History of the South Carolina Library Association

By Roger Hux

The South Carolina Library Association was established on October 27, 1915, when fourteen librarians and library supporters met in the University of South Carolina Library and voted unanimously to form the new group. The original constitution listed three purposes: (1) "to arouse and stimulate an interest in the development of libraries:" (2) "to be a medium of information in (that) regard;" and (3) "to bring into touch her library force that they may gather additional strength and inspiration for the work."

In those early years, promoting libraries was a difficult task. In 1915 only five towns had free libraries, and South Carolina was one of only eleven states without a library commission. World War I forced a suspension of SCLA's annual meetings, and the agricultural depression of the 1920s killed any hope for state aid. It was not until 1929 that legislation establishing a state library board was passed, but no money was appropriated for its support.

In the 1930s SCLA joined with others in continuing the fight for state aid. From 1929 to 1932 SCLA joined with the Rosenwald Fund in providing a field agent for the State Library Board. It co-sponsored a landmark conference at Clemson in 1934 which led to the formation of the South Carolina Citizens Library Association, and in 1935 suggested the name of Ida Belle Enterekin as the first director of the WPA State Library Project.

The granting of the first significant state aid in 1943 marked a turning point for libraries and SCLA. The Association affiliated with ALA in 1944 and joined the State Library Board in publishing the first issue of the South Carolina Library Bulletin in 1945. In 1946 SCLA participated in the first regional survey of library services sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Library Council.

The 1950s and 1960s brought continued progress along with change. In 1956 the Association supported the State Library Board when SCLA faced censorship challenges over certain children's books, and in 1962 opened membership to African-Americans and held its first racially integrated conference. SCLA co-sponsored the first Governor's Conference on Libraries in 1965 and celebrated its fiftieth anniversary.

SCLA entered the computer era in the 1970s with the establishment of the Southeastern Library Network. At the same time SCLA published several items of historical interest, including a guide to the state's library collections, a reprint series, a writer's map, and an index to Sandlapper. In 1976 SCLA gave its first Friend of Libraries Award, and a year later hired its first executive director and added "type of activity" Sections to its organization.

In the 1980s Sections and Round Tables offered more opportunities for professional growth through workshops and other programs held throughout the year. Computers continued to receive considerable attention as libraries developed online public access catalogs and the South Carolina State Library established a state network. Association leaders ranked professional growth as their first goal in 1986, but still ranked activities supporting library development high on the list.

SCLA celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary at its 1990 conference in Columbia.

In the 1990s SCLA gave increasing attention to technology and, in particular, to the Internet and the World Wide Web. In 1995 it established a home page, and the following year it created a new Round Table for systems managers. Numerous programs dealt with the impact of technolgy on libraries and the changing role of librarians.

During the decade it also established new roundtables for African American concerns, paraprofessionals, and health science librarians. Twice during the decade, in 1992 and 1997, it honored the University of South Carolina College of Library and Information Science during its twentieth and twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations. SCLA also sent representatives to the White House Conference on Libraries and its follow-up sessions.

The Association Continued to hold programs on local authors and local history. Other areas of interest included diversity, preservation, assessment, bibliographic instruction, and intellectual freedom. In 2000 SCLA will celebrate its eigthy-fifth anniversary.

Following is a list of the official meetings of the Association indicating dates, the Presidents, and places in which the meetings were held.

