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!

Services Offered at CCL

            We frequently hear people say, “I didn’t know the library could do that!” The truth is, the Calhoun County Library offers a variety of resources to the community at little to no cost. Three services that are available are assisting with passport applications, notarizing documents, and Book a Librarian.

Passport applications are taken by appointment only. Patrons can check out travel.state.gov for fees and forms. Our location does not take photos, but you can go to Wal-Mart, Walgreens, or CVS to purchase your photos. Some of the items you will need are your long-form birth certificate with the state seal, official photo ID, and passport photos. The Calhoun County Library has multiple staff members who are passport agents. Make sure to call and make an appointment as we do not take walk-ins.

In addition to assisting with passports, there are multiple staff members who are notaries and will notarize your important documents. This includes marriage certificates, wills and testaments, and other important documents. This is a free service to the public. Note: Please don’t sign the form to be notarized until you are in the presence of the notary. Make sure you have your official ID with the documents you need to have notarized. Walk-ins are welcome, but we advise to call ahead to make sure a notary is available.

Need help filling out a job application or writing a resume? Don’t know how to use some of the features on your new phone or laptop? Call the library and Book a Librarian. You can have access to a staff member for up to one hour free of charge. This service does require that you call and make an appointment. We’re here to help!

For more information about these services, patrons can call the library for information at 803-874-3389.

Educational Parent Help Kits

            Have you tried to explain complex ideas such as emotions, special needs, or going to the doctor to children? The Calhoun County Library understands how hard this can be and we might have a solution!

            Parent Help Kits are now available for checkout. These kits cover specific topics and are designed to teach children about them in an easy-to-understand manner. Each kit includes books to teach about the topic and a physical item for your child to use motor skills as well as listening skills. Some of the items featured in these kits are puzzles, shopping baskets and play food, a variety of balls, and more. The ages range from toddlers to elementary school.

            One kit introduces community helpers and addresses various careers to consider. It includes plastic figures depicting firefighters, policemen, etc.  We have four different choices of kits that deal with emotions which can be a difficult concept to teach a child. We have three different choices of kits addressing exercise and activity for multiple age groups. Each includes instructions for various exercises. We have two choices of kits that touch on certain feelings and teach children about what they are feeling and how to recognize particular feelings. Healthy habits are spotlighted in one kit while another kit focuses on the importance of having a balanced diet through games and activities. We have four kits that address the human body and its many wonderful functions with games and activities to support the concepts. We have doctor and dentist kits that have plush cases with instruments used by these medical professionals. We have a kit about relationships that uses activities to illustrate the importance of good relationships and a kit that explores the many areas of special needs with plastic figures depicting various physical special needs. We have two kits geared toward younger children that contain a mixture of ball-like toys for small and gross motor skills.

            If these interest you, head on over to the Calhoun County Library to check one of these kits out to get a head start on teaching your child a complex topic! You can keep them for up to three weeks so your child could read and play with the kits over and over again!

Movin' and Grovin'

We’re movin’ and grovin’ on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month for Music & Movement. Come bring your dancing babies!

Coffee and Chat

            You’re invited! The Calhoun County Library would like to invite everyone in the community to join us for Coffee and Chat next month.

Coffee and Chat will take place on February 21st and we invite members of the community to drop in, meet the library staff, and learn about all the programs that the Calhoun County Library has to offer. Come and enjoy some delicious coffee, hot chocolate, and other light refreshments while you learn about the programs and events at your library. Meet our staff members and ask questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Take a tour and find out where everything is located; you might even find out that we have materials you didn’t even know about! Relax in a comfy chair and read the newspaper or find a special spot and browse through some books. You’ll probably end up checking one out! Check on the status of your library card and renew it if needed or get a new one while you're here. It only takes a few minutes to get a library card. Pick up one of our refrigerator magnets with our hours of operation and contact information so you’ll always have it on hand. All of this will take place on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 11 AM. While you’re here, you can watch one of our early literacy programs, Mother Goose on the Loose, with Mary Jo Springs from 10:30 AM - 11 AM.

We would love to see everyone come to the library and learn about what we have to offer our community while also showcasing a program that is near and dear to our and many people’s hearts. We look forward to sharing an enjoyable, relaxing and educational morning with everyone!

Save the Children December Donation

We would like to thank Save the Children for donating even more books for us to give away to our community. We are so grateful for them. Everyone, help us thank them!

Teens Gobble Etiquette Lessons

            “Can you please pass the butter?” “May I have more water please?” “Which fork do I use?” “Where do I put my napkin?”

            These are just some of the things you would have heard at the last Teen Night at the Calhoun County Library during our table manners and dining etiquette that featured a Thanksgiving feast.

            We all get a little anxious when we sit down at a table set with multiple forks and several glasses. It’s confusing! On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, local teenagers were greeted by a maitre d’ with piano music playing in the background. They were preparing to enjoy a three-course meal. Before their meal, they learned the details of the table setting including which fork was the salad fork, which fork was the dinner fork, and where the dessert utensils were placed. They learned a few guidelines like how to properly cut meat, where to put your napkin, what the bread plate is for, and why you have two glasses. Along with that information, they learned not to put their elbows on the table, not to chew with their mouth open, and how to politely ask someone to pass items on the table. During the meal, the teens learned how to have appropriate conversations, such as what they would like to do after completing school and what their hobbies include, as if they were preparing to speak to a date’s parents.

