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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
AND COULD WE ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
NOW WE'LL HAVE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
TRACY, WOULD YOU START? UM, TRACY ROBINSON, DISTRICT FOUR, ROSALIE.
ROSALIE IS ROSALIE RICHMOND, DISTRICT SEVEN.
BRENDA LATSON POWELL, DISTRICT ONE.
AND WE HAVE AMANDA, OUR DIRECTOR.
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO AUDRA.
SHE IS OUR NEW ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
MANY OF YOU REMEMBER MR. CHUCK ATKINSON SITTING IN THIS SEAT, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE LIBRARY BOARD.
AND LIKE AMANDA SAID, I'M THE ASSISTANT AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, AND THE LIBRARY IS COMING BACK HOME UNDER THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION.
WELL, WILL THAT, WILL THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, MA'AM?
AND WE HAVE AMANDA, WHO IS, WHO DOES THE COUNTY.
UM, WE HAVE CRAIG BEHIND THE SCREEN, CRAIG, MAKING SURE WE ALL ARE KEPT ONLINE TODAY.
AND I WILL, WE'LL, WE'LL PUT IT, IT'LL REFLECT IN THE MINUTES WHO, WHO HAS ATTENDED.
OH, AND WE HAVE MARIANNE, MARIANNE, CZAR SIERRA, WHO IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A TRUSTEE.
SO SHE IS FROM THE, UH, SOUTH END OF, UM, HILTON HEAD.
SO, UH, SHE'S, SHE IS VERY INTERESTED AND IS COMING TO ATTEND SOME OF THE MEETINGS SO SHE CAN KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MARYANNE.
UM, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NOTHING.
SOMEBODY'S COMING FOR, OH, SOMEBODY'S COMING FORWARD.
GONNA MAKE A COMMENT? NO, I BELIEVE.
I BELIEVE SHE WAS, UM, RETURNING THE, THE ROSTER.
UM, COULD I HAVE, UM, AN APPROVAL OF THE, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES THAT WERE OUT, THAT WERE MAILED OUT? SO MOVE BERNIE.
UH, UH, AMANDA, IS THERE ANY CORRESPONDENCE? NO, MA'AM.
UH, COULD WE HAVE THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S REPORT, PLEASE? WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT'S BEEN A WHOLE YEAR SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU
AND, UM, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME UPDATES ON ALL THINGS LIBRARY.
UM, ONE THING THAT I JUST FOUND OUT THAT WON'T MAKE IT ONTO THE SLIDES, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING HERE, IS THAT, UM, RECENTLY THIS LAST WEEK, THE ST.
HELENA LIBRARY HOSTED THE FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY, UM, TEAM.
AND I FOUND OUT THAT THEY, OVER THE COURSE OF, OF ALL OF LAST WEEK, INCLUDING SATURDAY, THEY ASSISTED 78 RESIDENTS WITH, UM, SIGNING UP FOR DISASTER RECOVERY FROM, UM, RECENT STORM EVENTS.
SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU HEAR ME SAY, LIBRARIES ARE MORE THAN BOOKS, LIBRARIES ARE MORE THAN BOOKS.
AND THAT REALLY BRINGS HOME TO ME THAT FOR LIFE, PART OF OUR, FOR LEARNING FOR LEISURE FOR LIFE.
SO, JUST KIND OF WANTED YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT HAPPENED, UM, AT THE ST.
HELENA LIBRARY THIS WEEK AS CUSTOMARY.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, OVER THE HOLIDAYS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, UM, WE'VE DONE HOLIDAY CHEER DAYS FOR STAFF.
SO WHAT THAT IS, IS A LITTLE BIT OF GOODWILL WITH STAFF, A LITTLE BIT OF FUN, CREATIVITY.
WE TAKE THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS OF, UM, THE YEAR AND LET PEOPLE DRESS UP IN UGLY SWEATERS ON A DAY, OR FAVORITE HOLIDAY CHARACTERS FROM BOOKS OF COURSE.
OR, UM, A RED AND WHITE DAY, LIKE THEIR CANDY CANES OR FAN DAYS WHERE THEY GET TO WEAR THEIR HARRY POTTER HUFFLEPUFF STUFF.
IF YOU'RE, IF YOU KNOW HUFFLEPUFF, I AM VERY IMPRESSED,
BUT WE, UM, WE FIND THAT THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF FUN AS WE WRAP UP THE YEAR, AND
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WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED HOW OUR VISITORS TO THE LIBRARY REALLY SEEM TO RESPOND, UM, BOTH BY LOOKING AT THE PICTURES ON FACEBOOK AND COMMENTING ON HOW CUTE WE LOOK, BUT ALSO WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN, IT KIND OF SEEMS TO, UH, CAPTIVATE ON THAT FESTIVE TIME OF YEAR.SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE CONTINUE OUR TRADITION OF HOLIDAY CHEER.
ALSO IN THIS VERY ROOM A MONTH AGO, IT WAS VERY LOUD AND IT HAD STEAM AND IT WAS FULL OF MODEL TRAINS.
AND WE CONTINUED OUR TRADITION OF HOSTING THE BEAUFORT RAILROADERS AND THEIR HOLIDAY TRAIN DISPLAY.
UH, TWO OF OUR BRANCHES HOSTED NOON YEAR'S EVE PROGRAMS. SO FOR THOSE PEOPLE, KIDS AND THEIR AND THEIR GROWNUPS, THAT CAN'T STAY UP TILL MIDNIGHT TO WATCH THE BALL DROP AT NOON.
THE OTHER 12 O'CLOCK
UM, AND SO OUR BLUFFTON AND ST.
HELENA LIBRARIES HOSTED NOON YEAR'S EVE PARTIES TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR.
I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BEST BOOKS OF 2024 ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE ALSO PUBLISHED THAT IN OUR DECEMBER JANUARY, UM, NEWSLETTER TO CARD HOLDERS ON OUR WEBSITE.
IF YOU CLICK BEST BOOKS OF 2024, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE LIST OF STAFF, UM, SUBMITTED BEST BOOKS OF 2024, AND ALSO ANOTHER LINK DIRECTING YOU TO OUR READERS.
SO THE READERS WHO USE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY, THEY ALSO SUBMITTED WHAT THEY THINK ARE THEIR BEST BOOKS OF 2024.
SO IF YOU'RE DOING A READING CHALLENGE THIS YEAR, THAT THAT LIST CAN GIVE YOU STARTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH PERHAPS SOME READING RECOMMENDATIONS.
I AM ALSO VERY PLEASED TO TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, AN INTERN, A PAID INTERN AT THE BLUFFTON BRANCH LIBRARY.
SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO BEAUFORT COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES FOR MAKING AVAILABLE PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE OUR FIRST INTERN.
WE'RE HOPING TO HOST MORE IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, THOSE INTERNS.
UM, THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ACROSS ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS IS AT 15 HOURS A WEEK FOR UP TO 15 WEEKS, UP TO $15 AN HOUR.
SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO GET 15 WEEKS OF EXPERIENCE IN WORKING IN LIBRARIES.
SO WE GET THE BENEFIT OF HAVING ADDITIONAL HANDS TO HELP US DO THINGS, AND THEY GET THE BENEFIT OF EXPERIENCE THAT MIGHT HELP THEM IN THEIR FUTURE CAREERS.
I MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING THAT ST.
HELENA WAS A FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER, AND THAT WE SERVED 78 PEOPLE LAST WEEK.
AND THEN ALSO LAST SATURDAY, WE ENDED THE YEAR, UH, ENDED THE WEEK RATHER WITH THE LAUNCH OF OUR LOCKERS AT BURTON WELLS RECREATION CENTER.
