Committee outlines plan for campus contents: library transfers, piano preservation and equipment assessments

Committee members gave an update on the status of campus contents, described ongoing transfers to community organizations, and outlined next steps for specialized items such as pianos, band instruments and laboratory equipment.

County staff reported that the Brewer Public Library has been removing usable shelving, books, furniture and some equipment from the campus library; the alumni foundation also collected banners, plaques and other memorabilia and returned keys. Staff said the county has accepted ownership of many remaining contents and that, at some point, owners who did not remove records may be allowed to retrieve those records by permission.

Committee members and volunteers completed an inventory and designated specialized items for further review. One committee member who inspected the pianos told the group that “the only one that really has seen merit is the Baldwin” and recommended finding a local organization or school that would recondition and keep it in the community. The committee said an identified restorer (contact provided in the packet) offered to inspect the instrument at a lower cost than out-of-state shops.

For school-related instruments, a county representative said they contacted a high-school band director to examine band instruments and advise whether any have reuse value; committee members discussed potentially dividing usable instruments between the two school districts wholly inside Richland County.

For science and lab equipment, the committee agreed to ask a local expert (Brandon, who has previously evaluated lab gear) to inspect microscopes, telescopes and other items to confirm whether they are serviceable or should be disposed of. The committee noted that some lab items and classroom equipment may have resale or reuse value, while many furnishings will be moved to departments or sold at auction.

Staff said they will coordinate pick-ups and plan a departmental walkthrough to allow county departments to claim items that remain; they discussed a process of a limited open-walkthrough event with sticky-note claims for departments to identify items of interest before final disposal.

The committee did not take a formal vote on disposition plans but directed staff to continue targeted outreach to the library, alumni foundation, school districts and identified vendors to complete assessments and move reusable items into county service or community hands.