MeetingYearPresidentPlaceDate
11915R.M. KennedyColumbiaOct. 27
 1916R.M. Kennedy  
21917R.M. KennedyColumbiaMar. 14-15
 1918R.M. Kennedy  
 1919R.M. Kennedy  
 1920R.M. Kennedy  
31921R.M. KennedyDarlingtonNov. 17-18
 1922Louise McMaster  
 1923Louise McMaster  
41924Louise McMasterGreenvilleMar. 27-28
51925John Peyre Thomas, Jr.CharlestonApr. 14-15
 1926Charlotte Templeton  
61927Charlotte TempletonColumbiaFeb. 22-23
71928Charlotte TempletonFlorenceApr. 2-3
81929Mrs. Henry Lee BuckColumbiaApr. 4-5
91930R. Beverly HerbertGreenvilleApr. 11-12
101931Ellen PerryColumbiaApr. 9-10
111932Lucy Hampton BostickColumbiaMay 11-12
121933Ora A. WillisCharlestonMay 3-4
131934Parmelee ChevesSummervilleApr. 20-21
141935Fanny T. TaberRock HillOct. 4-5
151936Cornelia Ayer GrahamBeaufortMay 29-30
161937Willard JonesSumterMay 7-8
171938Fant H. ThornleyCharlestonMar. 18-19
181939Fant H. ThornleyColumbiaFeb. 1-11
191940Annie PorterGreenvilleApr. 26-27
201941Maude Query KelseyColumbiaNov. 7-8
211942Alfred RawlinsonColumbiaNov. 6-7
221943J. Isaac CopelandColumbiaDec. 1-2
231944Lewis C. BranscombColumbiaNov. 24-25
241945Helen HaganColumbiaNov. 9-10
251946Mary CoxAsheville, N.C.Oct. 25
261947Frances Lander SpainCharlestonOct. 31-Nov. 1
271948Emily SandersMyrtle BeachSept. 24-25
281949J. Mitchell ReamsGreenvilleSept. 1-Oct. 1
291950Naomi DerrickAtlanta, Ga.Oct. 14
301951Nancy C. BlairClemsonMay 4-5
311952Herbert Hucks, Jr.Myrtle BeachApr. 18-19
321953Desmond KosterColumbiaOct. 30-31
331954Louis BarbareCharlestonOct. 29-30
341955Nancy BurgeColumbiaOct. 28-29
351956Robert C. TuckerClemsonOct. 26-27
361957Charles E. StowCharlestonOct. 25-26
371958Madeline MosimannColumbiaOct. 31-Nov. 1
381959J.W. Gordon GourlayClemsonOct. 30-31
391960Margeurite G. ThompsonColumbiaOct. 28-29
401961Nancy Jane DayCharlestonNov. 3-4
411962Jessie Gilchrist HamGreenvilleOct. 26-27
421963Elizabeth B. ForanColumbiaNov. 1-2
431964Betty MartinCharlestonOct. 16-17
441965Susie Norwood McKeownGreenvilleOct. 29-30
451967Josephine CrouchMyrtle BeachOct. 5-7
461969Carol S. ScottGreenvilleOct. 9-11
471971J. Mitchell ReamsColumbiaOct. 7-9
one day1972J. Frank NolenColumbiaOct. 13
481973J. Frank NolenMyrtle BeachOct. 11-13
one day1974Estellene P. WalkerColumbia<Oct. 4
491975Estellene P. WalkerCharlestonOct. 9-11
501976Kenneth E. ToombsColumbiaOct. 21-23
511977Margaret W. EhrhardtMyrtle BeachOct. 13-15
521978Lennart PearsonColumbiaOct. 12-14
531979Martin PautzCharlestonOct. 11-13
541980John H. LandrumColumbiaOct. 9-11
551981William SummersCharlotte, N.C.Oct. 7-9
561982Gerda (Belknap) KahnColumbiaOct. 7-9
571983Paul DoveGreenvilleOct. 13-15
581984Drucie (Reeves) RainesColumbiaSept. 13-15
591985Carl StoneCharlestonOct. 10-12
601986Susan (Roberts) IsaacsColumbiaOct. 30-Nov. 1
611987Barbara Williams JenkinsGreenvilleOct. 14-16
621988Suzanne KrebsbachMyrtle BeachNov. 9-11
631989Betty E. CallahamHilton HeadNov. 15-17
641990Joseph F. BoykinColumbiaOct. 17-19
651991Sarah McMasterGreenvilleNov. 5-8
661992David CohenColumbiaOct. 21-23
671993Claude BlakelyCharlestonDec. 8-10
68 (Joint)1994Deborah Roberts ColemanMyrtle BeachFeb. 22-24, 1995
691995Deborah Roberts ColemanColumbiaDec. 8-10
701996Felita Suzette GreenGreenvilleOct. 30 - Nov. 1
711997Tom SutherlandMyrtle BeachNov. 12-14
721998Faith LineColumbiaOct. 21-23
731999Betsey CarterHilton HeadDec. 1-4
742000Norman BelkColumbia, SCOct. 28
752001Glynda ChristianMyrtle BeachMar. 15-17
762002Jeanette BergeronCharlestonOctober 23-26
772003Thomas GilsonColumbia<Oct. 22-24
782004Marilyn TsirigotisGreenvilleOct. 27-29
792005Elizabeth ShupingColumbiaOct. 26-28
802006Joyce DurantHilton HeadNov 30-Dec 2
812007Quincy PughColumbiaOct. 31-Nov. 2
822008Curtis RogersGreenvilleOct. 22-24

SCLA Handbook, 2003 5th Edition Section II. History.


