Wouldn't you like to get outside and photograph the world around you? I was recently inspired by the latest edition of South Carolina Wildlife, which contains beautiful photographs submitted by amature and advanced photographers across the state. Those pictures took my breath away.    >> Read more

South Carolina’s rich history never ceases to amaze me.  Although I’m not a native South Carolinian, I am always eager to learn more about South Carolina’s prominent figures and the events that have greatly influenced the future of this country.     >> Read more

Today, beer fans will be converging on the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center for the World Beer Festival.  Attendees at either of the two sessions will have the chance to taste over 200 different beers from all over the world.  There will be live music, workshops on pairing beer with foods, and seminars on tasting beers.  The festival is celebrating its third year in Columbia and is a production of All About Beer magazine.     >> Read more

South Carolina has a rich tradition of tales and legends. I remember being told the story of the Grey Man of Pawley's Island when I was very young, and have told it myself many times since. The Lowcounty of South Carolina in particular has been the setting for many creepy tales, maybe because the mossy oaks of that area look like a lot like flying ghosts!    >> Read more

People in town are "crowing" about the Univeristy of South Carolina's baseball team. Did you know that baseball has been a popular sport in Columbia since 1904?

At that time, we played as part of the Southern Atlantic League (known as the Sally League). Columbia's first team was called the Columbia Skyscrapers.

The first league baseball field was located off of Elmwood Avenue, where Logan Elementary School is today. Shoeless Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb even played at Elmwood Field, but on the opposing team.    >> Read more

If you're a Columbia skateboarder, I want you to know how proud I am of you.  Our new skate park, which officially opened last week, is a fantastic testament to the drive and passion of local skaters.  Since the demolition of the previous (and from what I'm told, inferior) Owens Field skate park, local skaters and their friends and allies have worked tirelessly to get the funding and support to convince the City of Columbia to build a new park.     >> Read more

Recently, I wrote a blog post telling you all about our magazines from Canada.  Now I'd like to let you in on a magazine we get from our other neighbor to the north - North Carolina.  (No joke - I have an aunt who told us upon crossing the North Carolina border, on our way to a funeral in Philadelphia, that she had never been "up north" before.  I think she may have expected our Pennsylvania relatives to speak another language altogether, and for the whole endeavor to require a currency exchange.)

Charlotte is the closest "big city" for us here - it's pretty much the farthest I'll drive for a shopping trip, for example.  (How 'bout that Ikea?)  Coincidentally, it also has a great local magazine (called, shockingly, Charlotte.) 

The magazine is so pretty and so full of great restaurants and things to do that it gives me city envy.  Now, normally I think Charlotte (the city, not the magazine) is all well and good if you want to go to the Apple store or eat some Swedish meatballs while you decide if you want to buy the Ektorp or the Karlstad, but Columbia is where it's at in terms of personality and interest.  Charlotte (the magazine, not the city) has so many great pictures and mouth-watering dining reviews that I get a momentary hankering to relocate a hundred miles north.

Each month, Charlotte covers personalities, events, performing arts, shopping, dining, and nightlife.  It also offers feature articles on doctors and hospitals, schools, places to live, and more.  Supplements cover weddings and homes and gardens.  You can see more at their Web site, charlottemagazine.com.

Even if you don't plan on moving to Charlotte, the magazine is a great resource for day trips and helps you take advantage of the benefit of having a bigger city close enough to drive to but far enough away that it isn't in your way all the time.  Come by Periodicals and take a look at Charlotte (the magazine - if you want the city you'll have to go up I-77!)    >> Read more

It's that time again - no, not Christmas.  It's time for summing up the year!  I can't help but read everybody's "ten best movies of 2009" or "the year's ten stupidest PR mistakes by celebrities" or "twenty five most awesome police chases" lists, even though I know they just put them out there to stir up discussion, knowing that nobody's going to agree with anybody else's list.  This year you get to sum up the whole decade, too (I did vote in Vogue's "Best Dressed of the Decade" poll, even as I complained bitterly about their choices.  I told you, I can't help it!)  Probably the biggest "year in review" story, though, is the announcement of Time's Person of the Year.

