Daniel Island Library Offers Consumer Fraud Series

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[2/9/17] Daniel Island, SC – The Daniel Island Library, aware of increasing consumer fraud situations, is offering three consumer fraud prevention workshops led by the South Carolina Federal Credit Union and other members from the community.  

This spring, many people look forward to receiving their tax refund check. But what happens if you become a victim of tax identity theft? Suddenly your check is gone  – along with your sense of security. These and other scenarios of consumer fraud happen on a regular basis across the US. In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission reported that tax identity theft was their second most reported complaint and that imposter scams ranked just below. So how do you protect yourself?

Thankfully, your local library has your interests in mind. At the Daniel Island Library, several professionals from the surrounding community will teach three classes about consumer fraud prevention. By following simple steps and being proactive, you can protect yourself and your family.

“Outsmarting Scammers,” takes place on Tuesday, March 7th at 10:30 am. Here, you can learn to spot red flags that may indicate a fraudulent encounter and also find resources that you can turn to in the event that you are targeted. Also, you can reinforce your valuable knowledge with “Consumer Law” on April 17th at 6 pm. Attorney Michael J. Cone,  will guide us through loan protection, credit cards, and ways to avoid identity theft.

“Identity Theft and Personal Security,” will be led by representatives from the South Carolina Federal Credit Union. Keeping you and your money safe is one of SC Federal’s top priorities.  During this class, you’ll discover tips on how to avoid identity theft, beef up your cybersecurity and keep your money safe. Don’t miss the class taking place on April 6th at 1 pm.

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About the Berkeley County Library System: The Berkeley County Library System enriches lives by informing, inspiring and illuminating its local community. The system consists of six branches and a bookmobile that offer programs and services to a growing county. For more information about BCLS, visit berkeleylibrarysc.org.

About the South Carolina Federal Credit Union: South Carolina Federal Credit Union offers a full range of financial services including savings and investments, checking, credit cards and loans. They offer a personable environment, with convenience unsurpassed in the area. Their team’s entire focus is
on personally providing the products, services, tools and forward thinking that allow members to focus on making their lives more satisfying. For more information on South Carolina FCU, visit www.scfederal.org.

ocean waves on a beach

Gullah Art and Stories at Daniel Island Library

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Daniel Island, SC –  Artist Bernadette Cali, a resident of Wadmalaw Island, will share her artwork and stories of a vanishing Gullah culture. 

Bernadette Cali’s paintings hang from the Virgin Islands to New York City. But her heart belongs to the islands of South Carolina. As the Gullah culture vanishes, she tells the peoples’ tales. Come see her beautiful artwork and hear her spin Gullah stories on February 23rd at the Daniel Island Library.

Cali’s story began in New Jersey in 1952. After graduation from Rutgers she took a trip to West Africa – eager to leave busy city life behind. While there she fell in love with the African culture and found the same experience in the rural islands of South Carolina. In 1977 she became a resident of Wadmalaw Island. Today, you can find her there teaching yoga and art.

The story of the Gullah culture began on the sea islands as slaves were brought to the Americas. Congressman James E. Clyburn said, “Stories and traditions of this fusion of African and European cultures brought long ago to these shores have been slipping away along with the marsh and sand that are disappearing because of the encroachment of developments and the pressures to assimilate into the ‘modern’ world.” But by painting her pictures and telling her stories, Cali is keeping a little part of the Gullah culture alive.

Join the Berkeley County Library system for a celebration in diversity on February 23rd at 1 pm. The library will also provide Gullah treats. When you visit the library, check out some of the great resources on the Gullah culture. Maybe you can be the one to preserve this unique heritage for another generation.

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About Berkeley County Library System: The Berkeley County Library System enriches lives by informing, inspiring and illuminating its local community. The system consists of six branches and a bookmobile that offer programs and services to a growing county. For more information about BCLS, visit berkeleylibrarysc.org.

