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Allen University has a rich and distinguished history. Founded in 1870 by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the institution represents the dream of Daniel Alexander Payne (1811-1883), an apostle of black education in the United States, who saw the need for such a school among African Americans. Payne’s dream was fulfilled by Richard Allen, AME church clergy and laymen. The Allen University story begins seven years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and five years after the end of the American Civil War. The end of that conflict saw significant expansion of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the former Confederate States. Allen University grew out of the church’s desire to educate newly freed slaves and to ensure a well-trained clergy for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The dreams of our forefathers lead Allen University to become the “FIRST INSTITUTION OF LEARNING CONSECRATED TO NEGRO SELF ACTIVITY AND NEGRO MANHOOD,” in the state of South Carolina. Continuing its legacy, in 2014, Allen University is proud to become one of the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) institutions to join the South Carolina Digital Library (SCDL). Embracing our vision for the future, the Joseph Simeon Flipper Library at Allen University invites you to become a “Friend of the Library.” On behalf of Allen University and the Joseph Simeon Flipper Library staff, we offer a special thank you to Ms. Wilhelmenia Broughton, the first campus archivist, who accumulated the materials included in this collection.

Andrews, SC began life as a railroad hub for the blossoming early 1900 lumber industry and served as the rail hub connecting the seaport of Georgetown, SC with the eastern railroad branches. The Andrews Old Town Hall Museum is housed in the original Town Hall building and reflects a Victorian-era Andrews home, everything in the museum is circa 1909, the year that Andrews, SC was formed from the merging of the towns of Harpers & Rosemary.

The Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture stands on the former site and operates from the former building of the Avery Normal Institute, a hub for Charleston’s African-American community from 1865–1954 that trained its students for professional careers and leadership roles. The center was established to collect, preserve, and make public the unique historical and cultural heritage of African Americans in Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The Barbados Museum & Historical Society (BMHS) was established in 1933 by an Act of Parliament. The Museum began as a historic society founded by Mr. Eustace Maxwell Shilstone. At that time, the mandate of the historic society was to "to study and put on permanent record the history of the Island, its leading families and public men, old buildings and other matters of interest to antiquarians in Barbados and overseas". By June 23 of that year, a temporary exhibition was opened by the Acting Governor. Three months later the Society secured the 99 year lease of the former military prison, which became the permanent home of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. The BMHS collection of over 500,000 artefacts, dating from prehistoric times through the 21st century, tells the story of the people of Barbados and preserves our history for future generations.

Beaufort County Library, the public library system of Beaufort County, provides informational, educational and recreational resources to the community to help individuals adapt to a rapidly changing world while protecting the past by preserving our area's rich heritage. Home of the Beaufort District Collection, we interact with researchers from all over the world. After all, as author Larry Rowland, Ph.D. has written, "All American history begins in Beaufort."

The Belle W. Baruch Foundation is a non-profit organization and owner of the 17,500-acre wildlife refuge, Hobcaw Barony. Made as a royal land grant in 1718, it was eventually subdivided into 14 individual plantations. It became the winter residence of Wall Street millionaire and presidential adviser Bernard Baruch. Mr. Baruch's daughter, Belle, purchased all of the barony over a period of several years and at her death a foundation was created to use the land for the "purposes of teaching and/or research in forestry, marine biology, and the care and propagation of wildlife, flora and fauna in connection with colleges and/or universities in the state of South Carolina."

The Berkeley County Library System, a public library system, consists of a main location in Moncks Corner, SC, and five other locations in the county. Two new branch facilities are under construction to replace current buildings that no longer adequately serve our needs. Our new state-of-the-art bookmobile is receiving the last of its upgrades before providing service to outlying communities. The library's digital collection of photographs and documents are digital only. The original photos and documents are returned to the owner's custody after scanning. This project is made possible through a Library Technology Service Act (LSTA) grant for equipment, South Carolina State Library, Berkeley County Government, the Friends of the Berkeley County Library, University of South Carolina Digital Activities Center and citizens of Berkeley County willing to share their history.

The Brookgreen Gardens Collection includes photographs from the archives of Archer and Anna Huntington who established Brookgreen Gardens in 1931. The couple designed the gardens to preserve the native flora and fauna as well as display sculptures by Anna and other artists in a natural setting. Many of the photographs include features of the garden, Murrells Inlet residents and photographs taken by North Carolina photographer, Bayard Wooten. For more information on Brookgreen Gardens visit http://www.brookgreen.org/.

