Holiday Happenings @Your BCLS Libraries for Christmas 2017

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Berkeley County Library invites you to help us celebrate the season with us. We are hosting an array of programs and events for all ages this holiday season to help get you in the spirit. Check it out:

Pictures with Santa

Santa is almost ready for his travels around the world, but before he takes right a visit to the library is in store. Photos with Santa will be available for purchase at $5.00 a page. You can create your

Bring your own camera for free photos or you can purchase a sheet of photos for $5 from the Friends of the Library.

own package. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Berkeley County Library System.

Moncks Corner Library
Monday, Dec. 11th, 10:30 am – 12 noon

St. Stephen Library
Monday, Dec. 11th, 3 – 4:30 pm

Daniel Island Library
Thursday, Dec. 14th, 10:30 – 12 noon

Hanahan Library
Thursday, Dec. 14th, 2:30 – 4 pm

Goose Creek Library
Friday, Dec. 15th, 10:30 am – 12 noon

Sangaree Library
Friday, Dec. 15th, 3 – 4:30 pm

Crafts for the Family

Christmas Card Upcycle Drop-in Craft | Stop by the Goose Creek Library for a drop-in craft, and create a picture of a Christmas Tree by re-purposing Christmas cards! While supplies last.

Goose Creek LibraryMonday, Dec. 18th, 10 am – until

Christmas Cheer | Bring the whole family and come celebrate the holiday season at your library with crafts and snacks.

Sangaree Library
Monday, Dec. 18th, 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Christmas Craft: Stone Painting | Love finding rocks in your community? Come in and paint a stone to give to your loved one as a Christmas gift or to hide for someone to find for the holidays.

Moncks Corner Library
Wednesday, Dec. 20th, 2 – 4 pm

Holiday Movies

Holiday Movie Matinée | Bring the whole family and come get in the holiday spirit with a free Christmas movie at your library. We will be watching “Shrek the Halls” and be having fun with Christmas themed snacks.

Hanahan Library
Thursday, Dec. 21st, 1 – 3 pm

Movies on Main with the Town of Moncks Corner | Celebrate the Season with BCLS and the Town of Moncks Corner with an outdoor Christmas movie at the Moncks Corner Regional Recreation Complex on Main Street. Movies are free to attend. Bring a chair or blanket. Food truck concessions will be available (no coolers please).

The Polar Express – Saturday, Dec. 9th, 7 pm

Elf – Saturday, Dec. 16th, 7 pm

How the Grinch Stole Christmas – Saturday, Dec. 23rd, 7 pm

Friends of Berkeley County Library Celebrate #GivingTuesday

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When you give to the Friends, it stays in your community!

Written by Kristen Lanier, Marketing and PR Coordinator for BCLS, Liason for Friends of Berkeley County Library System and Friends of BCLS

According to the website for the national movement, “#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. One of the best ways to get involved is in your own community.”

The Friends of BCLS is included online in the #GivingTuesday directory found on givingtuesday.org. This November 28th, join the movement and give – whether it’s some of your time, a donation, gift or the power of your voice in your local community, every little bit counts!

Donate Money | Donors who wish to give a monetary donation can visit givingtuesday.org and select the Friends of Berkeley County Library System in the directory or they can go straight to the Friends’ website and make a donation. (If you search for Moncks Corner, SC, you will also see the Friends in the nonprofits participating).

Donate Time | If you would like to give your time, the Friends have several upcoming events including a craft show with the Berkeley County Government, 3 outdoor movies with the Town of Moncks Corner on Saturdays this December, photos with Santa at all the 6 library branches, and serving as Santa’s elves at Santee Cooper’s Celebrate the Season festival. If you would like to know more about any of these events or other ways you can get involved and give your time, please email the Friend’s president, Sue Kelley, at folbcls@gmail.com.

Donate Your Voice | If you are not able to give time or money to the Friends, the power of your voice can still make an impact. Please LIKE the Friends on Facebook and share your story about how the library has impacted your life or share their message with your Friends.

Every Little Bit Helps!

The Friends of BCLS is an incorporated non-profit organization of volunteers. We promote, enhance, and support the Berkeley County Library System to bring all the exciting, involving, inspiring programs our county’s residents both need…and deserve.

Money is raised through membership fees, corporate incentives, Friends’ book sale shelves at each library and special fundraising events. Funds from the Friends help support programs and initiatives for children, teens, and adults including the Summer Reading Program and the Winter Reading Program.

Berkeley Chamber Rural Initiative Receives Funding To Continue Berkeley Career Express Program

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Sources: Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce press release and Charleston Regional Business Journal article.

The Berkeley County Delegation secured a $25,000.00 grant for certified teachers for the Berkeley Chamber’s Rural Initiative. On Thursday, November 16th, Berkeley Chamber, Berkeley School District, and Google SC joined the Berkeley County Delegation to announce a grant that will fund certified teachers for Rural Initiative. This grant will assist in providing Digital Literacy and Career Ready Workshops, ACT Soft Skills Courses and Adult Basic Education/General Education Development (GED) classes, collectively known as Berkeley Career Express.

The Berkeley Career Express program was jump-started through a September 2016 Google grant with the Friends of the Berkeley County Library, in association with Berkeley County Adult Education and the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce. The overall unemployment rate for Berkeley County is 3.5%, yet it is estimated that in some of our rural areas the rate is as high as 15%. The lack of transportation to – and the affordability of – existing training programs, as well as a lack of access to the Internet, are very real barriers to success for the 33% of Berkeley County residents, mostly rural, who are either unemployed or under-employed.