Marcus Amaker

Marcus Amaker to Host Poetry Reading

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Daniel Island, SC – This February, hear original poetry from Marcus Amaker, Charleston’s first poet laureate, at Daniel Island Library.

Charleston is the place to experience the arts. The Spoleto Festival, Dock Street Theater performances, and the Gibbes Art museum are just a few of the opportunities that offer rich experiences. The Berkeley County Library System is one of those venues too. On February 7th at 10:30 am, the Daniel Island Library will host Marcus Amaker, Charleston’s poet laureate, for a special poetry reading that is free to the public.

Amaker has led a varied and celebrated career. After working for the Post and Courier as an editor by day and writing poetry by night, he took the turn to become a self-employed poet, musician, videographer, and graphic designer. He has written prolific amounts of poetry and been featured on the PBS NewsHour, the Huffington Post, and A&E. Charleston applauded him in 2016 by making him the city’s first poet laureate. Mayor John Tecklenberg said of Amaker, “Marcus is a well-known artist in our community who has the drive, passion and talent to make poetry accessible to everyone.” The Art Magazine calls Amaker the “Renaissance man of Charleston.”

Libraries exist to offer free access to books and resources – and experiences. This February, the Daniel Island library also will host a Civil War lecture series and a Gullah art and story session.  Keep your eye on upcoming events so you can enjoy the arts at your local library.

Storyboard America Will Host Workshops at 3rd Annual TLC

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Join us at the 3rd Annual TLC for Storyboard workshops! Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, you have a story. Storyboard workshops take the scary out of writing. We offer pathways and creative tools to help you get to your own memories, to still points in your life that help you share yourself with others. It all begins with a single moment….. Read More

About Storyboard America (source: storyboardamerica.com)

Storyboard grew out of Susan Kammeraad-Campbell’s conviction that humans are hard-wired for story, that our need for story is as compelling as our need for food and companionship. What began as a project of her publishing company Joggling Board Press has developed into a library-based initiative that is currently being tested and piloted in South Carolina and Ohio. The vision is to create Storyboard communities across the country. Says Kammeraad-Campbell, “Our stories help us make sense of our world — they tell us who we are and who we can be.”

Storyboard is still in the pilot stage, and we invite you to get involved on the ground floor. Ultimately this space will evolve into a highly interactive community of story writers and readers, lovers of words who will not only be able to submit their stories, but will be able to interact, comment, and work with others to transform their stories into work to be shared in published anthologies and on public radio.

Storyboard. It’s not a widget. It’s a movement. It’s a way to help people think more deeply about themselves, about their own stories. Writing about defining moments of our lives is different than experiencing them, different than talking about them. Writing opens the door to contemplation. And contemplation is a path to shape perspective, to find meaning, to gain understanding, and to build more united communities.

 

 

Couple smiling during Sip and Paint

Sip and Paint Returns to Moncks Corner

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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Young Learner’s Toolbox Learning Lab at Moncks Corner Library

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Moncks Corner, SC – December 21, 2016 – The Berkeley County Library System welcomed community leaders and partners Monday, December 19th for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the young learner’s toolbox learning lab at the Moncks Corner Library.

Pictured left to right: Barbara Ash, Sharon Fashion, Elizabeth Harvey, Kenneth Gunn, Joshua Whitley, Caldwell Pinckney, Supervisor William Peagler, Jim Retz, Phillip Farley, Gene Brunson, Rebecca Antill, Monique Walker

Monday’s ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the official opening of the Young Learner’s Toolbox Learning Lab, a section of the Moncks Corner Library that features multi-sensory toys, learning kits, and technology designed to encourage children to learn while they play. Attendees of the ribbon cutting included; County Supervisor William Peagler, Councilmen Kenneth Gunn, Joshua Whitley, Phillip Farley, and Caldwell Pinckney, as well as members from the Berkeley County School District, South Carolina State Library, and the Town of Moncks Corner. Supervisor Peagler cut the ribbon with help from a special quest, Santa Claus, who is portrayed by Mr. James Retz a Berkeley County Library System board member.