The Camden Archives and Museum collects and makes available to the public items of historical interest related to Camden and the surrounding area once known as Kershaw District. As a department of the City of Camden, it is the official repository for the City’s non-current, permanent municipal records. The Archives contains a diverse collection of books, microfilm, maps, files, periodicals and general reference materials available for researchers. The Museum displays permanent and rotating exhibits on the rich history of Kershaw County and the City of Camden. Artifacts on display are as diverse as Native American items, china from Camden's great hotels, and Ruffian's halter. Our changing exhibit gallery presents a fresh look at Camden's history.

The Catholic Diocese of Charleston Archives’ prime objectives are to serve the administrative needs of the diocese and to promote a wider understanding of the Roman Catholic Church by making some of the Archives holdings visible and accessible to the general public. Professional archivists and trained staff collect, preserve, and make available non-current diocesan records of permanent administrative, legal, fiscal, canonical, and historic value as well as records of other institutions, personal papers, and publications documenting the history of the Roman Catholic Church within diocesan boundaries.

The Cayce Historical Museum chronicles the history of the first European settlement in South Carolina's Midlands (then known as "the back country") in the early 1700s. The museum interprets the agricultural, social, and cultural heritage of the Cayce, Old Saxe Gotha, Granby, and West Columbia areas. Exhibits emphasize periods of colonial trade, agricultural development, and transportation from the 18th century through the present time. The museum also features Native American artifacts from the area dating back thousands of years.

From its inception over 265 years ago, the Charleston Library Society has been a cornerstone of intellectual and cultural life in Charleston. Today it is a center for scholarly research, a modern lending library, and an oasis of calm in the middle of Downtown Charleston. In addition to contemporary circulating collections of general interest, the Library Society maintains an excellent collection of original newspapers from as far back as the 1730s; important manuscripts from John Locke, George Washington, and many others; a large number of unique historical pamphlets, periodicals, and maps. The diverse collections of the Library Society serve to tell the story of Charleston from its founding to the present day.

Located in Chester, SC, the Chester County Historical Society was formed in the 1960s to preserve the significant historical artifacts of Chester County. The Historical Society’s museum includes collections such as Chester County genealogical materials, agriculture machinery from the 1800s, and extensive photos from Chester resident, Henry O. Nichols. The museum was formerly housed in a basement room of the courthouse until 1981 when it was moved to the permanent location in the county’s old jail house. The museum is a volunteer, non-profit organization. Find more at chesterscmuseum.org.

The first library in Chesterfield County was organized around 1800 in the town of Chatham, as Cheraw was known until 1821 when the town was issued a charter. Much has transpired since then, and now the Chesterfield County Library System has grown to include five libraries in the towns of Chesterfield, Cheraw, Pageland, McBee and Jefferson. All the libraries offer a complete range of services, and is dedicated to serving the citizens of Chesterfield County and its guests. Our vision includes free and open access for all citizens to uncensored information and records of cultural progress, and our mission is to assemble, preserve, and administer, in organized collections, books and related educational and recreational material, in order to promote enlightened citizenship and to enrich personal lives through the communication of ideas.

Columbia is the capital of South Carolina and its largest city. Columbia’s central location has allowed the city to provide a pivotal role in government, commerce, and education for the people of South Carolina. In 1786, Columbia was chosen as the site of the new state capital by the General Assembly and the State General Assembly first met here in 1790. After remaining under the direct government of the legislature for the first two decades of its existence, Columbia was incorporated as a village in 1805 and then as a city in 1854. Today it is the seat of Richland County. The following digital collections represent a broad picture of the history of Columbia, South Carolina, from the 1800s to the end of the twentieth century. A special thanks to the City of Columbia, Richland Library, USC Libraries, South Carolina State Museum, South Carolina State Library, and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for making these collections available online.

Clemson University is South Carolina’s premiere land grant institution and one of the nation’s top public universities. The digital collections created by the Clemson Libraries to be made available through this portal include significant political, agricultural, and local and regional history holdings.

Coastal Carolina University digital collections are maintained by the Horry County Archives Center at Kimbel Library. The center maintains the special collections of the library and university as well as historical materials relating to Horry County and surrounding areas.

The Special Collections Department of the College of Charleston is home to over 500 separate manuscript collections that vary in size from a single item to collections over 400 linear feet. The largest collections are the College of Charleston Archive, the Spoleto Festival Archive, the Jewish Heritage Collection (including the William A. Rosenthall Judaica Collection and Papers), the L. Mendel Rivers Collection, and the Burnet R. Maybank Senatorial Papers.