A lot of people think of "Person of the Year" as an award, although Time strenuously claims that it goes to the most notable and influential person and points to its choices of Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin (twice!) and the Ayatollah Khomeini as evidence.  However, the choices have tended to shy away from such controversial figures in recent years, and the 2001 Person of the Year was Rudy Guiliani, not Osama bin Ladin.

The "award" began as "Man of the Year" in 1927.  It was a slow news week, and there had been some controversy over Time's decision not to put Charles Lindbergh on the cover on the occaision of his trans-Atlantic flight.  The editors killed two birds with one stone by announcing Lindbergh as Man of the Year and have continued to publish the special issue during the traditionally slow news week at the end of the year.  

Since 1999, the title has been "Person of the Year".  Interestingly, no woman has won except as a part of a group ("The Whistleblowers" in 2002 and Melinda Gates with her husband and Bono as "The Good Samaritans" in 2005) since the award has been renamed.  When it was still "Man of the Year", several individual woman were named: Wallis Simpson, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Queen Elizabeth and Corazon Aquino.  (Their covers were titled "Woman of the Year", so it seems a little silly to rename the title, but I guess nobody asked me.)

Since 1927, every sitting President of the United States has been chosen except for Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Gerald Ford.  Franklin Roosevelt was the only person to be named three times.

Because groups are frequently named, somebody you know may have been Person of the Year more than once!  A non-famous person may have been named as many as seven times if they are an American female middle class Baby Boomer scientist who has been a whistleblower and served in the armed forces.  (That would be 1960, 1966, 1969, 1975, 2002, 2003, and 2006 if you're playing along at home.)  She would have had to be a very young scientist, though.  I myself have only been Person of the Year in 2006, when we all won - I'm just a little too young to also have been the American Woman in 1975. 

So, who was named this year?  Our hometown boy, Ben Bernanke!  The Federal Reserve Chairman was born in Augusta, true, but he grew up in Dillon, South Carolina.  He went to public South Carolina schools and waited tables at South of the Border (weather forecast: chili today, hot tamale) during his summer breaks from Harvard.  He taught economics at Stanford, NYU, and Princeton before moving into a government career through the Federal Reserve.  He has written extensively on the political and economic causes of the Great Depression.  If you ask me, it's too early to tell, but many including Time are praising Bernanke's use of theories about the Great Depression to alleviate the current recession through the Federal Reserve.  Whether you agree with his fiscal policy or not, there's no doubting that Bernanke is a seriously smart guy and a credit to the state.  

Want to read more about the Person of the Year?  You can go to Time's website and read all the cover stories back to 1927.  You can also come here to the Periodicals Department, where we of course have the current issue but can also offer you microfilm back to 1923 and many bound issues.  I prefer to see the magazines on microfilm or in bound copies rather than read a transcription online, because the magazines themselves are much more than the words in the story - advertisements, typography, and other features of the print copy put the story in context.  Come take a look!    >> Read more

On a recent trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, some friends and I went horseback riding on a mountain trail.  One of our guides was quite loquacious and tried to make small talk throughout our adventure.  This was the same weekend as the Carolina/Tennessee game so naturally sports was the main topic, but he surprised me when he brought up Darius Rucker.  He knew Rucker was from South Carolina, had heard about his USC connection and was quite impressed with his country music CD.  It was nice to hear something positive about a South Carolina public figure.

Last night, Rucker won the "New Artist of the Year" award at the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville.  I attended graduate school at USC in 1988 and remember fondly Rucker's vocals as lead singer with Hootie and the Blowfish on the local scene.  The band formed in 1986 and released their debut album, Cracked Rear View, in 1994.  I've always enjoyed Rucker's vocals, and it is no different with his country music deput which I am currently listening to.  If you were to remove some of the country guitar "twang," this music could easily crossover.  Congratulations to Rucker for finding a new niche and becoming the first African American artist to win a major CMA since Charley Pride.  