<table width = "90%" border="1" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td>Meeting</td> <td>Year</td> <td>President</td> <td>Place</td> <td>Date</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1</td> <td>1915</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 27</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1916</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>1917</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Mar. 14-15</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1918</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1919</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1920</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>1921</td> <td>R. M. Kennedy</td> <td>Darlington</td> <td>Nov. 17-18</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1922</td> <td>Louise McMaster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1923</td> <td>Louise McMaster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>1924</td> <td>Louise McMaster</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Mar. 27-28</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>1925</td> <td>John Peyre Thomas, Jr.</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Apr. 14-15</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td>1926</td> <td>Charlotte Templeton</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td>1927</td> <td>Charlotte Templeton</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Feb. 22-23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td> <td>1928</td> <td>Charlotte Templeton</td> <td>Florence</td> <td>Apr. 2-3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td>1929</td> <td>Mrs. Henry Lee Buck</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Apr. 4-5</td> </tr> <tr> <td>9</td> <td>1930</td> <td>R. Beverly Herbert</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Apr. 11-12</td> </tr> <tr> <td>10</td> <td>1931</td> <td>Ellen Perry</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Apr. 9-10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>11</td> <td>1932</td> <td>Lucy Hampton Bostick</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>May 11-12</td> </tr> <tr> <td>12</td> <td>1933</td> <td>Ora A. Willis</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>May 3-4</td> </tr> <tr> <td>13</td> <td>1934</td> <td>Parmelee Cheves</td> <td>Summerville</td> <td>Apr. 20-21</td> </tr> <tr> <td>14</td> <td>1935</td> <td>Fanny T. Taber</td> <td>Rock Hill</td> <td>Oct. 4-5</td> </tr> <tr> <td>15</td> <td>1936</td> <td>Cornelia Ayer Graham</td> <td>Beaufort</td> <td>May 29-30</td> </tr> <tr> <td>16</td> <td>1937</td> <td>Willard Jones</td> <td>Sumter</td> <td>May 7-8</td> </tr> <tr> <td>17</td> <td>1938</td> <td>Fant H. Thornley</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Mar. 18-19</td> </tr> <tr> <td>18</td> <td>1939</td> <td>Fant H. Thornley</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Feb. 1-11</td> </tr> <tr> <td>19</td> <td>1940</td> <td>Annie Porter</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Apr. 26-27</td> </tr> <tr> <td>20</td> <td>1941</td> <td>Maude Query Kelsey</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Nov. 7-8</td> </tr> <tr> <td>21</td> <td>1942</td> <td>Alfred Rawlinson</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Nov. 6-7</td> </tr> <tr> <td>22</td> <td>1943</td> <td>J. Isaac Copeland</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Dec. 1-2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>23</td> <td>1944</td> <td>Lewis C. Branscomb</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Nov. 24-25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>24</td> <td>1945</td> <td>Helen Hagan</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Nov. 9-10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>25</td> <td>1946</td> <td>Mary Cox</td> <td>Asheville, N.C.</td> <td>Oct. 25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>26</td> <td>1947</td> <td>Frances Lander Spain</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 31-Nov. 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>27</td> <td>1948</td> <td>Emily Sanders</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Sept. 24-25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>28</td> <td>1949</td> <td>J. Mitchell Reams</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Sept. 1-Oct. 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>29</td> <td>1950</td> <td>Naomi Derrick</td> <td>Atlanta, Ga.</td> <td>Oct. 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td>30</td> <td>1951</td> <td>Nancy C. Blair</td> <td>Clemson</td> <td>May 4-5</td> </tr> <tr> <td>31</td> <td>1952</td> <td>Herbert Hucks, Jr.</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Apr. 18-19</td> </tr> <tr> <td>32</td> <td>1953</td> <td>Desmond Koster</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 30-31</td> </tr> <tr> <td>33</td> <td>1954</td> <td>Louis Barbare</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 29-30</td> </tr> <tr> <td>34</td> <td>1955</td> <td>Nancy Burge</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 28-29</td> </tr> <tr> <td>35</td> <td>1956</td> <td>Robert C. Tucker</td> <td>Clemson</td> <td>Oct. 26-27</td> </tr> <tr> <td>36</td> <td>1957</td> <td>Charles E. Stow</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 25-26</td> </tr> <tr> <td>37</td> <td>1958</td> <td>Madeline Mosimann</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 31-Nov. 