Columbia College was founded in 1854 in Columbia, SC, by the United Methodist Church as a liberal arts college for women. Columbia College currently offers evening, graduate, and online programs serving both women and men in addition to the Women’s College. Established as Columbia Female College, it opened on Plain Street, present-day Hampton Street, in 1859. It became Columbia College when it moved to its current location in the Eau Claire neighborhood in 1904. The Columbia College Archives is housed in the J. Drake Edens Library.

Dorchester County Library is a medium-sized library system in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, serving approximately 153,000 people. The system provides Bookmobile service to county citizens and has library facilities in St. George and Summerville.

Erskine is a private liberal arts institution located in Due West. The school is affiliated with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and includes an undergraduate College (founded in 1829) and Theological Seminary (founded in 1827). These digital collections document original materials housed in the McCain Library Department of Archives and Special Collections on the Erskine campus. The Erskine Archives preserves and provides access to unique materials focusing on the history of Erskine, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Abbeville County, S.C., and the surrounding area.

The mission of the museum is not only to serve as a repository of the county's rich heritage, but also as an active resource for the education and cultural enrichment of our county's citizens, both young and old, representing our diverse cultural backgrounds.

As part of the Claude Rickman Library located at Southern Wesleyan University, Faith Clayton Room houses a collection of local history and genealogy about Upstate South Carolina. This research collection contains information about Pickens County, Upstate counties, many South Carolina counties and out-of-state resources as it relates to the Old Wagon Road from Virginia to Texas. All Clayton Room materials are non-circulating and are not available through inter-library loan. Located in the lower level of the library, the research area accommodates several researchers at a time. Microfilm and reader and printers are available.

Library services in Florence date back to the early 1870s. With its headquarters in the City of Florence, five branch libraries in the county, and a bookmobile, the Florence County Library System continues to offer exceptional services into the 21st century. The E. N. Zeigler South Carolina Room houses the digital collection as well as books and other materials dating back to the 1700s.

The digital collection of Florence-Darlington Technical College chronicles the college's history. The Florence-Darlington Technical College, Wellman, Inc. Library digital collections include digitized yearbooks and other items related to the history of the college. This collection features college publications which record events and people from the 1960’s through the 1990’s.

Francis Marion University is a four-year liberal arts university in Florence, SC. The institution began as a University of South Carolina regional campus and became a state-supported college in 1970. Named Francis Marion College for General Francis Marion who served in the American Revolutionary War, it became a university in 1992. The university archives are housed in the James A. Rogers Library. These digital collections begin with the college yearbooks.

The H. L. Hunley is the world’s first successful combat submarine. Conservators are now at work to conserve the Hunley and the hundreds of artifacts found onboard. They have developed new cutting-edge conservation techniques that may revolutionize the way artifacts are preserved in the future. The Hunley Project is conducted through a partnership with the Clemson University Restoration Institute, South Carolina Hunley Commission, Naval History and Heritage Command, and Friends of the Hunley.

Furman is a private liberal arts university founded in 1826 and located in Greenville, SC. It has 2600 undergraduate students and is nationally acclaimed for its outstanding academic programs. Housed in the Libraries, the Digital Collections Center has over a decade’s worth of experience collaborating with faculty, students, staff, and Special Collections and Archives in the creation of unique digital collections. Furman partners with Clemson to provide free hosting of digital collections for SCDL Upstate partners through the digital repository software, CONTENTdm.

Founded in the late Eighteenth Century, the Georgetown County Library has seen over two hundred years of service to its community. Started by local rice planters and merchants, the library has moved into the Twenty-first Century by offering services to all of its residents, with four branches county-wide. In 2007, the library was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Services; one of only ten awarded in the country and the only library in South Carolina to receive the award.

Muskets, marshland, and muslin, rice, rivers, and revolution. What do these seemingly unrelated subjects have in common? The Georgetown County Museum offers fascinating connections that intertwine these and many other facets of life that span almost 300 years of American history lived out in the daily lives of the citizens of Georgetown, South Carolina. This colonial town has seen it all and we keep the spirit of each era in our heritage alive with the many displays and exhibits found here in the Museum.

The Gibbes Museum of Art exists to link the art of our past with the art of our future through innovative exhibitions, acquisitions, interpretation and educational programs that preserve and promote the art of Charleston and the American South.