SO OUR STAFF AND MYSELF, UM, HUNG OUT IN THE LOBBY BECAUSE I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, LIBRARIANS IN COLD DON'T GET ALONG THAT WELL,
SO, UM, WE WERE IN THE LOBBY A WHILE.
BURTON WELLS WAS HOSTING A VERY WELL ATTENDED BASKETBALL CONFERENCE.
SO AS TEAMS WERE COMING AND GOING, WE WERE EXPLAINING ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND SHOWING OFF THE LOCKERS AND HOPING TO, TO MAKE THAT A SUCCESSFUL NEW PICKUP LOCATION.
NEXT I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PERSONNEL.
SO ON THE SCREEN AND IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE OUR LATEST ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
WE ARE 81, UM, EMPLOYEES COUNTING MYSELF.
UM, 82 IF YOU COUNT OUR TEMPORARY INTERN.
IN TURN, THE QUESTION ON MOST OF YOUR MINDS IS WHERE IS OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR? AND I'M PLEASED TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE REVIEWED 20 PLUS APPLICATIONS AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS FOR THOSE THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH FURTHER.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THREE OTHER VACANCIES.
UH, THE SENIOR LIBRARIAN, OR YOU MAY AFFECTIONATELY KNOW THAT AS THE BRANCH MANAGER OF LOKO, UM, THE FORMER BRANCH MANAGER, VERY BELOVED, WE WISH HER THE BEST.
SHE'S A NEW MOTHER AND NEEDED TO RELOCATE WITH HER SPOUSE, UM, AND HIS EMPLOYMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO LIBRARY ASSISTANT.
THOSE ARE ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS.
ONE OF THOSE IS OPEN HERE IN THE BEAUFORT LIBRARY AND ONE AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WHICH I MENTIONED, AND A NEW POSITION THAT WAS, UM, A PART OF MY BUDGET REQUEST FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
I FOUND OUT RIGHT AROUND CHRISTMAS THAT IT WAS APPROVED.
SO WE WILL SOON BE POSTING FOR A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT LIBRARIAN THAT IS A PROFESSIONAL POSITION, REQUIRES A MASTER'S DEGREE IN LIBRARY SCIENCE.
BUT WHAT THIS BOARD HAS LEARNED FROM OUR DIGITAL LIBRARIAN IS THAT HAVING SOMEONE WHO CAN ALSO, UM, ASSIST OUR SELECTORS IN SELECTING, UM, PRINT MATERIALS THAT WILL BE CIRCULATING.
WE HAVE SELECTORS AT EACH OF OUR LOCATIONS WHO ARE PICKING ITEMS THAT WILL LAND ON OUR SHELVES, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THOSE ACTIVITIES AND ALSO ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH ARE TO PROVIDE A BROAD AND DIVERSE COLLECTION.
SO, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT SOON ADDED TO OUR ORG CHART
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AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ORG CHART, I SI I CIRCLED OUR INTERNSHIP BECAUSE I'M JUST REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BEING ABLE TO PERHAPS INFLUENCE THAT NEXT GENERATION OF LIBRARIANS AS CUSTOMARY.I, UM, FRAME THE REST OF MY UPDATES IN TERMS OF OUR GOALS AS STATED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS A REFRESHER FOR ANY OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW THOSE OFF YOUR TONGUE LIKE I DO.
THOSE ARE, UM, USER EXPERIENCE, COMMUNICATION, COLLECTIONS AND SPACE OR FACILITIES.
SO YOU'LL SEE MY NEXT UPDATES FRAMED ALONG THOSE LINES.
I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THIS FIRST SWIM IN TERMS OF, UM, COMMUNICATION AND GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THERE.
ONE IS, UH, ENHANCE AND FOSTER EMPLOYEE INFORMATION SHARING.
WHEN I DID THE STATS ON THIS IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING, I WAS BLOWN AWAY.
OUR STAFF HAVE COMPLETED AT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR 1000 HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION.
LAST YEAR, IT WAS 480 HOURS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
WE'VE ALREADY DOUBLED
UM, PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING WEBINARS, SOME OF THEM ARE CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE, SOME OF THOSE ARE VIRTUAL, UM, CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE.
SO JUST REALLY PLEASED TO SEE OUR STAFF ENGAGED, WANTING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND ALSO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
SO I WANTED ALSO YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'VE MADE THAT INVESTMENT IN OUR STAFF.
DO WE PAY FOR ANY OF THAT EDUCATION? YES.
UM, WE DO HAVE A LINE ITEM IN OUR COUNTY'S BUDGET FOR TRAINING.
SO YOU CAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET UPDATE, YOU'LL SEE THAT PART.
UM, BUT THE MAJORITY OF, UM, TRAINING THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A WEALTH OF FREE OR LOW COST TRAINING PROVIDED TO US BY THE STATE LIBRARY AND OTHER ONLINE PLATFORMS. SO, UM, THE STATE LIBRARY'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT OFFERING, UM, IN-PERSON, UM, COLLABORATIVE RESOURCE SHARING TYPES OF TOPICAL PROGRAMMING, UH, FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND THOSE WERE EITHER OFFERED TO, UM, ALL LIBRARY STAFF IN THE STATE AT EITHER FREE OR LIKE $10.
SO IT REALLY, WE REALLY ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.
ANOTHER PORTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT, AND I'LL BRAG ON BEAUFORT COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES, AGAIN, THEY PAY FOR A PLATFORM WE CALL NEO GOV.
AND WITHIN THAT, THERE ARE, UM, SHORT TAKES OR ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 10 TO 15 OR 20, 30 MINUTES, BUT THEY'RE SHORT, UM, BITES OF INFORMATION ON ADDRESSING THINGS FROM ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THE, AND OUR STAFF HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS WELL.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US.
SECOND STRATEGY IS COLLECTIONS.
LIBRARIES ARE ABOUT THEIR COLLECTIONS.
THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT FROM US.
AND SO OUR TOP STRATEGY IS TO EVALUATE AND ANTICIPATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EXPANSION OF DIGITAL OFFERINGS.
THIS BOARD HAS TALKED A LOT ABOUT DIGITAL AND MAKING THAT AVAILABLE, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S BROAD AND DIVERSE AND THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT THAT LONG, AND THAT WE'RE IN ALL OF THE RIGHT PLACES.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UM, OUR PRIMARY DIGITAL CONTENT PROVIDER IS A PLATFORM THAT IS CALLED HOOPLA.
HOOPLA, UM, IS A WONDERFUL COMPANY FROM MY EXPERIENCE.
THEY PROVIDE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE ASK FOR IN TERMS OF USAGE AND ANALYTICS.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HOOPLA IS THAT THEY ARE CONSTANTLY ADDING MORE CONTENT WITHOUT TRYING TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THEY CAN MAKE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY RECENTLY ADDED IS CREATIVE BUG.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT A BINGE PASS IS, IT IS SEVEN DAYS OF UNLIMITED CONTENT ON THAT TOPIC.
SO CREATIVE BUG IS A BINGE PASS FOR ONE OF YOUR MONTHLY BORROWS.
YOU CAN ACCESS THOUSANDS OF CRAFTS VIDEOS, TUTORIALS, INSTRUCTIONS, UM, TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT FOR SEVEN DAYS, UNLIMITED, UNLIMITED VIEWING, BORROWING AND CRAFTING.
THE OTHER NEW ONE IS CALLED HOOPLA SEASON PASS.