RCPL currently has on display, Hootie and the Blowfish: A Columbia Obsession, on the third level in our Local History Room.  Please be sure to check out this wonderful memorabilia collection.  

Thanks to the CMA and the young man on the horse trail who inspired me to give a listen to Rucker's latest CD project.  If you haven't listened to Hootie lately or would like to hear Darius's country music venture, check out the library's music collection for the CDs listed below.
    >> Read more

Jazz vocalist and poet, Eboniramm, recently became RCPL's newest literary resident.  Eboniramm has contributed to RCPL's programming efforts on several occasions in the past and will enhance the multicultural focus of RCPL's Literary Residency.  We are very pleased to have her as part of this esteemed group of regular program presenters. You may hear her sultry vocals at several local performance venues.  Check out her Web site to find more information about her music and poetry.  The site will also tell you where she is presently performing. 


    >> Read more

Last May, my mom and I ran the Providence Women's Heart and Sole 5 Miler.  (Well, she ran, and I mostly limped - I didn't know I'd hurt my toe until mile four or so.)  We always stay for the winners' announcements, partly because it's polite but mostly because my mom always comes in in the top three of her age group and wins a prize.  She's also always last in her age group - my dad and I make fun of her for her First Loser's medals.  There just aren't a lot of women 64-69 competing. 

Don't tell anybody, but she beats me every time.  My goal is to come in before my mother in a race before she turns 70 and it gets really humiliating.

Well, the woman who won the whole thing was 42 years old, and she did it in under 30 minutes.  Remember, it's five miles, it was hot as blazes and halfway through it you go up Gervais from the Publix to Marion.  Go run that - I'll wait.

Bit of an incline, is it?  I walked it, myself, and I'm not 42.  Of course, the only way I'll ever win my age group is if I live to be 120, and even then I'll probably have to whack my competitors in the knee with my cane.  So maybe I'm not the best judge.  I keep looking behind me because I'm terrified of being last - second to last is okay, but dead last would hurt my feelings.

So, who was the winner?  I'll confess, I had no idea, and my excuse is that I was four years old when Zola Budd collided with Mary Decker in the 3000 meter race at the 1984 Olympics.  A colleague had to fill me in - thanks, Jennifer!  Zola Budd Pieterse lives in Myrtle Beach now with her husband and three children, and she has recently started running again in races throughout the Carolinas. 

I've recently read two excellent articles on Zola Budd Pieterse.  The new October issue of Runner's World has a lengthy article focusing on her childhood in South Africa and controversial Olympic appearance.  Her rise was meteoric - she came out of nowhere to break world records in the 5000 meter at the age of 17.  Barefoot.  She ran for Great Britain, because apartheid-era South Africa was banned from the games, and was criticized for her decision.  Although her collision with Mary Decker was later judged to be an accident, public opinion at the Los Angeles games turned against Budd, and she received death threats and had to be whisked back to Britain by armed guards. 

An article recently in The State discusses her recent move to South Carolina and new found career on the masters' circuit.  She has learned to balance her family life with running and now runs for fun, not to set records. 

Despite all the controversy, Zola remains beloved in her home country of South Africa.  To this day, township taxis are called "Zola Budds" because of their speed.

There's a lot more about it in these articles - come take a look in Periodicals!

Friedman, Steve.  "After the Fall." Runner's World. Oct 2009, p. 80-90, 102, 104, 108.    >> Read more

Person, Joseph. "No Looking Back." The State. 8/23/09, 1A.

South Carolina is a beautiful state.  Many of its remarkable outdoors retreats can be found right here in Columbia, SC!  If you enjoy recreational activities and being outside, then check out some or all of Columbia's city and state parks.  There are facilities for everything from walking, running, tennis, soccer, baseball, bicycling, roller hockey and even inline skating.  I try to take advantage of these parks as much as possible.  They are great for exercising and spending time with family and friends.  I've even reserved two evenings out of the week to go walking with a group of friends.  What's even better is that there's no fee to gain entry to most of the parks.  Below are some highlights, and much more information can be found on the Web sites below. 