Founded in 1921, the Greenville County Library System operates eleven facilities, a bookmobile and a website that provide information, materials, and engaging programs delivered with world-class technology and a customer-centric approach. The Library System offers free access to resources and experiences and continually strives to be the community’s destination of choice for exploring the world. The library's digital collections are maintained by the South Carolina Room of the Hughes Main Library. For more information, visit the Library’s website at www.greenvillelibrary.org.

Founded in 1901 by the Ladies Library Association, the Library brought books to many who would not have access otherwise. The Greenwood County Library in its 115-year history has been in 4 locations that include 413 Main Street, 532 Monument Street, 106 North Main Street, and finally 600 South Main Street. The Greenwood County Library System that includes the Main Library, Ninety-Six Branch Library, Ware Shoals Community Library, and a Bookmobile, has tried to provide the best services possible to the residents of Greenwood County. In the more recent years, that has included offering many more resources and materials in a digital format. With the help of the South Carolina State Library’s Digitization in a Box Project and the Office of Library Technology of the Clemson University Libraries, we have been able to preserve and let everyone view many historical photographs and documents from the Greenwood County area.

Established in 1947, Historic Charleston Foundation is dedicated to preserving and protecting the architectural, historical and cultural character of Charleston and its Lowcountry environs, and to educating the public about Charleston's history and the benefits that are derived from preservation.

Horry Georgetown Technical College is a two-year, public coeducational college approved by several accreditation agencies and offers more than 80 associate degrees, diplomas, and certificate programs. Non-credit and corporate training programs are offered through the continuing education division of the College. Founded in 1966, the College has three locations in the northeastern region of South Carolina: Georgetown, Conway, and the Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach).

This intimate and elegant house museum is one of the quiet gems of the Historic District of Georgetown. It has an unparalleled and well-documented history, matched only by the impressive collection of 18th and 19th century American and European furnishings within its rooms.

The Crown of the Carolinas, Recreational and Tourism Commission, formerly known as Pendleton District Commission, was created by the South Carolina legislature in 1966 to preserve and promote history and tourism in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties. The Pendleton District Commission Research Room and Special Collections contains both primary and secondary sources relating to the history of the tri-county area, historically known as the Pendleton District. The Crown of the Carolinas also operates the Pendleton District Agricultural Museum and coordinates the South Carolina Century Farm Program.

Lander University has been providing educational and cultural opportunities since its founding in 1872 as Williamston Female College in Williamston, S.C. The college moved to Greenwood, S.C., in 1904 and was renamed Lander in honor of its founder, Samuel Lander. It became part of the state system of higher education in 1973. Lander is now a coeducational, state-assisted, comprehensive, regional, four-year university with traditional liberal arts and science programs, and professional programs in business, education and nursing.

The Lexington County Public Library system has served the citizens of Lexington County for over 100 years. As a diverse community that includes both rural and urban users, the library is asked to provide a broad array of services. With 10 locations and a bookmobile, the library strives to connect users with the information that they seek, as well as to enrich their lives by providing engaging and informative programming. The South Carolina Room at the Lexington Main Library contains local and regional historical materials including the Richard Taylor Photograph Collection, historical maps, yearbooks, and genealogical materials.

Marlboro County has had a public library since 1901. Construction of this 20,000 square foot facility was completed in January of 2010 and the library opened to the public on February 22, 2010. The building is named for children's advocate and founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, who is a native of Marlboro County. Since opening, concentrated efforts have been made to focus on addressing the needs of Marlboro County citizens through programming, services, free Internet access, and one on one assistance in finding and using resources. Marlboro County's Public Library serves all citizens from all areas of the County. A 2015 Sprinter Bookmobile is also in service, focusing on visits to adult centers, day-cares, Pre-K and Kindergarten classes in outlying areas of the county. The Marian Wright Edelman Public Library is a member of the Palmetto Consortium consisting of five other libraries in South Carolina that share resources and materials.

McKissick Museum is located at the heart of the historic Horseshoe on the Columbia campus of the University of South Carolina. It was established in 1976 by the University Board of Trustees to bring together under one roof the many object collections housed in various departments and colleges across campus. These collections date to 1801 and provide insight into the long and illustrious history of the University.

The Waring Historical Library is the special collections and rare book library for the Medical University of South Carolina. Named for Joseph I. Waring, Jr., the first director of the Historical Library, the library houses books, journals, manuscript items and museum artifacts dealing with the history of the health sciences.

