Georgetown County Library, Georgetown, South Carolina
www.gclibrary.org
Press Contact: Dwight McInvaill, dmcinvaill@georgetowncountysc.org,
843-545-3304
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Left to right:
Mrs. Laura Bush, community member George Geer, Board
Chairman Virgil Grayson, and IMLS Director Anne
Radice. Click image for a larger version. |
South Carolina’s Georgetown County
Library has emerged as a national treasure by inspiring
residents to embrace their heritage and to dream of a
bright future armed with literacy, pride, and knowledge.
In a county where illiteracy in some areas
approached 30 percent, and poverty hovered around 16 percent,
Georgetown County Library succeeded by launching programs
designed to encourage all residents, regardless of age
or background, to think big and to ponder big questions.
Library leaders have planned and produced
lectures, exhibitions, documentaries, oral-history videos,
storytelling, dance, and music to bring residents together
on the topic of race and reconciliation.
To bolster preschool education, the Georgetown
County Library has established a curriculum, donated collections
of 30-60 books to 42 childcare centers, given personal
books each quarter to 630 preschoolers, and provided the
services of a countywide storyteller. An Adult Literacy
Council helps adults learn how to read, while continuing-education
courses help dozens of parents and educators gain credits
in everything from medical issues to computer resources.
While looking to the past for perspective and inspiration,
Georgetown County Library has never stopped looking forward
to make life better for its patrons.
“This is a tremendous honor for Georgetown
County Library and a testament to the wonderful work it
is doing to celebrate the diverse history of the county,”
said U.S. Representative James E. Clyburn (D-SC). “As
the husband of a retired librarian, I appreciate the extraordinary
work they are doing in Georgetown County, and this award
reflects their dedication to innovative and enriching
programs and services.”
“Congratulations to the Georgetown
County Library for receiving the National Medal for Museum
and Library Service," said U.S. Representative Henry
E. Brown, Jr. (R-SC). "Georgetown County is included
in the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which
recognizes the important contributions made by Africans
and African-Americans who settled in the coastal region
of South Carolina, as well as Florida, Georgia, and North
Carolina. The library’s success in community outreach
efforts and in showcasing the accomplishments of all those
who contributed to our cultural heritage is evidenced
in the receipt of this award.”
“This is a well-deserved honor for the Georgetown
County Library,” said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham
(R-SC). “I appreciate the commitment of the staff
and the support of the community in making the Georgetown
County Library one of the nation’s best.”
Community Member George Geer --
Sharing his Love of Reading
The Georgetown County Library has made George Geer into
the man that he is today. From the time he was old enough
to sit upright, Geer attended puppet shows and story times
at the library. The library became a second home, where
he learned the value of a free and open information source
to a democratic society. The desire to share this discovery
spurred Geer to obtain a master’s degree in English
literature and to teach high school English and journalism.
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