It is hard to believe 20 years have passed since Hurricane Hugo's destructive path swept across the Palmetto state. 

Hugo came on the eve of my 14th birthday.  I remember my parents allowing me to still have a party with neighborhood friends; however, there was no warm food and everything was by candlelight!  As we walked through the neighborhood in awe of the massive damage from downed trees and power lines, I realize now how very lucky we were.  We still had our health, our families and standing homes (well, mostly). 

    >> Read more

Wouldn’t it be fun to know what Steve Spurrier, that Ol’ Ball Coach, is really thinking? Well now you can! The most recent issue of Sporting News features an in-depth interview with the University of South Carolina’s football coach. 

Much of the conversation deals with Spurrier’s coaching history, his impression of the SEC and its teams and his successes and regrets over the years. Spurrier also honestly answers questions about his bond with Florida football, his performance with South Carolina over the past four seasons (in his own words, “I expected to do a little better”) and his hopes for this year’s team. 

This is so much more than you’ll ever hear on TV news! Don’t miss the opportunity to really get to know a more personal side of Steve Spurrier. When you come in to read the article, be sure to take a look at our display of football magazines located on the first section of bound shelving in Periodicals. The issues include previews of the upcoming college and pro seasons and a variety of fantasy football titles. 

For a complete list of the seasonal football issues take a look at our Aug. 11 blog post: New Seasonal Magazines. Are you ready for football?
 

The summer peace and quiet is over again.  Move in day at USC always reminds me of a seven year locust swarm - you know it's coming, you try to prepare for it and you still forget and go to Target the same day all the locusts do.  I was pretty lucky this year - once or twice in the past I have forgotten what day it was and tried to go down Greene on the worst Saturday of the year.  Learn from my mistakes and don't do that. 

So obviously a ridiculous number of people downtown (who mysteriously get younger every year - what's up with that?) have already made their college decision.  As the great circle of life continues to turn, this time of year also provides a lot of information to high school students who have not yet decided.  Let me show you some of the great resources we have here in Periodicals to help you out!

The big college guide issues are always in high demand.  Fourteen South Carolina schools made the Forbes list of America's Best Colleges this year.  (What's on top of the Forbes list?  United States Military Academy, aka West Point.)  You can read all about it in the current August 24th issue of Forbes.

Did you know that U.S. News and World Report is no longer a regular print magazine?  They still publish their special issues, however, and we still get them at the library.  The September issue has the America's Best Colleges list, which is actually several lists divided by institution type.  These comprehensive lists include thirty-one South Carolina schools! 

(Where's my alma mater, you might ask?  I went to Agnes Scott College, which is 141 on the Forbes list and fifty-nine among liberal arts colleges in U.S. News.  The year I started there we were number one on the Princeton Review list for "Dorms Like Palaces."  I suppose it's true, as most beautiful, old European palaces don't have air conditioning either.)

We have a lot more than just college rankings here in Periodicals, though!  We offer several magazines to help young people make good decisions about education and careers.  Come down and take a look at Career World, Campus Life's Christian College Guide and College Spotlight.

But wait!  There's more!  We also have tons of online resources that are available on library computers or on your computer at home if you have your library card.  Mouse on over to Research Tools and take a look at the Careers, Education and Jobs category.  I'll tell you about just a few of them, but trust me - you are seriously missing out if you don't take a look at these.  They're amazing resources!

Career Cruising is a database full of assessment tools, career profiles and resume guides - it's useful for anybody looking for a job. 

The College Blue Book is identical to the most recent print edition - browse 2 and 4 year schools, scholarship sources and more!

Learning Express is a fantastic database with test prep materials and practice exams for just about every test you can imagine, from the ASVAB to the SAT to the cosmetology licensing exam.  Don't spend money at the bookstore - use your library card from the comfort of your own home!

