The document summarizes the history of libraries in Berkeley County, South Carolina from 1810 to 2007. It describes the founding of the first library society in Pineville in 1810. The first public library opened in 1936 in Moncks Corner and was housed in rented rooms. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration built a new library. Over the decades, the library system expanded to include branches in Hanahan, Goose Creek, St. Stephen, and bookmobiles. The libraries integrated in 1965 after the Civil Rights Act and moved to new locations multiple times as the system and communities grew.

2. First Library in Berkeley County
On September 10, 1810, twenty-two
citizens of Pineville met and founded
the Pineville Library Society.

3. Reed Camp, SC 1930s

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

7. June 1936
Circulation of Books
Nonfiction – 2
Adult Fiction – 94
Juvenile Fiction - 241

8. In June 1937, the library was temporarily
housed in the old grammar school.
• Present alternative courses of action
• Discuss pros/cons of each

10. More than 150 people attended.

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

14. .
502 registered borrowers at the end of 1939-1940 fiscal year.

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

18. WAR-TIME RATIONING

19. The Bookmobile
Placed in service April 1949
Loaned 1,337 items the first month!

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

23. 1950s
Santee Cooper Dam

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

26. Spending State Aid
• $1,500 received March 1958

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

28. 1960s

30. Bookmobile-1961
$8,456.43
64 stops per month

31. Number of Library Books
• 1936 – 800 volumes
• 1938 – 1800 volumes
• 1953 – 10,700 volumes
• 1963 – 16,801 volumes

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.

33. January 18, 1965

34. Hanahan Library housed in
Hanahan Memorial Building
November 3, 1969 - June 3, 1981

36. 1970s

38. Grand Opening

42. Moncks Corner Movers (& Shakers)
Faye Morris, Tomalie Harris & Sharon Fashion

43. Bookmobile
October 1972
Cost $19,562 (state paying $8,000, the balance-county)

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

50. 1980s

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.

53. Verla Wilson-Hanahan Volunteer Extraordinaire
O
C
T
O
B
E
R
1988

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.

55. Retirement

56. Goose Creek-1991

57. Grand Opening

59. Hanahan-1994

60. 1994 move to 1274 Yeamans Hall Road

61. St. Stephen-1998

62. Main Library-2006

63. Daniel Island-2007

64. Sangaree-2007

65. Old Bookmobiles Never Die
They are rescued