The Archives of the Morris College Richardson-Johnson Learning Resources Center chronicle over one hundred years of the college's history through documents, convention publications, photographs, catalogs, alumni materials, videos and publications. The Morris College Digital Collections presented here include yearbooks and other college publications documenting the history of the institution. In the collection is the pictorial book, Morris College: A Noble Journey, chronicling the history, heritage, the culture and legacy of the college. This beautiful volume presents an account of the people who sacrificed to make their dreams become realities so that their children and future generations of African American youth would have opportunities afforded to them by a college education.

The mission of Murrells Inlet 2020 is to promote and advance infrastructure improvements including beautification of the core commercial districts, to enhance environmental education, to initiate a redevelopment of the core commercial district which will reduce blight, and to utilize conservation and preservation methods to secure quality wetlands for future generations of residents and visitors to appreciate.

The Oconee County Public Library, with the help of the State Library’s Digitization in a Box Initiative, is currently digitizing books, pamphlets and other documents which deal with some aspect of the history of Oconee County. Most are works by local authors which were originally published in very small editions and are no longer available for sale in a print version. Our digital collection continues to grow and as more material becomes digitized we hope to include it here. In addition, to parties interested in the history of Upstate South Carolina in general or Oconee County in particular, please explore our catalog for even more resources in print, video, and audio formats.

Since 2010, Clemson University and the National Park Service have collaborated on the Open Parks Network, an Institute of Museum and Library Services funded project that has resulted in the digitization of over 350,000 cultural heritage objects and 1.5 million pages of gray literature housed in the libraries, museums, and archives of our nation’s parks, historic sites, and other protected areas. More than 20 national parks and other protected sites are represented in these diverse collections, as well as 2 state park systems and 3 university libraries. The Open Parks Network provides public access to high-resolution, downloadable files. Collections in the South Carolina Digital Library are limited to parks materials from South Carolina.

Patriots Point, on the Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant, SC, is home of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum and a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships, including the USS YORKTOWN, Cold War Memorial and the only Vietnam Support Base Camp in the U.S. The Naval and Maritime Museum strives to preserve the living history of our nation's bravest men and women while telling their stories in honorable, educational and engaging ways.

The Pawleys Island Civic Association Collection features many of the historic photographs from Pawleys Island: A Century of History and Photographs. First settled by rice planters who looked for an escape from the deadly malaria that plagued the inland areas, the island continues to bring in both returning vacationers as well as first-timers who long to enjoy the peace and quiet of this coastal community. The Pawleys Island Civic Association was created to help preserve, foster and promote this small island. Photograph descriptions were provided by Lee Brockington.

Presbyterian College is a national liberal arts institution in Clinton, SC that offers a whole-person education to inquisitive students interested in lives that balance challenging academics, social involvement, and service. Small class sizes allow students to develop closer relationships with faculty and peers. Honor and ethics are a part of the PC culture, guiding students to become values-based leaders in their lives and careers.

The Richland Library, with 11 locations throughout Richland County, offers numerous resources in a variety of formats to meet citizens' needs for reading, learning and information. Richland Library's Walker Local and Family History Center, located in the Main Library in Downtown Columbia, has historical and some current material focusing on Columbia, Richland County and the surrounding counties of the Midlands.

The South Carolina Artifact Documentation Project endeavors to photograph and record prehistoric and historic artifacts which have been recovered in the State of South Carolina. Private individuals and professional archeologists have generously shared collections which were recorded for educational and research purposes. These pages are made possible by people from varied walks of life that have but one purpose in donating their discoveries for documentation... that the people of South Carolina may have a deeper understanding of the submerged cultural resources that have been recovered by individuals using their own finances and resources.

Founded in 1896, the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum is the third oldest museum in the state. The museum focuses on South Carolina’s military history from the Revolutionary War to the present. Originally housed in the SC State House, the museum relocated to the War Memorial Building adjacent to the University of South Carolina in the mid-twentieth century. In 1998, it became an agency of the South Carolina Budget and Control Board and in 2002, moved to the Columbia Mills Building. The museum expanded in 2007, converting the old mill’s former cistern into a new gallery that showcases special, large-scale exhibitions.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is an independent state agency whose mission is to preserve and promote the documentary and cultural heritage of the Palmetto State. The Department is the caretaker of the South Carolina Archives, a collection of more than 325 years of historical documents recording the rich and diverse history of the people and government of South Carolina. The agency’s mission extends to encompass historic preservation, history education, records management and records conservation.