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>38</td> <td>1959</td> <td>J. W. Gordon Gourlay</td> <td>Clemson</td> <td>Oct. 30-31</td> </tr> <tr> <td>39</td> <td>1960</td> <td>Margeurite G. Thompson</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 28-29</td> </tr> <tr> <td>40</td> <td>1961</td> <td>Nancy Jane Day</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Nov. 3-4</td> </tr> <tr> <td>41</td> <td>1962</td> <td>Jessie Gilchrist Ham</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 26-27</td> </tr> <tr> <td>42</td> <td>1963</td> <td>Elizabeth B. Foran</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Nov. 1-2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>43</td> <td>1964</td> <td>Betty Martin</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 16-17</td> </tr> <tr> <td>44</td> <td>1965</td> <td>Susie Norwood McKeown</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 29-30</td> </tr> <tr> <td>45</td> <td>1967</td> <td>Josephine Crouch</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Oct. 5-7</td> </tr> <tr> <td>46</td> <td>1969</td> <td>Carol S. Scott</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 9-11</td> </tr> <tr> <td>47</td> <td>1971</td> <td>J. Mitchell Reams</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 7-9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>one day</td> <td>1972</td> <td>J. Frank Nolen</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>48</td> <td>1973</td> <td>J. Frank Nolen</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Oct. 11-13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>one day</td> <td>1974</td> <td>Estellene P. Walker</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td>49</td> <td>1975</td> <td>Estellene P. Walker</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 9-11</td> </tr> <tr> <td>50</td> <td>1976</td> <td>Kenneth E. Toombs</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 21-23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>51</td> <td>1977</td> <td>Margaret W. Ehrhardt</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Oct. 13-15</td> </tr> <tr> <td>52</td> <td>1978</td> <td>Lennart Pearson</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 12-14</td> </tr> <tr> <td>53</td> <td>1979</td> <td>Martin Pautz</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 11-13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>54</td> <td>1980</td> <td>John H. Landrum</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 9-11</td> </tr> <tr> <td>55</td> <td>1981</td> <td>William Summers</td> <td>Charlotte, N.C.</td> <td>Oct. 7-9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>56</td> <td>1982</td> <td>Gerda (Belknap) Kahn</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 7-9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>57</td> <td>1983</td> <td>Paul Dove</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 13-15</td> </tr> <tr> <td>58</td> <td>1984</td> <td>Drucie (Reeves) Raines</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Sept. 13-15</td> </tr> <tr> <td>59</td> <td>1985</td> <td>Carl Stone</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Oct. 10-12</td> </tr> <tr> <td>60</td> <td>1986</td> <td>Susan (Roberts) Isaacs</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 30-Nov. 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>61</td> <td>1987</td> <td>Barbara Williams Jenkins</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 14-16</td> </tr> <tr> <td>62</td> <td>1988</td> <td>Suzanne Krebsbach</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Nov. 9-11</td> </tr> <tr> <td>63</td> <td>1989</td> <td>Betty E. Callaham</td> <td>Hilton Head</td> <td>Nov. 15-17</td> </tr> <tr> <td>64</td> <td>1990</td> <td>Joseph F. Boykin</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 17-19</td> </tr> <tr> <td>65</td> <td>1991</td> <td>Sarah McMaster</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Nov. 5-8</td> </tr> <tr> <td>66</td> <td>1992</td> <td>David Cohen</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 21-23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>67</td> <td>1993</td> <td>Claude Blakely</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>Dec. 8-10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>68 (Joint)</td> <td>1994</td> <td>Deborah Roberts Coleman</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Feb. 22-24, 1995</td> </tr> <tr> <td>69</td> <td>1995</td> <td>Deborah Roberts Coleman</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Dec. 8-10</td> </tr> <tr> <td>70</td> <td>1996</td> <td>Felita Suzette Green</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 30 - Nov. 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>71</td> <td>1997</td> <td>Tom Sutherland</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Nov. 12-14</td> </tr> <tr> <td>72</td> <td>1998</td> <td>Faith Line</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 21-23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>73</td> <td>1999</td> <td>Betsey Carter</td> <td>Hilton Head</td> <td>Dec. 1-4</td> </tr> <tr> <td>74</td> <td>2000</td> <td>Norman Belk</td> <td>Columbia, SC</td> <td>Oct. 28</td> </tr> <tr> <td>75</td> <td>2001</td> <td>Glynda Christian</td> <td>Myrtle Beach</td> <td>Mar. 15-17</td> </tr> <tr> <td>76</td> <td>2002</td> <td>Jeanette Bergeron</td> <td>Charleston</td> <td>October 23-26</td> </tr> <tr> <td>77</td> <td>2003</td> <td>Thomas Gilson</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 22-24</td> </tr> <tr> <td>78</td> <td>2004</td> <td>Marilyn Tsirigotis</td> <td>Greenville</td> <td>Oct. 27 - 29</td> </tr> <tr> <td>79</td> <td>2005</td> <td>Elizabeth Shuping</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 26 - 28</td> </tr> <tr> <td>80</td> <td>2006</td> <td>Joyce Durant</td> <td>Hilton Head</td> <td>Nov 30 - Dec 2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>81</td> <td>2007</td> <td>Quincy Pugh</td> <td>Columbia</td> <td>Oct. 31 - Nov. 2</td> </tr> </table>