SO IF YOU'VE USED TULO, JUST BY SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY HAVE USED TULO? HAVE YOU USED TULO FOR WATCHING A MOVIE OR A TV SHOW? NO.
IF YOU'VE USED IT TO WATCH A MOVIE OR A TV SHOW, ONE OF YOUR MONTHLY BORROWS IS ONE EPISODE OF A TV SERIES OR ONE MOVIE.
TO RECAP AND PUT CONTEXT IN THE CONVERSATION, WE'RE ALLOWED, OUR BUDGET ALLOWS THAT EACH CARDHOLDER CAN HAVE EIGHT BORROWS.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO WATCH EIGHT EPISODES OF A TELEVISION SERIES, THAT'S ALL OF YOUR MONTHLY ALLOTMENT.
SO HOOPLA, LISTEN TO LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANS AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO USE LIBRARIES AND CREATED THE SEASON PASS.
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IT'S A BINGE PASS.SO SEVEN DAYS UNLIMITED CONTENT.
THERE ARE 14 TELEVISION SHOWS RIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN HAVE FOR ONE BORROW ACCESS TO THE WHOLE SEASON.
SO IT'S MAXIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF ITEMS YOU COULD VIEW FOR JUST ONE OF YOUR MONTHLY BORROWS.
REALLY APPRECIATE THEM FOR CONSIDERING THAT, UM, AND HELPING US AS A LIBRARY STRETCH OUR MATERIALS BUDGET TO, TO PROVIDE MORE CONTENT WITHOUT MORE FUNDING.
ALSO, IN TERMS OF COLLECTION, ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE TO DO OVERALL IS HAVE A WIDE RANGE AND VARIETY OF ITEMS IN, UH, IN, IN CONTEMPORARY FORMATS.
ONE OF THE NEWEST TYPES OF BOOK ITEMS TO HIT THE, THE SHELVES, SO TO SPEAK, IS SOMETHING CALLED WONDER BOOKS.
UM, A COMPANY THAT MANY OF YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH IS PLAYAWAY.
THEY CREATED THE LITTLE MP THREE PLAYERS THAT YOU JUST ADD A BATTERY AND HEADPHONES TO, AND YOU HAVE AN AUDIOBOOK ON THE GO.
THEY SINCE EXPANDED INTO PUTTING THAT SAME MP THREE INTO THE COVER OF A BOOK.
THEY CREATED THAT AND THEY'VE NAMED IT WONDER BOOK.
SO I HAVE FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS NOW, WANTED TO DESPERATELY TO BE ABLE TO ADD WONDER BOOKS TO OUR COLLECTION.
I'VE HEARD FROM LIBRARIAN FRIENDS OF MINE WHO SAY THEY CAN'T KEEP THEM ON THE SHELF.
UM, AND SO THANKS TO A DONATION THROUGH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, 93 WONDER BOOKS ARE SOON TO BE ON THE SHELVES AT THE ST.
JUST SO THAT YOU CAN KIND OF GET A VISUAL OF THAT.
IF THIS WERE, UM, A PICTURE BOOK OR A CHAPTER BOOK WE JUST ORDERED, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, UM, UM, FLY GUY IS ANOTHER ONE.
SO JUST TO KINDA GET A VISUAL OF THAT, IF THIS WERE THE COVER IN THE INSIDE PORTION, THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BUTTON THAT SAYS PLAY.
IT ALSO HAS A HEADPHONE, UM, JACK THERE.
SO YOU COULD PLUG IN HEADPHONES OR AN ONBOARD SPEAKER.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT A CHILD OR, OR ANY READER WOULD PICK UP THAT BOOK AND HAVE A NARRATOR RIGHT THERE WITH THEM AS THEY'RE ALSO READING EACH PAGE.
WHEN I GREW UP, AND THIS IS GONNA DATE MYSELF, I HAD THE, UH, THE VINYL RECORD AND STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, RIGHT? AND SO, AND EVERY TIME I WOULD NEED TO TURN THE PAGE, THE RECORD WOULD GO LING, RIGHT? YOU GUYS KNOW YOU'VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? SO THIS IS KIND OF THAT FOR A NEW GENERATION.
YOU PRESS PLAY AND IT, IT READS THE STORY TO YOU AS THE, AS THE READER IS ACTUALLY FOLLOWING ALONG IN THE PRINTED WORD.
SO YOU GET AN AUDIO BOOK IN A PRINT BOOK IN ONE, UM, IN ONE LITTLE EASY TO HOLD, UM, ITEM.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
THE OTHER FEATURE THAT WONDER BOOKS HAVE IS A QUESTION AND ANSWER.
SO, YOU KNOW, KNOW NOT EVERY CHILD HAS, UH, GROWN UP OR A BROTHER OR SISTER WHO WILL SIT THERE AND SAY, WELL, HEY, WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THAT BOOK? WHAT DID YOU LIKE? WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER? WHAT COLOR WAS THAT? SHOE? SHOE OR SHIRT? IT HAS KIND OF GUIDED QUESTIONS IN THERE TOO.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A, A VALUE ADDED THAT YOU DON'T GET WHEN YOU JUST PICK UP THE REGULAR PRINT BOOK OFF THE SHELF.
AGAIN, 93 TITLES ABOUT TO HIT THE SHELVES OF ST.
SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE GETTING INTO WONDER BOOKS IN TERMS OF SPACE.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE, THIS IS THE AFTER PHOTO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
THIS IS THE AFTER PHOTO TALLY.
UM, OUR GUEST IS LAUGHING BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THE STORAGE ROOM VERY WELL AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL SPACES THROUGHOUT EACH OF OUR LOCATIONS THAT NEED A LITTLE DECLUTTERING.
I THINK THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE POLITICALLY CORRECT WAY TO SAY IT.
UM, THE STORAGE ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR HAS BEEN COLLECTING.
UM, IT'S THE ISLAND OF MISFIT FURNITURE AND CHRISTMAS TREES AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE HEART TO, TO GET RID OF OR REHOME.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN DECLUTTERING IT.
SO I WISH I HAD A BEFORE PICTURE, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO SEE THAT.
BUT THE, THIS IS THE AFTER, WHICH DOES, YOU CAN SEE THE FLOOR IN THIS CASE,
AND THAT IS A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT IS ONLY ONE QUARTER OF THIS ROOM.
I HAVE GRAND IDEAS TO BE ABLE TO REORGANIZE THE SPACE.
UM, THE PREVIOUS LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND I CONTINUE IN HIS STEAD HOLDING THE DREAM HELD HIGH THAT WE WOULD ONE DAY REFINISH THAT SPACE AND USE IT, UM, EITHER FOR COLLECTIONS OR STAFFING OR SOME OTHER MORE USEFUL PURPOSE THAN, UM, THE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS.
SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT TO YOU THAT WE HAVE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND ARE CLEANING THINGS OUT.
YOU, YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE LOCKER LAUNCH.
THIS IS TRACY COX AND THERESA FURBISH, TWO OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WHO BRAVED THE LOBBY COLD
TO, TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR LOCKERS
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USER EXPERIENCE IS THE, OUR FINAL GOAL OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.AND, AND WITH THAT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO USE THE LIBRARY OR MORE FUN TO USE THE LIBRARY.
AND MANY OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR SCAN, FAX, EMAIL TRANSLATION, UH, TERMINALS.