Funded by a Large Competitive Grant from the South Carolina State Library, the Young Learner’s Toolbox (YLT) program offers assistance to families and children with learning, language, or communication barriers. This multi-dimensional program includes: a series of lectures for parents and care givers, the Learning Lab at the Moncks Corner Library, and learning tools and kits for parents to check out for at-home learning.

While housed at the Moncks Corner Library, the items are available to all library card holders throughout the county. Resources in the Learning Lab include learning kits to

Attendees of the ribbon cutting ceremony were able to test drive some of the resources available in the Young Learner’s Toolbox Learning Lab.

build vocabulary and language skills, plush reading buddies, and pre-loaded learning tablets, all of which parents can check out for home use.

Assisting young children with Autism, Asperger’s Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Dyslexia, and children who speak English as Second Language is a tremendous need in the Berkeley County area. The YLT aims to provide a higher understanding of the resources available within the community and encourage families and children with learning or communication barriers to engage in play and learning opportunities in a fun environment; one without the structure of a classroom.

Monique Walker, South Carolina State Library Grants Administrator comments, “The South Carolina State Library is extremely pleased with the Young Learner’s Toolbox Program funded by an

LSTA grant in Berkeley County. The presentation and display of learning tools was very impressive. We believe this program will be impactful not only to the youth in the community but for the parents as well. The incorporation of technology and play to encourage learning is an ingenious way to capture the minds of today’s youth. Congratulations to the Berkeley County Library staff on excellent services and resources for County families!”

Florence Lewis-Coker, branch manager of the Moncks Corner Library and project lead for the Young Learner’s Toolbox program, explains the need for such a program: “A few years ago, I had a vision:  to help children who had difficulty learning because of mental ability.  My vision did not progress until two of my colleagues assisted me by applying for a grant to cover the cost of materials for what would eventually become the Young Learner’s Toolbox. The Young Learner’s Tool Box provides toys, games and other hands-on activities to help promote their learning skills.”

Lewis-Coker continues to explain the impact the program has already had on its users, “The Young Learner’s Toolbox has proven to be an invaluable resource to therapists, parents, and children.  Many therapists have even used the Toolbox to conduct exercise sessions in the library.  The Toolbox provides a unique opportunity for parents and children to learn and develop social skills through play.”

A young participant joined the celebration and was eager to jump in and play

A few weeks ago, Amanda, a customer of the Moncks Corner Library, sent a note on behalf of Noah, her son with autism. “My son and l use the learning toolbox play area at the library weekly. He thoroughly enjoys the sensory board on the wall as well as the tables and the goody boxes on the shelves. He has Jacob Syndrome and a sensory processing disorder. Having a safe and quiet area for him to “be involved” is wonderful. We appreciate having an area where children can be a little more vocal. We love the learning tool box area and will continue to visit frequently. Thank you for this opportunity for having a safe environment at the public library for children that normally would not be able to enjoy the library.”

The Learning Lab also features a resource center for families to learn more about resources and services for children both locally and nationally including online training, service professionals, and purchasing guides for learning kits and toys. Library staff members are available to provide a hands-on tour of the Lab and its resources giving parents and professionals an opportunity to “try-before-you-buy” and to discover new tools to help children with certain learning barriers. Professionals may also request a private guided play session with their clients.

Elizabeth Harvey, Owner of ABC Therapies in Moncks Corner, is a regular user of the Learning Lab and was more than happy to speak to its benefits at Monday’s ribbon cutting. Harvey thanked the library system for “Breaking with tradition to embrace families that typically remain isolated because they do not fit into the typical mold.” And for allowing, “Children with exceptional needs to play and explore, make noise, grow and learn in a public setting without judgement or criticism.”

For more information about the Berkeley County Library System’s Young Learner’s Toolbox, call the Moncks Corner Library at 843.719.4223 or visit berkeleylibrarysc.org/young-learners-toolbox.