            Join us next week on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at 5 PM for another Teen Night for Christmas Games We will be opening presents wrapped in cling wrap using oven mitts, passing around a bucket of confetti using just our feet, and making Christmas ornaments. Any teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 are welcome to join us and have fun!

Harry Potter Literacy Night

            Have you ever wanted to experience what it is like to graduate from a magical school? That is exactly what happened last week when the Calhoun County Library partnered with the Calhoun County High School to support their special literacy night.

            On Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 6 PM – 7:30 PM, CCHS hosted a Harry Potter Escape Room Literacy Engagement Night. This event involved students coming into the school’s library and participating in a digital escape room. The objective was to graduate from Hogwarts, and puzzles were difficult and encrypted. With answers being such things as the core of Harry Potter’s wand, I think we were all thinking it was going to be easier than it was. Although no one was able to finish this digital escape room and graduate, the good news is that everyone is able to continue their journey, for free, whenever they want.

            In addition to the activity, there was a catered Harry Potter Hogwarts-inspired meal. Accio food! We had Gilly Water and homemade Butterbeer (does not have alcohol) to drink. For dinner, there was baked chicken, mashed potatoes, fried zucchini straws, vegetables, and rolls. No meal would be complete without dessert and we had brownies and fresh fruit.

            The Calhoun County Library gave out many copies of J.K. Rowling’s book The Ickabog and other fantasy related works of fiction thanks to the generous donations from Save the Children.

            We would like to thank the Calhoun County High School for inviting us to this very fun event and for everyone who came out to escape with us. Let’s give it up to the graduating Hogwarts class of 2023!

A Squirmy Boo Bash!

            The Calhoun County Library had a very busy Boo Bash! on Halloween night, full of excitement, games, and treats.

On Tuesday, October 31, 2023, from 5 PM – 7 PM, the library held its annual Boo Bash! for the county trick-or-treaters to come have some indoor fun. There were a little over half a dozen games to play, including Toss Dem Bones, Pin the Spider on the Web, Eyeball Toss, and more. We went through many prizes, books, and sticks of freshly spun cotton candy, thanks to Twisted Sugar.

The highlight of the night was certainly when the Glover family gained the courage to test their wits in the Sensory Squirm right as the event was coming to a close. However, our friendly ghost went to shake their hands and the Glovers got spooked and almost took out the doorway! It was the perfect way to end the night.

In total, the library saw a few shy of 700 trick-or-treaters. It was an all-time high for the library and every person should be proud. With that, we would like to thank every single person who made this possible. Without every volunteer, staff member, adult, and child who came out to make this night special, we couldn’t make it one to remember.

Teen Night is Back with a Bang

            Need a spare tire put on your car? Call one of our teens from Teen Night at the library! Lee Hollingsworth of Hutto's Transmission came to speak at Calhoun County Library’s Teen Night about car care.

On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Lee Hollingsworth presented a hands-on approach to learning about how a car works and how to maintain it during Teen Night at the library. Hollingsworth taught the teens many important aspects about a car including:

1.      Where the radiator is located and how to check the water in it (do not check it when the engine is hot).

2.      Where the oil well is located and how to use the dipstick to check oil.

3.      Where the washer fluid tank is located and what to put in it (do not use soap because it will leave a soap residue on the windshield).

4.      Where the battery is located and how to use jumper cables to jumpstart a car.

5.      Where the spare tire and jack are located in a car, truck, and Jeep.

6.      How to use the jack and chock the wheels of the car.

7.      How to check the air in a tire with a tire gauge.

8.      How to put air in a tire.

After instructing teens about each aspect, Hollingsworth put them to the test. The teens actually removed the lug nuts with a lug wrench and then took the tires off, rotated them, and put them back on. After that, they checked the air pressure in the tires and put more air in the ones that were low. They engaged in other hands-on activities with the car as well and many said they learned a lot from this experience.

We appreciate all of the teens that came with the mindset to learn important skills. The Calhoun County Library appreciates Lee Hollingsworth for teaching and for his time.

Join us for Teen Night on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 5 PM from October through May. This program is for teens ages 12 – 17 and open to all teens in our county.

We are so happy that Teen Night is back and we’re learning important life skills!

Boo!

            We want to see you on Halloween Night! The Calhoun County Library is holding a fun Halloween event for everyone to come play some games and get a sweet treat.

Come visit the library on Halloween night from 5 PM – 7 PM. There will be games, prizes, Halloween books, and more. There will be Bat Bullseye, Ring ‘dem Bones, and many more games to keep everyone laughing and having fun. Also, if you ever wanted to feel how some monster organs feel, stick your hand into our Sensory Squirm. Adults, don’t worry; it’s harmless! Touch some vampire veins, witch’s fingers, eerie eyeballs, and so on.

This event will be a “boo-tiful” night for all ages. Stop by for a little bit while trick or treating to have some fun at the library. After playing the games and winning prizes, every child will get a Halloween book of their choice and some yummy cotton candy from Twisted Sugar!. The best part about this spooky evening is that everything is entirely FREE!

We look forward to seeing all of our creative people in their unique costumes. Join us at the Boo Bash!