UH, THE PERSON CAN SCAN A DOCUMENT, ENHANCE A PHOTO ON IT, YOU CAN EMAIL IT, YOU CAN, UH, FAX IT ALL AT NO CHARGE, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
I REALIZED THEY COULD BE, THEY COULD PRINT AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, WITH THE HELP OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT AND OUR VENDOR, NOW ALL OF OUR, UM, TERMINALS CAN PRINT.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND THEY HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT THEY NEED TO FAX OR THEY HAVE SOMETHING ON A THUMB DRIVE.
WELL, INSTEAD OF THEM HAVING TO GET ONTO ONE OF OUR PUBLIC COMPUTERS AND THEN PRINT, THEY COULD JUST GO TO THAT MACHINE AND PRINT RIGHT AWAY.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S AN ADDED CONVENIENCE AND A FEATURE WE DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE NOW USING A FEATURE THAT WE ALREADY HAD.
NEXT, I WANNA ENTICE YOU TO ATTEND SOME UPCOMING PROGRAMS. VITA AND A A RP ARE, AGAIN, RETURNING TO OUR, OUR LIBRARIES STARTING IN FEBRUARY TO OFFER FREE TAX ASSISTANCE IN PREPARATION.
UH, A A RP TYPICALLY SERVES, UM, PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 55, BUT YOU CAN CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS ON DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS.
UM, VITA THIS YEAR IS ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, DOING APPOINTMENT BASED INSTEAD OF SITTING IN A LONG LINE AND HOPING THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO GET TO YOUR TAX, UM, THAT DAY.
SO FEEL FREE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION, AND PLEASE LET LET PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS SERVICE AVAILABLE.
WINTER READING STARTS TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, I, I DON'T KNOW, I'VE WORKED HERE 17 YEARS.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER TRIED WINTER READING BEFORE, BUT WE'RE TRYING WINTER READING.
WE, WE ARE KNOWN FOR CORNERING THE MARKET ON SUMMER READING.
SO WE THOUGHT WE'D GIVE WINTER A TRY.
AND THANKS TO SUPPORT FROM OUR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY GROUPS, SOME OF WHOM FROM BEAUFORT ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO READ BETWEEN TODAY, JANUARY 15TH AND FEBRUARY 15TH.
WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU READ SIX HOURS.
I KNOW SIX WHOLE HOURS IN 30 DAYS, YOU COULD TOTALLY READ MORE, BUT SIX HOURS IS THE MINIMUM THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO READ.
WE HAVE A READING LOG ON OUR WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND BRING BACK TO US.
WE ALSO HAVE PRINTED, UM, LOGS AT EACH OF OUR LOCATIONS.
AND YOU HAVE ONE IN YOUR PACKET AS A HOPEFUL PLEA FROM ME THAT YOU WILL PARTICIPATE AND READ SIX HOURS IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
IF YOU TURN IN A COMPLETED READING LOG, YOU'LL BE ENTERED INTO WIN A GIFT CARD, AND WE'LL BE GIVING AWAY A GIFT CARD TO A BOOKSTORE, A LOCAL BOOKSTORE, ONE GIFT CARD AT EACH LOCATION.
AND THAT IS COURTESY OF OUR FRIENDS GROUPS.
SO THANKFUL TO OUR FRIENDS FOR SUPPORTING THIS FUN AND EXCITING WINTER READING PROGRAM.
AND THEN A FEW THAT I'LL GO THROUGH REALLY QUICKLY.
BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT OUR AUDIENCE WOULD BE TODAY, BUT I THOUGHT THESE MIGHT BE OF INTEREST.
ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY THE 22ND AT TWO O'CLOCK AT THE ST.
HELENA LIBRARY, JI BAILEY, HE USED TO WORK AT, UM, OUR RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US AT THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR.
HE LEARNED ABOUT, UM, MS. BETTY GARDNER, UM, A WOMAN WHOSE STORY HE UNCOVERED WHILE HE WAS RESEARCHING IN OUR ARCHIVES UPSTAIRS.
AND SO HE'S GOING TO PRESENT WHAT HE FOUND AND ABOUT THIS LIFE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
UM, VENOMOUS SNAKES OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS COMING.
UM, WE HAVE A PRESENTER COMING, UM, SHEILA GREGORY IS HER NAME, AND SHE'LL BE VISITING THE PORT ROYAL LIBRARY, THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY, AND THE BEAUFORT LIBRARY WITH SNAKES.
AND I WILL BE CONVENIENTLY SOMEWHERE ELSE,
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FRIENDS GROUPS, UM, PAID THE INVOICE FOR THE PRESENTER, BUT I DON'T NEED TO TAKE THE PHOTOS.
SO, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS I WILL BE MEETING WITH AUDRA.
I THINK
BUT YES, UM, JOKES ASIDE, VENOMOUS SNAKES IS COMING AND I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A CROWD AND I LET THEM HAVE MY SEAT.
UM, WE ARE, ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BEING A PART OF COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, UM, NOW EVEN F FOSTERS FURTHER, IS OUR CONNECTION TO OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND I'M PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR
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IN, IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND RECYCLING EFFORTS OF THE COUNTY TO PRESENT THREE, UM, DIFFERENT TOPICS.STORM WATER 1 0 1, COMPOSTING 1 0 1, AND RECYCLING 1 0 1.
YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THREE OF THOSE TOPICS.
I WAS SURPRISED THAT YESTERDAY ON THE FIRST DAY WE HOSTED STORMWATER 1 0 1 AT BLUFFTON.
IT IS, UM, IF YOU WATCH COUNTY MEETINGS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN STORMWATER AND EDUCATION GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT GETTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT WHAT IT ALL IS AND WHAT IT ALL DOES AND HOW IT INFLUENCES AND IMPACTS OUR EVERYDAY LIFE.
SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND ONE OF THOSE.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, WANNA LET YOU KNOW ABOUT A CONNECTION WE MADE.
UM, AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT LIBRARIES AS BEING, UM, SUPPORT GROUP PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONNECT AND MEET OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR LIFE SITUATIONS.
UM, I MET A, A, A YOUNG WOMAN THROUGH LEADERSHIP BEAUFORT CLASS, UM, WHO SUPPORTS POSTPARTUM, UM, PEOPLE DEALING WITH THAT EITHER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD OR EVEN LATER.
UM, AND WE MADE THAT CONNECTION.
HELENA, AND SHE'S NOW RUNNING A POSTPARTUM SUPPORT GROUP AT THE ST.
AND THAT GROUP MEETS ON THE FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
AND SO, JUST WANTED TO GET THE, THE MESSAGE OUT THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER DEALING WITH POSTPARTUM ISSUES OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE, THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THEM TO GET CONNECTED AND FIND COMMUNITY AND THAT DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
THERE'S A LOT, I, I'M GLAD YOU POINT OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS GOING ON BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A TENDENCY TO THINK OF LIBRARIES ARE JUST BOOKS.
AND I THINK IF, SINCE THIS IS TAPED, UH, AND IT GOES OUT ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE, IT'S GOOD THAT OTHER PEOPLE, I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WATCH THIS, SO IT'S GOOD FOR THEM TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE, IN THE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, WOULD YOU, JOE IS IN HERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE THE FINANCE REPORT? I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT SAY THAT.
THAT'S WHY I STAYED STANDING RIGHT HERE.
BE HAPPY TO, UM, IN YOUR PACKET AND ON THE SCREEN, WE'LL FIRST REVIEW OUR SPECIAL FUNDS.
AS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE NEW TO SEEING, SEEING THIS DOCUMENT, THE LIBRARY DOES GET, UM, SPECIAL FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY.
WE GET, UM, STATE AID FROM OUR STATE, UM, THAT COMES IN FOUR QUARTERLY INSTALLMENTS.
