6. First Berkeley County Public Library
Sponsored by the Association of Organizations
in conjunction with Works Progress Administration
Opened in 2 rooms over Barron’s Department Store on
June 12, 1936.
Collection of 800 books (all donations)
Members signed up on opening day - 151
11. U.S.A. Works Progress Administration builds new library in 7 months.
Simultaneous W.P.A. project – Berkeley County Jail
In the winter, whoever got to work first had to light the DuoTherm fuel oil heater.
The office was always freezing and wind whistled through the cracks in the floorboards.
We bought a used oriental rug from a second-hand shop with our own money!
Eloise Gowder
12. Centers of Interest in the Library
• Artifacts were given or loaned to the library and were
displayed...plantation relics, Confederate money,
shark’s teeth, fossils, beaded Indian bag and war
bonnet, diary of St. Julian plantation, plaster
medallions, a pair of stirrups, an English bit, a
spinning wheel.
• Garden Center...current catalogues, books on
gardening and garden exhibits
15. 1939 - All WPA labor discontinued.
Library assumed operating expenses.
County agreed to pay librarian’s salary.
16. Note: The main road to Moncks Corner is Hwy 52
There is no 17-A and no New Hwy 52!
17. County & State Aid
In 1941,1942 and 1943 the county delegation
appropriated $200 for books and continued to pay
librarian’s salary.
1945 – beginning of regular yearly county support for the
library. $600 for books and an increased librarian’s
salary.
1947 – county included in its budget, $1200 for books,
operating expenses for a bookmobile and regular library,
salary of bookmobile librarian and salary of librarian
19. The Bookmobile
Placed in service April 1949
Loaned 1,337 items the first month!
20.
21. Mrs. J.H. Dangerfield
Through the years many people have come up to my mother and myself to
mention the bookmobile and to thank my mother for coming and bringing
them books. Laree Huxford
24. 1955
• Library Service Act passed by Congress
Berkeley County Library benefitted through:
• Increase in stock of reference materials
• Participation in Children’s Vacation Reading
• A projector and audio-visual materials
25. 1956
State Aid to library is matched by the county
Budget for 1956-57 - $10,980
27. School Field House
becomes
St. Stephen Library
• Town furnished housing and books
• Library furnished services of a clerk
• St. Stephen women painted the inside of the building ,
made curtains, etc.
• The mayor did necessary repairs.
• Shelves built by school carpenter
• Tables and chairs loaned by school
• Opening collection 685 volumes
Opening Date: March 21, 1959
32. Civil Rights Act of 1964
Senator Rembert C. Dennis , with board approval, did not sign
the compliance agreement.
Miss Estelene Walker, State Librarian, notified the library:
Beginning July 1965 the State Library would be unable to fill
reference and inter-library loans. Library staff would not be
allowed to participate in training programs because these
services were provided by federal funds and the library had not
signed the compliance agreement.
The library would also have to give up county support because it
was no longer legal to support segregated institutions with tax
dollars.
The board voted to integrate September 14, 1965.
44. First Library Cards Issued in 1970
Prior to the issue of cards, patrons checked out books using their first and
last names. The first library card, 0001, was issued to Howard Eisenstein.
Eloise G. Gowder
45. Summer of 1970
Insects and mildew destroyed St. Stephen Library
many of the books in the St.
Stephen library during the
summer (no A/C).
The library moved to the St.
Stephen Elementary School.
The Lion’s Club did some
upgrades to the room so it
would usable.
Meanwhile the Lion’s Club
was renovating the Field
House for the library. Large
A/C from Moncks Corner was
installed. Work was
completed in the fall of 1973.
46. October 11, 1971
Branch opens in Goose Creek
In Goose Creek Shopping Plaza on
Redbank Road.
County furnishes utilities ($60 per month),
books and librarian salary.
47. -
The library was very dark and
had no card catalog, once my
friend and I had read all the
new stuff, we would go to the
Moncks Corner Library monthly
as treat and have lunch.
Peggy Goetz
(future library worker)
48. Goose Creek Branch Library
Even though conditions are crowded in the small library, it
appears to be well-used by the community...Mrs. Pamela
Muckenfuss has her story hour...[and] is able to hold the
interest and attention of her group under very crowded
conditions.
Marie Harvey
Library Board
The Board made an effort to find a larger, better located
building but high rent in desirable locations proves an
obstacle.
49. St. Stephen Library
In 1979, the Library Board signed a lease
on the area superintendent’s office.
The location was more visible on Hwy 45.
Tomalie Harris 11/5/1946 – 6/16/2011
51. Hanahan Library Relocates (again)
March 1981
Hanahan branch moves to 5907 Loftis Road, rented from
Charleston Heights Realty Company for $450. 00 per month.-
52. Goose Creek Library relocates to
Goose Creek Plaza 1983
The branch moved to its quarters in the plaza with two
bars adjacent. They would sometimes end up with beer
bottles in the book drop. The space was a little larger but
a bit cramped. Children’s parents sent the children to a
little corner in the back for Story Hour (there wasn’t
enough room for the adults, too). Hot tar came straight
through the roof during a ceiling project and Dianne
Boersma, librarian and Madelyne Spann had to yell to
get the workers to stop. Brenda Richardson loved
shelving, she would challenge herself to shelve more in
the same amount of time.
54. H Hanahan’s
Card Catalog
It took nearly four years of traveling back and forth to
Moncks Corner to copy the catalog cards of Hanahan’s
holdings and bring them back to the Hanahan library
and type them. She and a few volunteers completed
this job, with Verla doing the lion’s share. She and her
brother refinished the card catalog so it would be
worthy of such hard work.
