Richland County Public Library

COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS - ARRA

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANTS

RICHLAND COUNTY LIBRARY WILL SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE DESIGN OF A FARMERS MARKET/PUBLIC LIBRARY HYBRID FACILITY. THE LIBRARY WILL WORK WITH LOWER RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL (LRHS) TO DEVELOP MULTI-DISCIPLINARY IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOR THE 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR THAT IS EMBEDDED IN THE CULINARY, ART AND DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE, STEM, AND MARKETING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSES OFFERED AT LRHS. LIBRARY STAFF AND STUDENTS WILL THEN WORK WITH FACULTY IN CLEMSON UNIVERSITY?S ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL DESIGN FIRM STUDIOLR TO TURN THE STUDENTS? IDEAS INTO A DESIGN. BUILDING ON THEIR EXISTING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE LIBRARY WILL EXPOSE STUDENTS TO A VARIETY OF SKILLS AND DISCIPLINES INCLUDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP, STEM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND DESIGN THINKING WHILE ADDRESSING ISSUES OF POVERTY, A LACK OF ACCESS TO FRESH FOODS, AND A LACK OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT IN RICHLAND COUNTY.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT AN ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM.

FROM DESIGNING INTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR FAMILIES TO RENOVATING AND BUILDING NEW FACILITIES, RICHLAND COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY WORKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE ENGAGED NEIGHBORHOODS IN STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS TO IDENTIFY CRITICAL NEEDS AND ASSETS, WHICH GUIDES THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW MODELS OF LEARNING SPECIFIC TO THE COMMUNITY. WHEN THE COUNTY EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC FLOODING IN OCTOBER 2015, THE LIBRARY BRANCHES WERE OPENED IMMEDIATELY AND LATER REVEALED TO BE THE BUSIEST FEMA SITES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, COMPLETING 14% OF ALL STATEWIDE APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE. THE LIBRARY'S ONGOING WORK TO REACH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND REDUCE BARRIERS TO SUCCESS IS ALSO CARRIED OUT THROUGH ITS BUSINESS, CAREERS AND RESEARCH CENTER, WHICH HAS ASSISTED CUSTOMERS WITH MORE THAN 75,000 JOB AND SMALL BUSINESS-RELATED TRANSACTIONS SINCE IT OPENED IN 2010.