AS OF THIS REPORTING, WE HAVE RECEIVED TWO OF THE FOUR.
UM, SO THAT MEANS WE'VE RECEIVED $234,364 FROM THE STATE OF THAT MONEY WE'VE RECEIVED, WE HAVE SPENT $118,821.
AND ALL OF THAT GOES TOWARDS PUTTING MATERIALS ON EITHER OUR DIGITAL SHELF IN HOOPLA OR, UM, ON THE PHYSICAL SHELVES THAT YOU SEE IN THE LIBRARY.
STATE AID IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, CHOOSES TO, UM, PUT STATE AID IN EFFORTS TO PUT MATERIALS IN THE HANDS OF READERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
WE ALSO HAVE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, AND THOSE ARE COLLECTED IN THE NORTH DISTRICT AND THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT.
WE, UM, NOW HAVE A BALANCE IN THE NORTHERN SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF, UM, TOGETHER ALMOST $1 MILLION.
WE DO STILL CARRY A FEW BALANCES IN THE OLD IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS.
LAST YEAR, COUNTY COUNCIL CHOSE TO, UM, GO TO A CONSOLIDATION OF IMPACT FEE NORTH AND SOUTH.
PRIOR THEY HAD THEM PER BIGGER DISTRICT AREA, AND SO WE'RE STILL REPORTING ON THAT.
WE DID HAVE ONE EXPENDITURE THAT CAME THROUGH, AND THAT WAS FOR THE PORT ROYAL LIBRARY.
JOE MENTIONED IT IN YOUR MEETING LAST TIME AS AN INVOICE THAT WAS OUTSTANDING, WE'D NOW RECEIVED IT AND PAID IT.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE IT REFLECTED IN YOUR REPORT TODAY.
BETWEEN IMPACT, THE NEW IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS AND THE OLD IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS, WE HAVE 4.7 ROUGHLY MILLION DOLLARS IN IMPACT FEES.
THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO OUR SPECIAL TRUSTS, AND WE HAVE AN ENDOWMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE BDC MATERIALS, WHICH IS THE BEAUFORT DISTRICT COLLECTION, SO OUR LOCAL ARCHIVES.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LINE ITEM FOR DONATIONS.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING TOWARDS THE LIBRARY, THEY CAN DO SO THROUGH OUR FRIENDS OR FOUNDATION OR DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY.
IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET UPDATE.
UM, MS. COOPER, THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF
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DO WE HAVE MONEY FOR TRAINING OR THIS IS, UM, OUR EXPENDITURES.AS OF THE COUNTY FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE AS A DEPARTMENT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY GOVERNMENT AT 50% THROUGH THE YEAR, WE ARE ABOUT 46, 40 7% SPENT.
UM, SOME OF THAT IS PRIMARILY WITH VACANCIES IN PERSONNEL THAT WE'RE CARRYING, SUCH AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND THE SENIOR LIBRARIAN OF KO.
THE OTHER LINE ITEMS, UM, WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING AND WE HAVE A PLAN TO EXPEND IT ALL.
SO JUST THE WAY THAT INVOICES COME, THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE LIBRARY CARDS OR ORDER MORE LIBRARY CARDS, ORDER MORE CASES AND PARTS AND THINGS TO KEEP US RUNNING.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT EITHER THE SPECIAL FUNDS OR BUDGET UPDATE? I'LL GO TO MATERIALS NEXT.
AT THIS POINT THROUGH THE YEAR, YOU SEE, UM, ALL OF THE SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT WE GET AND HOW WE DEDICATE THOSE TOWARDS MATERIALS.
I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT FROM PEOPLE WHO WANNA KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY DOES A LIBRARY NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE READING, KEEP BOOKS ON THE SHELF AND KEEP HOOPLA ACTIVE.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT THROUGH THE YEAR.
WE'VE SPENT ALMOST 300,000, UM, WITH 7,000 OF THAT COMING FROM OUR FRIENDS GROUPS.
UM, WE ARE COMING INTO THE, THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND AT THAT POINT WE GET A LOT OF RENEWALS, A LOT OF RENEWALS OF LEASE PLANS, WHICH ARE THE HOT AND POPULAR THAT WE GET MULTIPLE COPIES OF TO REDUCE WAIT TIMES.
THOSE WILL BE SOME BIG, UM, INVOICES THAT COME IN THAT GET US CLOSER TO ALMOST $1 MILLION SPENT ON MATERIALS.
SO THAT'S BEEN JOE'S TARGET FOR ME, AND WE'RE RIGHT UNDER 1 MILLION, UH, THAT WE EXPECT TO SPEND THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE SOME GROUND TO COVER, BUT INVOICES ARE OUT AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY BUYING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR FINANCES? THANK YOU, AMANDA.
I, I, UM, I JUST THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE FUNDING FOR THE, UM, FOR THE COLLECTIONS.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW OUR POPULATION OF LIBRARY CARD OWN, UH, UH, LIBRARY CARD PEOPLE HAVE INCREASED AND THAT WE, WE, OUR HOOPLA HAS INCREASED.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GETTING BIGGER AND AND BIGGER, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN KEEP UP WITH IT WITH THE FINANCES
BUT I WANNA SAY TOO THAT THE FRIENDS GROUPS ARE INVALUABLE FOR ALL OF THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO KIND OF FILL IN THE BLANKS.
SOMETIMES WE NEED SHORT TERM FUNDS FOR SOMETHING AND THEY'RE A AVAIL.
THEY'RE, THEY HAVE FUNDS THAT THEY CAN HELP US WITH SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
UM, COMMITTEE REPORTS, UH, TRACY POLICY AND PROCEDURES, DID YOU, WAS THERE ANY WORK? NO, THERE'S NOT.
UH, JANET, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
I JUST WANNA COMMEND, UM, AMANDA FOR CONTINUING TO REPORT TO US ON THE FOUR STRATEGIC GOALS WE HAVE.
'CAUSE I THINK IT KEEPS US IN TOUCH WITH WHAT WE SAID WERE OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
I THINK THERE WAS NOTHING FOR REQUEST, UH, REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING.
DO WE HAVE ANY REPORT, BERNIE? NO.
UM, LIAISONS, UH, NORTHERN BUFORT COUNTY.
BRENDA, DO, WERE YOU ABLE TO GO TO ANY OF THE MEETINGS? I WAS NOT, BUT I'LL DEFER TO AMANDA.
AMANDA, WAS THERE ANYTHING TO REPORT FROM THE, UH, BUFORT MEETING? UM, ALWAYS
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO REPORT.
THE ONLY REASON WHY I HESITATED IS THAT WE DO HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS HERE.
UM, CARTER, I AM PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? AND IF SO, COME CLOSE TO A MICROPHONE.
CARTER HOYT AND I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRANCE.
AND WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, EXPENDITURES AND HOW WE TRY TO HELP, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH AMANDA ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED? WHAT DO WE NEED? WHERE CAN WE PLUG IN? HOW CAN WE HELP? UH, WE HAVE FORMED A, UH, NEW PROJECTS, UH, GROUP THAT IS GONNA BE MEETING SHORTLY.
AND AT THOSE MEETINGS WE TALK ABOUT, UM, WHAT DO WE WANNA DO BEYOND OUR BUDGETING FOR OUR NORMAL BUDGETING FOR THE LIBRARIES? THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE TWO STORY WALKS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
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AND THE BIKE RACK FOR THE NEWPORT ROYAL LIBRARY THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS.UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE MEETING WITH A WOMAN WHO'S BEEN RECOMMENDED TO US, UM, WHO HAS EXPERIENCE AS A GRANT WRITER.