“Quotes”

Kevin Housand, President of Berkeley Chamber – “The Berkeley Chamber thanks, both our Legislative Delegation and Google for their vision in helping our rural residents gain access to the opportunities currently present, and those to come, in our County and in our region.”

Dr. Kevin O’Gorman, Berkeley County School District’s Chief Academic Officer, stated, “The purpose of the Rural School Initiative is to bring community organizations together in a joint effort to help remove obstacles for students living in rural areas. This work is exciting to see, and it exemplifies what we need in the future to ensure the success for all students in Berkeley County.”

The Director of Berkeley County Adult Education, Dr. Lillie Caldwell added, “Berkeley Career Express is designed to help adults in Berkeley County rural communities prepare to enter, re-enter or pursue employment that leads to a living wage.”

Lilyn Hester, Head of Southeast Public Affairs, Google – “Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. In SC, Google has worked to eliminate as many barriers to success as possible for our neighbors in Berkeley County, and throughout the Lowcountry. In partnering with the Berkeley Chamber and local delegation, we’re providing residents with the tools and expertise necessary to stay connected and thrive in the digital age.”

Awesome Eclipse Books at BCLS

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Friends of the Library HUGE Book Sale 2015

Fabulous Fall Fiction Book Sale

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Fabulous Fall Fiction Book Sale

Join us a the Goose Creek Library for a Fabulous Fall Fiction Book Sale! These are gently used books that have been discarded from the library or donated by the community. Books for all ages – adults, young adults, and children – will be available. And the best part? Everything is only $.25!!! We will also have some sweet treats for sale. Friends of the Library HUGE Book Sale 2015

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 23rd, 9 am – 12 noon

WHERE: Goose Creek Library

WHAT: All proceeds from the book sale will benefit the Friends of the Berkeley County Library.

How to Donate:

Donations are still being accepted for this book sale. To donate please drop books, especially children’s books, to the Goose Creek Library. A receipt is available upon request.

Learn more about the Friends:

The Friends of BCLS is an incorporated non-profit organization of volunteers. We promote, enhance, and support the Berkeley County Library System to bring all the exciting, involving, inspiring programs our county’s residents both need…and deserve. Money is raised through membership fees, corporate incentives, Friends’ book sale shelves at each library and special fundraising events. Funds from the Friends help support programs and initiatives for children, teens, and adults including the Summer Reading Program.

 

Join Us for Library Night at the Charleston Battery

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Join the Friends of the Berkeley County Library and the Friends of the Charleston County Library for Library Night with the Charleston Battery on Sept. 9th at 7 pm! Library Night will feature an ad on the program, on field photo at half-time, PSAs read during the match, a text to give campaign throughout the match week, a crossbar challenge against a Battery player at half time, and more. Come on out and show your support!

As a Special Treat

For any new members signing up by September 2, 2017, your name will go into a drawing for 2 tickets to this match!! Membership envelopes are available at all library branches or you can join online here.

Get Tickets

http://www.charlestonbattery.com/tickets

Battery Library Night

Free Movies Under the Stars Returns to Moncks Corner Recreation Complex this Spring

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Moncks Corner, SC – The Berkeley County Library System and the town of Moncks Corner are pleased to partner once again to host another round of free outdoor movies at the town of Moncks Corner’s regional recreation complex.

The Town and the Library first partnered in the spring of 2016 to test the program in at the Town’s new Regional Recreation Complex, which had just opened a few weeks prior to the first movie event. The first event drew close to 800 people and cemented the program as a value to the community.

“The partnership with the Berkley County Library to make the movie nights possible is a perfect example of what can be done when local governments work together for the benefit of the constituents they share. Events like these are what bring us together as a community and our recreation complex works so well for them because of its location and design.” Moncks Corner Mayor Lockliear comments.

“The partnership of the two organizations has worked beautifully with the Library assisting with the equipment, set up, and licensing of the movie, and the Town assisting with the venue, staff support, and promotion; however it is with great appreciation to the community sponsors who have stepped up to help fund these events, that has really made this program a possibility” said Berkeley County Library’s Marketing Coordinator, Kristen Lanier. “We don’t have to look far or hard to find a local business to help fund these events. We often have them calling us wanting to participate. They are so excited to give back to the community. I love it.”

The spring movies begin with Disney Pixar’s “Finding Dory” on Friday, March 31 sponsored by Atlantis Heating & Air.

The second movie is Disney’s “Moana” on Friday, April 28th sponsored by Moncks Corner’s newest restaurant, DIG 17A, who will be serving as the food vendor for the event to introduce some of their favorite menu items to the community.

The last of the movies is Illumination’s “SING” on Friday, May 19th sponsored by Berkeley Community Mental Health Center in recognition of May as Mental Health Month.

All movies are free! Just bring a lawn chair or blanket and come enjoy a family-friendly movie at no cost. Gates will open at 7 pm and the movie will begin promptly at dark. We kindly request you not to bring in outside food or drinks. There will be food trucks and movie concessions available for purchase.

In case of bad weather:

Last spring’s events were often rescheduled due to weather. For this reason, all the movies this year are scheduled for a Friday, with that Saturday reserved for the rain date. Follow the Town of Moncks Corner’s or the Library’s Facebook accounts for updates if you have any concerns about weather cancellations. Notices will be posted no later than 3 pm on the date of the events.