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Beaufort County Library reports record summer-reading participation, new hires and digital upgrades
Summary
Library Director Amanda Dickman told trustees the system saw record summer-reading engagement (2,545 finishers and 10,722 program attendees), introduced new staff including a user-experience librarian, and outlined website and calendar upgrades and a pending grant for two sound-attenuating study pods.
Beaufort County Library Director Amanda Dickman reported strong summer programming and several operational changes at the library board meeting. "We officially are done with summer reading," Dickman said, and staff tallied 487 programs with 10,722 attendees and a record 2,545 finishers.
The director credited partnerships and local support for the gains: "Our Public Library Foundation of Beaufort County funded a ton of our paper products," Dickman said, and friends groups and local businesses donated prizes and gift cards. Theresa Furbish, the library's programming and events librarian, said the system served 2,892 free lunches this summer, 180 more than last year, and saw nearly double participation among children ages 0 to 5.
Dickman also announced personnel changes: the system has three vacancies (senior youth librarian at Hilton Head, a collection-development librarian and a deputy director) and promoted Julie Bascom to manager of the Hilton Head branch. She introduced Lee Ramey as the library's first user-experience librarian, who said she will "focus on staff training, onboarding, and enhancing the overall customer experience."
On technology and communications, marketing manager Tracy Cox described a "Tell Us Your Library" storytelling campaign and a forthcoming website redesign aimed at accessibility and easier navigation; Cox said the team has collected more than 27 community stories and is planning to share short videos on social media. Dickman said the library is configuring Library Market for an integrated events and meeting-room reservation calendar, with an estimated 4-to-6-week configuration timeline before a public demonstration.
The director also described a pending state-library grant application for two study pods: portable, two-person, sound-attenuating workspaces that would be available on a first-come, first-served basis and would not require a library card if the grant is awarded. Dickman said vendors report pods can ship within about two weeks after ordering.
The report closed with a preview of fall programs, including bilingual artist-in-residence workshops, Hispanic Heritage events in Bluffton and Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage programs countywide. "Come hear about all the people they found and the stories behind their demise," Dickman said, promoting an Oct. 27 local-history talk titled "Tales from the Crypt."