AND WE'VE DONE A FEW GRANTS, BUT NONE OF US IS REALLY A GREAT GRANT WRITER.
THIS WOMAN HAS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, SHE HAS AN INTEREST IN HELPING US.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, WILL HAVE SOMEBODY IN PLACE WHO WILL KNOW WHERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT 'EM, HAVE A CALENDAR OF WHEN THEY NEED TO BE DUE, AND BE ABLE TO, TO HELP US WITH THAT.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH OUR FORMER TREASURER AND, AND OUR NEW TREASURER.
UH, OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD AT FUNDRAISING.
AND, UH, BACK IN, BEFORE MY TIME, BACK IN 2008, UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN COUNTY FUNDING KIND OF WENT DOWN, THE FRIENDS WERE ABLE TO KICK IN AND MAKE SOME THINGS AVAILABLE THAT HAD NOT BEEN AVAILABLE OR WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE AVAILABLE.
SO WE ALWAYS HAVE IT IN MIND THAT WE WANNA KEEP A LEVEL OF FUNDING SO THAT IF GOD FORBID, THAT HAPPENS AGAIN, WE'RE IN A POSITION TO DO THAT.
SO I'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR FORMER TREASURER AND NOW OUR CURRENT TREASURER ABOUT, AS AN ORGANIZATION, HOW MUCH DO WE NEED TO KEEP IN RESERVES FOR RAINY DAY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND BASED ON THAT FIGURE, HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE LEFT THAT WE CAN HAVE FUN WITH, THAT WE CAN SPEND FOR THE COMMUNITY? UM, AND WE'RE VERY AWARE OF AND COGNIZANT OF THAT.
OUR MISSION IS READING AND LITERACY.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA GO OUT AND SPEND MONEY, UH, FOR SOMETHING THAT'S BEYOND THAT DIRECTIVE, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE MAKE WHAT AMANDA AND HER WONDERFUL TEAM DOES BETTER AND PROVIDE MORE OFFERINGS TO OUR BROADER AUDIENCE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S HELPFUL IN KNOWING HOW WE'RE PLUGGING IN WITH HER.
CAN I ASK YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON YOUR BOARD? UH, WHAT DO WE HAVE? 11, 12, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT HELPS TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE THAT DO IT.
I ALSO INVITE YOU, WE DON'T HAVE A DATE FOR IT YET, BUT IN JUNE WE WILL HAVE OUR NEXT, UM, ANNUAL MEETING.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHEN WE BRING IN NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
I WILL BE ROTATING OFF AFTER SEVEN YEARS ON THE BOARD.
UM, FOR THOSE AS PRESIDENT, I WILL STILL REMAIN A LOYAL, UM, SUPPORTER OF THE LIBRARIES AND PLUG IN WHERE I NEED TO, BUT, UM, IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO COME.
AND, UH, WE JUST GOT SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO BE COMING ON THE BOARD TO HELP US WITH MARKETING AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND THE WAY WE RECRUITED HER WAS WE TALKED TO HER, SHE HAD EXPRESSED SOME INTEREST, AND, UH, WE THEN INVITED HER TO COME TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS AND SEE WHAT WE'RE REALLY ABOUT AND WHO WE ARE.
AND AT THE END OF THE MEETING, SHE SAID, I WANNA DO THIS.
WE WORK HARD, WE LOVE WHAT WE DO, WE BELIEVE IN WHAT WE DO.
COME IN JUNE IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY TO EVERYBODY WHO'S WATCHING AND LISTENING THAT, UM, I JUST ATTENDED A PRESENTATION ON THE A CLU AND SOMEONE WAS ASKING ABOUT, AS CITIZENS, WHAT CAN YOU DO, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, PROMOTE FREE SPEECH, ET CETERA.
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING HE SAID WAS SUPPORT OUR LIBRARY.
AND AFTERWARDS, PEOPLE SAID TO ME, WELL, WHAT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
YOU KNOW, HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE LIBRARIES? AND WE LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO JOIN OUR FRIENDS IN THE LIBRARY GROUPS, AND, UH, WE ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU WHO ARE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WATCHING THIS SHOW,
YOU CAN GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WEBSITE AND JOIN AND GET ACTIVE AND MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS.
ALL EVERYBODY AND FRIENDS OF OUR FRIENDS GROUPS ARE VOLUNTEERS, AND THEY'RE ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT READING.
I'LL ALSO, SINCE, SINCE YOU STUPIDLY GAVE ME THE MIC, UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS IN OUR MEETINGS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN, AT THE STATE CAPITOL.
UM, AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT IS BEING PROPOSED THAT WE BELIEVE IS UNNECESSARY BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD SYSTEM.
WE UNDERSTAND FROM AMANDA THAT THERE WERE ZERO CHALLENGES IN 2024, AND THEY HAVE A VERY WELL OUTLINED PROCESS FOR CHALLENGING BOOKS.
SO WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED IT.
IT DOES SEEM AN UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON HER STAFF AND STAFFS OF THE LIBRARIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT OF COURSE, WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT HERS.
UM, AND THE LANGUAGE IN THIS BILL IS JUST INCREDIBLY VAGUE.
AND THEY, THEY, EVEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE HAS REFUSED TO DEFINE WHAT THAT LANGUAGE MEANS.
[00:40:01]
SO THIS IS REALLY VERY WORRISOME FOR US AS WE TRY TO SUPPORT AMANDA AND HER TEAM.I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S WOR IT'S WORRISOME FOR OUR BOARD TOO, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE VERY CORE OF OUR LIBRARIES IS TRAINED PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY STAFF WHO, UM, ARE EXPERTS IN SELECTING BOOK APPROPRIATE BOOKS AND SHELVING THEM AND, UM, AND WE SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS.
AND, UM, THE LEGISLATION'S BEING PROPOSED REALLY UN UNDERMINES THAT KIND OF LACK OF RESPECT FOR PROFESSIONALS WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO WE, WE ARE EQUALLY CONCERNED.
UM, MS. MILLER, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF I ALSO, AND, AND ALSO IN, IN ALSO PRESIDENT
ANNETTE, WOULD YOU MIND? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M CO-CHAIR BOOK SANDWICHED IN THIS YEAR.
IT'S OUR 38TH SEASON OF BOOK SANDWICHED IN.
AND IF I MIGHT, UM, PASS THESE AROUND, YOU'RE WELCOME TO YOU ANNUAL THANK YOU.
WE START MONDAY, THE 27TH, USCB AT NOON.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT SPEAKERS THIS YEAR.
WE'RE TRYING A FEW NEW FORMATS, AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND THE BOOKS INSPIRING, INTRIGUING.
PLEASE, UM, HAVE, I HOPE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO ATTEND, BRING A FRIEND, TELL A FRIEND.
AND, UH, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO KICKING OFF THIS 38TH SEASON OF BOOK SANDWICH.
UM, I HAVE NOT, ARE YOU, ARE YOU, YOU'RE NOT DOING IT ONLINE? IT'S IT'S NOT ONLINE.
IT'S IN PERSON USB AT NOON ON MONDAYS.
IT WAS SO NICE WHEN WE, WE WERE ONLINE.
UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, REPLAYS ON.
WELL, AND YOU CAN GET TO THE WEBSITE FROM THE LIBRARY WEBSITE.
UM, WHERE ARE WE, UH, ROSALIE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FROM THE BLUFFTON BRANDS? NO, EXCEPT THEY SEEM TO BE, UM, WORKING VERY HARD TO ACCUMULATE TO, TO ACCUMULATE MONEY BASICALLY TO RAISE FUNDS.
