The Lexington County Public Library is the public library system of

Lexington County Lexington County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 293,991, and the 2021 population estimate was 300,137. Its county seat and largest town is Lexington. The county was chartered ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. It has 10 branches, including its Main Library, built in 1998. The library has branches in

Batesburg-Leesville Batesburg-Leesville is a town located in Lexington and Saluda counties, South Carolina, United States. The town's population was 5,362 as of the 2010 census and an estimated 5,415 in 2019. History The town of Batesburg-Leesville was formed in ...

, West Columbia, Chapin,

Gaston Gaston is a masculine given name of French origin and a surname. The name "Gaston" may refer to: People First name *Gaston I, Count of Foix (1287–1315) *Gaston II, Count of Foix (1308–1343) *Gaston III, Count of Foix (1331–1391) *Gaston ...

Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

, Irmo, Lexington,

Pelion Pelion or Pelium (Modern el, Πήλιο, ''Pílio''; Ancient Greek/Katharevousa: Πήλιον, ''Pēlion'') is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in northern Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the ...

South Congaree South Congaree is a town in Lexington County, South Carolina, Lexington County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,306 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area, Metro ...

, and

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

. The library also has mobile library services, including a browsing mobile library bus with scheduled routes throughout Lexington County, home delivery services and Materials by Mail.

History

The Lexington County Public Library began in 1912 in Batesburg with a collection of books at the Batesburg Town Hall. The Batesburg Women’s Club sponsored the library, assisted by the WPA, until 1942 when it deeded the library to a board of trustees. In 1948, an act of legislation formed the county-wide Lexington County Circulating Library system with Batesburg as the headquarters. A bookmobile was purchased in 1949 and replaced in 1955 with the first air-conditioned bookmobile in the state. The library was designated as part of the county government and renamed the Lexington County Public Library System in 1979. * Batesburg – Leesville Branch’s current building opened in 1967 and served as the headquarters until the Lexington Main Library opened in 1998. The first library service in the Town of Lexington was in 1948 in a building beside the Town Hall and from 1976 to 1998 the Lexington Branch was on Park Road. * The current Cayce-West Columbia Branch was established in the old Compton’s Department Store in 1992. The first library in the community was in the Brooklyn-Cayce school building and the R.H. Smith Branch served the area from 1960-1992. * The current Chapin Branch opened in 1997. Previously it was established in an old jail building in 1949 and then in an old elementary school library. * Gaston Branch’s current building opened in 1996. The first branch was established in the Town Hall of Gaston in 1981. * Gilbert-Summit Branch’s current building opened in 1996. The first branch was established in the old Town Hall in 1988. * Irmo Branch’s current building opened in 1998. From 1974-1998 it was in a remodeled trailer. * Pelion Branch’s current building opened in 2000. The first branch was established in the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church parsonage. * South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch and the Swansea Branch’s current buildings opened in 2007. In 1950, a branch was established in Robert’s Grocery Store in Swansea.

References

External links

Lexington County Public LibraryLexington County Public Library System at a Glance
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Education in Lexington County, South Carolina 1912 establishments in South Carolina