gressette Center.

Summer Reading saw many happy children, teens, and adults taking part in our “All Together Now” programs. These programs include our kickoff event which saw the Calhoun County Courthouse lawn covered in spray foam tunnels for children to explore together. The fun continued with performances by a beloved Columbia Marionette Theatre company performance, an origami artist, a magician, the favorite Porkchop Productions, and our beloved and feared “Critter Keeper” who amazes everyone with his giant toads, spiders, and his challenge for brave volunteers to come together to hold his 9-foot Burmese Python.

We continued our Community Baby Shower welcoming and celebrating new and expectant parents with blankets, diapers, lunch, and a cadre of medical and service providers for their special arrivals. This has become an annual event that brings a smile to the faces of all who participate, and helps introduce childhood literacy from the start. We use this as an opportunity to promote the following programs: 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, The Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Mother Goose on the Loose, and Music & Movement.

Be on the lookout for more events and programs offered by the Calhoun County Library. There will be many more to come. Thank you for making this library a valuable staple of Calhoun County; we look forward to serving the citizens of Calhoun County this year!

Calhoun County Library’s Quarterly Employee Spotlight

            Meet our employee spotlight, Moriah Reed! You may have seen her smiling face at the circulation desk as you entered the library, or you may have experienced her warm reception as she expressed the greeting, “Welcome to the library.” The Calhoun County Library has many wonderful employees who are dedicated to serving the community and helping out wherever there is a need.  This month, we would like to shine the spotlight on a special staff member: Moriah Reed. Moriah received a gift card and is featured on our Employee Spotlight wall in the library.

Moriah is a Patron Services Assistant and has been with the Calhoun County Library for over a year. She started working here as an intern and was offered a permanent position around the time of our Summer Reading Program, the busiest time at the library. Moriah jumped in full force and eagerly trained for her position at the circulation desk. She is always willing to meet the needs of our patrons. Currently, Moriah is working at the library part-time and attending Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College pursuing entrance into the radiology program.

Come by and meet Moriah and join us in thanking her for all her hard work and dedication to the Calhoun County Library because we appreciate her so much!