Whether you're a high schooler looking at colleges and careers, a nontraditional student exploring educational goals or a job seeker of any age, we've got a lot of materials for you in Periodicals!    >> Read more

This must be the summer for South Carolina sports figures to shine!   In June, South Carolinian Lucas Glover won the U.S. Open Golf Championship. On July 24^th, Columbia native and Chicago White Sox utility outfielder Dewayne Wise made a spectacular ninth inning leaping catch at the wall to preserve pitcher Mark Buehrle’s perfect game – a game where no opposing batter reaches base. How rare is a perfect game? Only sixteen have been pitched since 1900, or put another way, a perfect game is thrown once in every 43,284 opportunities!    >> Read more

Jenkins, Lee. "Miracle on the South Side." Sports Illustrated. August 3, 2009, v. 111, no. 4, p. 44-50.

Kepner, Tyler. "Great Catches, Great Games, Forever Linked." New York Times. August 2, 2009, Late ed., Final, Sect. SP, p. 1.

The library’s closest neighbor, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, is featured prominently in the Summer 2009 issue of Sandlapper. The article "St. Peter’s Catholic Church: A Mighty Restoration in Columbia" tells of several stages during the establishment and building of the parish and the renovation work the current church building has received in its 101-year history. Throughout it all, St. Peter’s has been blessed with dedicated members, prominent architects and skilled craftsmen to guide building and restoration processes, as well as pastors who were great stewards in preserving historical and traditional elements, along with adapting to some modern features and liturgical practices.     >> Read more

Hey golf fans! 

Hey golf fans,

Hack, Damon. "Cool Hand Lucas."  Sports Illustrated. June 23, 2009, v. 110, no. 26, p. 36-39.

Philip Simmons, the renowned Charleston blacksmith, died Monday at the age of 97.  His decorative ironwork can be found throughout South Carolina and elsewhere, including the Smithsonian Institution.  Here in Columbia, you can see his work at the State Museum and on the third level of our own Main Library!  He has been presented with numerous awards, including the Order of the Palmetto, the National Heritage Fellowship of the National Endowment for the Arts and induction into the South Carolina Hall of Fame.  Over the years, many magazines have published great articles on Philip Simmons.

Ironwork by Simmons displayed on the third level of the Main Library.

The November 2006 issue of Charleston Magazine features an article on the Philip Simmons Project.  The Philip Simmons Foundation received grants to document and begin preservation on Simmons' pieces, many of which are unmarked and unknown.  Some pieces have been stolen from properties, while other homes featuring his work are in disrepair and at risk from new development.  The article includes lovely pictures of Simmons and his artwork.

Hunt, Stephanie. Charleston Magazine. Nov 2006, vol. 20 iss. 12, p. 138-149.

Charleston Magazine also did a profile article on Simmons in their January/February issue of 2000.  The article discusses the artist's life, work and personality.  In addition to pictures of Simmons' work, some of his design sketches are included.

Hunt, Stephanie. Charleston Magazine. Jan/Feb 2000, vol. 14 iss. 1, p. 54-57.

The May 2005 issue of Martha Stewart Living includes an article on Charleston's ironwork in general, with specific focus on Simmons.  The discussion of the history of ornamental ironwork in general is quite interesting, and the photographs include Simmons' work among other iron artists'.

Kreamer, Anne. Martha Stewart Living. May 2005, iss. 138, p. 76-78.

Additionally, the library has several books and films on Simmons and his work.

Charleston Blacksmith: The Work of Philip Simmons

Catching the Fire: Philips Simmons, Blacksmith

Keeper of the Gate: The Life and Works of Philip Simmons    >> Read more

A lot of our area schools are getting credit for their hard work lately.  Dreher, AC Flora, Dutch Fork, Spring Valley, Irmo and Richland Northeast all appear on Newsweek's list of America's Top Public High Schools.  The list is a Newsweek Web Exclusive and can be found here.  You can also search schools by name, state or city from 2005 to the present.  (Go Blue Devils!  I admit it, I'm biased towards my alma mater.)

Newsweek has put a lot of great content online.  It's pretty easy to navigate, and it's totally free!  Check it out at newsweek.com, or come and take a look at the magazine at any branch or at the Main Library.    >> Read more

When I was little, I loved A Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was exciting to imagine a private space, designed by children that came to life through their own efforts.