AND, AND THAT IS REALLY THEIR VERY STRONG FOCUS.
AS I SAY, THE FRIENDS GROUPS HELP SO MUCH ON THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE, THAT, THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE, TO EACH LIBRARY.
SO, UM, I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT.
UM, HILTON HAD FRIENDS MEET NEXT WEEK AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION MEETS IN FEBRUARY.
SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
BRENDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE FORWARD?
UM, THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, UM, INITIALLY TRACY, UM, WAS HEADING THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE AND, UM, WE DO GIVE CONDOLENCES TO THANK YOU HER PASSING OF HER FATHER.
SHE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THAT.
UH, THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE CONSISTED OF BERNIE COLE AND ROSALIE RICHMOND.
AND, UH, THE OFFICERS THAT WE'RE SELECTING AT THIS POINT WILL BE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEAR TERM.
THE BYLAWS PROVIDE THAT THE PRESIDENT BE ELECTED BY SECRET BALLOT DURING THE MEETING TO ENSURE YOUR CONFIDENTIAL VOTE, EACH OF YOU HAS SOME, SOME LITTLE WHITE SLIVERS OF PAPER THAT WE WILL SELECT THE CHAIRPERSON CHAIR.
HOWEVER, THE SLATE OF OFFICERS, UH, WE DID CHECK WITH THOSE WHO ARE SERVING NOW AND THEY WERE WILLING TO CONTINUE.
SO THE SLATE THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY IS AS VICE CHAIR JANET PORTER AND THE FINANCE CHAIR JOE BOGAS.
AND, UM, WE WOULD FIRST ASK, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR FOR THOSE POSITIONS? OKAY.
THEN AGREEING WITH THAT SLATE OF OFFICERS, UM, WE WOULD CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE ENTIRE SLATE, NOT THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE CHAIR, THIS IS FOR THE VICE CHAIR JANET PORTER, AND FOR THE, UM, FINANCE CHAIR, WHICH WOULD BE JOE BOGAS.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.
OPPOSED? AND SO,
JANET AND, UH, JOE HAVE BOTH BEEN, YEAH, I GOT ONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, JANET AND JOE, UH, WILL I HAVE BEEN REELECTED TO THOSE POSITIONS? UM, SO, AND NOW FOR A CHAIRPERSON, WE ASK THAT YOU USE YOUR BALLOT
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INDICATING THE PERSON THAT YOU SELECT FOR A CHAIRPERSON, AND WE WILL PASS THOSE TO AMANDA.YOU HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTE GOES TO LYNN MILLER AS CHAIR.
JUST WANNA SAY IT'S GREAT WORKING.
THANK YOU FOR NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
IT, IT'S GREAT WORKING WITH, UH, AMANDA AND WITH THIS BOARD.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS? ANY NEW BUSINESS? OH YES.
NEW BUSINESS WE HAVE, UM, WHEN WE DID THE HOLIDAYS AND VOTED ON THE HOLIDAYS LAST TIME, WE NEGLECTED TO PUT JUNETEENTH IN AS A NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY, JUNE 19TH.
SO WE ARE GOING TO ADD THAT TO THE HOLIDAYS.
SO AT, AT YOUR LAST MEETING, THE COUNTY HAD NOT, UM, RELEASED ALL OF THEIR APPROVED HOLIDAYS.
AND AS A RESULT OF A COUNTY JO CHOICE, JUNETEENTH HAS BEEN ADDED TO OBSERVED HOLIDAYS FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SO THIS IS ASKING YOU TO MAKE THAT OFFICIAL AS WELL.
SO, UM, MAY I HAVE A, A MOTION TO APPROVE TO ADD JUNETEENTH JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY TO OUR HOLIDAY CLOSURES? SECOND.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? I HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ARE, I THINK WE NEED TAKE A VOTE THEN.
I JUST KIND OF GO RIGHT THROUGH THAT TONIGHT.
UM, THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH THE 12TH AT FOUR O'CLOCK AT THE BLUFFTON BRANCH.
SO, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? BERNIE SECOND.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE LARGEST SHIPS IN THE WORLD COULD SAIL INTO PORT ROYAL SUN, AND THAT'S WHAT JOHN BOAT, THE FRENCH EXPLORER SAID, SHOULD ALL THE SHIPS OF FRANCE, MAY ALL THE SHIPS OF THE WORLD COULD SAFELY RIDE IN ITS MOUTHS.
IT'S VERY DEEP AND VERY UNUSUAL.
AND IF YOU'RE A SAILOR AND YOU GO UP AND DOWN THE COAST ON THE INLAND PASSAGE, YOU COME INTO PORT ROYAL SOUND, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT.
IT'S 60 FEET DEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF PORT ROYAL SOUND, 30 FEET DEEP OVER THE BAR.
AND THE INTERESTING THING TO ME IS THAT THE SHAPE OF THE ENTRANCE HAS NOT CHANGED.
FOR 500 YEARS, MILLIONS OF SHELLS LEFT BY NATIVE INHABITANTS OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS ATTEST TO THE BOUNTY OF ITS WATERS.
CLOVIS POINTS, WHICH ARE MORE THAN 10,000 YEARS OLD, HAVE BEEN UNEARTHED ON ITS SHORES.
INEVITABLY, THE NATURAL RICHES OF THE SEA ISLANDS SURROUNDING PORT ROYAL SOUND ATTRACTED THE GREAT EMPIRES OF THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES.
FIRST, SPAIN ARRIVED IN 1521, THEN FRANCE CAME ASHORE IN 1562.
FINALLY, THE BRITISH CLAIMED THEM AS CAROLINA.
IN 1663, THE LAND OF CHARLES, AFTER BARELY SURVIVING A DEADLY CLASH WITH
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THE NATIVE AMERICANS, THE SETTLERS DEMANDED PROTECTION FROM THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.THEIR LOG FORD AND BEAUFORT TOWN HAD BEEN BURNED.
AND IT WAS IN THAT EARLY PERIOD, IN THIS EARLY 1720S THAT THE PEOPLE OF BUFORT SAID, WE NEED A FORT TO PROTECT US.
SO THEY BUILT THIS TO PROTECT THE INLAND PASSAGE BEFORE IT GOT TO BEAUFORT, WHICH IS THE REASON FOR THE LOCATION OF WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME FORT FREDERICK OR FORT PRINCE FREDERICK.
THE NEW FORT BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE IN 1726 AFTER THE FAMOUS SETTLER COLONEL JOHN BARNWELL, BETTER KNOWN AS TUS AURORA.
JACK RETURNED FROM ENGLAND WITH THE INDEPENDENT COMPANY AFOOT A REGIMENT OF BRITISH REGULARS.
FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, FORT PRINCE FREDERICK, A SMALL STRUCTURE MEASURING JUST 125 FEET BY 75 FEET EXISTED AS A TYPICAL FRONTIER STYLE LOG AND EARTH.
AND FORT ARTILLERY STOOD AT THE READY TO SLOW ANY APPROACH BY THE SPANISH FLEET.
AS SOON AS THE FIRST WARNINGS FROM THE WATCH CANNONS AT THE MOUTH OF THE SOUND WERE FIRED, THE MILITIA WOULD BE DISPATCHED.
THE SETTLERS OF THE ISLANDS ENVISION SOMETHING ST STURDIER, A STRUCTURE THAT COULD OFFER THEM REAL PROTECTION IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
THE PEOPLE KEPT PETITIONING THE COMMONS HOUSE ASSEMBLY OF THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT FOR MORE MONEY TO FINISH THE FORT AND BILL IT MORE STOUTLY.
