Catherine Rusoff
The first public library in the US dates back to 1790 in Franklin, Massachusetts. Today, in the age of e-reading and other technological developments, the modern library faces a new set of challenges. Despite these obstacles, several libraries across the country are writing the book on innovation.
The Richland Public Library in Columbia, South Carolina, is a national leader in reinventing the library’s place in the community.
The Richard Library has its own teaching kitchen where patrons can learn cooking techniques. It also has a fully equipped carpentry shop, a seed library and a “library of things”, with shelves full of items such as instruments, games and toys.
Melanie Huggins, the library’s executive director, pioneered this extraordinary evolution.
“We have always been committed to improving people’s lives. I think that’s the story of public libraries around the world,” Huggins said.
This history dates back to 1895, when the first branch of the Columbia City Library was founded. But an economic ebb and flow, combined with advances in technology, has led Huggins and his team to write a new chapter for a community in need.
“We think of our spaces as places to learn, to share, to create, and we create quiet spaces and let the rest of the library be vibrant and active,” Huggins said.
At the library, job seekers can count on career counselors, and social workers help the homeless and people experiencing food insecurity.
Education is also a top priority.
“I didn’t know that our libraries contributed to our education. I just thought you would come here and buy a book,” said Letita Miller, a 40-year-old single mother of four.
Miller dropped out of high school after having her first child at age 14. Thanks to the library, she was able to take free online classes to earn her high school diploma.
“It was very, very difficult, because I had to grow up early. I had to learn more responsibilities at that age,” Miller said of his teenage years.
After years of struggling and working multiple jobs, she returned to high school through the library program in 2021.
Developing innovative ways to stay relevant is now a national trend among American libraries. The main library in Salt Lake City, Utah, it has a sound booth where people can record their own records. In Chicago, vending machines are stocked with free supplies, from hygiene kits to Narcan, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.
“There’s no one else doing this work,” Huggins said.
This spring, Miller proudly accepted her high school diploma and credited the library with helping her get there.
“You can accomplish a lot of things here,” Miller said.
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