IN 1773, THE FRENCH HUGIN KNOT, SETTLER AND CONTRACTOR, JOHN D LEBERT, WAS HIRED TO DEVISE A MORE SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE.
AND HE SAID, I'LL BUILD A FORT OF OYSTER SHELL IN LINE, WHICH IS WHAT WE SEE THERE TODAY.
AND AS IT WAS DESCRIBED IN 1733, IT WAS FIVE FEET THICK AND FIVE FEET HIGH.
THE FORT WAS NAMED FOR THE ELDEST SON OF KING GEORGE II OF ENGLAND.
SO FORT PRINCE FREDERICK, WHICH IS HIS FORMAL NAME, WAS BUILT IN 1726, COMPLETED IN 1733, PROBABLY ABANDONED BY 1740.
AND FOR THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, 1726 TO 1733, IT WAS THE SOUTHERN FRONTIER OF ENGLISH NORTH AMERICA.
AND ALTHOUGH THE BRITISH OCCUPIED PORT ROYAL FOR A TIME DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE GREATEST BATTLE WAGED BY FORT PRINCE FREDERICK OVER THE NEXT CENTURY AND A HALF WAS ONE WITH THE WEEDS AND THE WEATHER.
A PLANTER BY THE NAME OF JOHN JOYNER SMITH CAME INTO POSSESSION OF THE LAND EARLY IN THE 18 HUNDREDS, TURNING THE EXPANSE ABOVE THE OLD FORD INTO FIELDS OF COTTON TENDED BY THE ENSLAVED.
BUT ALL THAT CHANGED IN NOVEMBER OF 1861, WHEN UNION FORCES OVERCAME THE CONFEDERATE TERRITORY.
WHEN THE PORT ROYAL BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL SOUND HAPPENED IN THE FALL OF 1861, AND THE PLANTERS FROM THE BEAUFORT REGION, SKEDADDLED, AS THEY CALL IT, UM, THEY LEFT BEHIND BETWEEN EIGHT AND 10,000 SLAVES.
IT'S THE PEOPLE WERE SO JUBILANT, UH, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HEARD THE CANNONS GO OFF, BECAUSE THERE WERE ABOUT 55 SHIPS COMING INTO THAT AREA THAT THEY CALL IT BIG GUN SHOOT DAY
AND WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HEARD THE BIG GUN SHOOT, THEY, THEY SAID, FREEDOM IS THERE.
THE YANKEES ARE HERE, SO WE ARE FREE.
BUT THAT AREA ON THOSE BLUFFS ABOVE FORT FREDERICK IS, UH, WHERE THERE'LL BE CAMPS AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE WAR, AND THERE'LL BE EVERYTHING FROM ARTILLERY TO INFANTRY.
ENC CAMPED BOTH WHITE AND BLACK TROOPS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
THEY WILL BUILD A PIER OVER TOP OF THE WALLS OF FORT FREDERICK OUT INTO THE BEAUFORT RIVER OVER THE TOP OF OLD FORT FREDERICK STEP.
THE FIRST BLACK REGIMENT MUSTERED IN AS THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
IT'S GONNA BE IN THE SUMMER OF 1862.
EVERYTHING SORT OF BEGINS TO CHANGE AND PERMISSION IS GIVEN TO BEGIN RAISING BLACK REGIMENTS.
AT THAT TIME, PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN SENT A MILITARY GOVERNOR TO PORT ROYAL GENERAL RUFUS SAXTON IS GIVEN PERMISSION TO BEGIN RAISING UPWARDS OF 5,000 BLACK TROOPS.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DOES IS HE ORDERS THEM TO ASSEMBLE AT THE SMITH PLANTATION.
AND THAT WILL BECOME THEIR CAMP.
AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL BE NAMED CAMP SAXTON IN HIS HONOR.
DOZENS OF MISSIONARIES, TEACHERS AND PHYSICIANS FROM THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE US ARRIVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO BEGIN A PROJECT THAT WILL COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE PORT ROYAL EXPERIMENT.
THEY ARE JOINED BY THE FAMED HARRIET TUBMAN, WHO BROUGHT MANY PEOPLE TO FREEDOM WITH THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
SHE NURSED THE CIVIL WAR INJURED
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WHILE SHE SHOWED THE NEWLY FREED PEOPLE HOW TO WILLINGLY WORK IN A WAGE BASED SYSTEM, RATHER THAN BEING FORCED TO LABOR UNDER THE THREAT OF THE LASH.MISS LAURA TOWN ESTABLISHED THE PENN SCHOOL ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, JUST A FERRY RIDE ACROSS THE SOUND FROM FORT FREDERICK, AN INSTITUTION THAT IS STILL IN OPERATION TODAY.
LINCOLN WATCHED THE EXPERIMENT WITH GREAT INTEREST, AND DURING THE SUMMER OF 1862, ANNOUNCED THE PRELIMINARY EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
IMMEDIATELY PLANS WERE MADE FOR AN ELABORATE CELEBRATION AT CAMP SAXTON FOR JANUARY 1ST, 1863.
THE DAY THE PROCLAMATION WAS TO BE SIGNED.
AND IT, IT WAS VERY ELABORATE.
UH, THEY ROASTING 10 OXEN AND, UH, PREPARING TABLES FOR FOUR OR 5,000 PEOPLE TO COME DOWN TO IT.
OF COURSE, WHEN IT WAS READ AND AFTER IT WAS READ, SOMEONE SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OUT WITH THE SOUND.
MY COUNTRY TIS D AND JUBILATION TOOK PLACE.
BUT THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS A HIGH POINT IN THEIR LIVES.
AT THAT TIME WHEN THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS READ, THEY USED THAT FORT AS THE BASE FOR THEIR DOCK, YOU KNOW, AND THE DOCK WAS BUILT OVER THE TOP OF THE FORT AND BOATS CAME IN.
AND, BUT THERE IT WAS, I MEAN, IN GROUND, AT GROUND ZERO OF THAT EVENT.
AND, UH, THAT EVENT IS AS SIGNIFICANT EVENT HAS EVER OCCURRED IN 500 YEARS OF THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY, CERTAINLY.
AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.
A DEVASTATING HURRICANE SHOOK THE SEA ISLANDS IN 1893, CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGE.
YET THE ST STURDINESS OF THE FIVE FOOT TALL AND FIVE FOOT WIDE WALLS SAVED THE FORT FROM ANNIHILATION.
TODAY, IT STILL STANDS AS THE OLDEST TABBY STRUCTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE WINTER OF 2015.
ARCHEOLOGISTS WORK TO EXCAVATE THE REMAINS OF FORT FREDERICK IN PREPARATION FOR THE DAY WHEN IT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC BY LAND.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, OLD FORT FREDERICK IS ALSO BEING GIVEN A NEW LAYER OF TABBY IN PREPARATION FOR ITS FUTURE.
AS THE ONE REMAINING AMBASSADOR TO WITNESS A PIVOTAL HISTORICAL EVENT, THE FORT'S MOST IMPORTANT JOB, AS IT TURNED OUT, WAS TO SERVE AS THE ACTUAL BRIDGE FROM THE WATERS OF PORT ROYAL SOUND, SUPPORTING PEOPLE AS THEY STEPPED TOWARD THEIR CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE AVERAGE TAX TAKES YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR NEARLY FIVE SECONDS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
THAT'S ENOUGH TIME TO TRAVEL THE LENGTH OF A FOOTBALL FIELD.
STOP THE TEXTS, STOP THE WRECKS.