The South Carolina Historical Association was founded in 1931 by persons teaching, writing, and studying history in South Carolina. Since that time, it has held an annual meeting for the presentation of papers on a wide variety of historical fields. Although its geographical base is the state of South Carolina, the organization exists to enhance the teaching and study of all areas of history.

Established in 1855, the South Carolina Historical Society is dedicated to expanding, preserving, and making accessible our invaluable collection, and to encouraging interest and pride in the rich history of our state. The SCHS holdings are vast and grow constantly with the addition of materials from South Carolina’s 300-year history.

The South Carolina Library Association, established on October 27, 1915, is made of librarians from all around our state South Carolina dedicated to providing innovative services and promoting libraries and intellectual freedom to all our citizens including the public, as well as those in higher education and in our schools.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the South Carolina State Library is the primary administrator of federal and state support for the state’s libraries. The Library is a national model for innovation, collaboration, leadership and effectiveness. The Library’s mission is to optimize South Carolina’s investment in library and information services. In 1969, the State Library Board was redesignated as the South Carolina State Library and assumed responsibility for public library development, library service for state institutions, service for the blind and physically handicapped, and library service to state government agencies.

The South Carolina State Museum opened to the public in 1988 with the purpose of collecting, studying, and creating exhibitions focused on the state’s history, natural history, science and technology and art. The museum collection is estimated to have at least 175,000 objects of all types and it continues to grow. For more information and contacts check the web site: www.southcarolinastatemuseum.org.

Southern Wesleyan University was originally established in 1906 as the Wesleyan Methodist Bible Institute, whose mission was to develop Christian character in its students while giving thorough intellectual training. In 1959, Wesleyan Methodist College became Central Wesleyan College. In 1986, Central Wesleyan added an adult program known as Leadership Education for Adult Professionals (LEAP), currently known as Adult and Graduate Studies – a program where classes are offered not only in Central, but also in Greenville, Columbia, Charleston and North Augusta. In 1994, Central Wesleyan became Southern Wesleyan University. Southern Wesleyan University is part of The Wesleyan Church, a worldwide body of evangelical Protestants.

Spartanburg County’s first Library opened in 1885 on Morgan Square in downtown Spartanburg. The Library was a gift of Mrs. Helen Fayssoux Stevens Kennedy as a remembrance of her husband, Dr. Lionel Chalmers Kennedy, a respected and loved physician. Today, the Spartanburg County Public Libraries includes a Headquarters and nine branch libraries as well as the Bookmobile, Home Delivery, and the Libraries’ online digital library. Simply put, the Libraries’ mission is Create – Connect – Change. The Spartanburg County Public Libraries is creating a culture of lifelong learning by connecting people ideas and information resulting in a community pursuing positive change.

The Charleston Archive, located on the second floor of the Charleston County Main Library, is an archive of historic manuscripts, books and visual materials representing Charleston, South Carolina and the surrounding Lowcountry. Much of the unique manuscript material housed in The Charleston Archive contains valuable genealogical information and is available to visitors on microfilm or photocopies in the South Carolina Room.

The Charleston Museum, America's First Museum, was founded in 1773. Its mission is to preserve and interpret the cultural and natural history of Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry. The Museum's collections now present the oldest-acquired and the most comprehensive assemblage of South Carolina materials in the nation. Modern collecting emphases include natural science, ornithology, historical material culture and both documentary and photographic resources.

There are over three hundred collections in the Archives which pertain to the history of The Citadel or have military significance. The time span of the collections is from 1842 to the present. Holdings include personal papers, letters, diaries, reports, minutes, speeches, and Citadel publications. Visual images include photographs, postcards, engravings, films and videotapes.

From its beginnings as a country church of fewer than twenty-five communicants, Trinity has grown to an urban parish numbering more than 3,600 baptized members. Throughout its history the parish has played a leading role in the affairs of the city, the state, and the church. Six of her rectors have become bishops, and she has numbered among her congregation members of Congress, judges, legislators, and governors.

The University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA), founded in 1962, is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system. USCA’s digital collections are from the Gregg-Graniteville Archives and the University Archives housed at the Gregg-Graniteville Library.

The University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system serving the southeast coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The university’s two campuses are located on the waterfront in historic Beaufort, S.C. and at the gateway to Hilton Head Island in Bluffton, S.C. The digital collections document original materials housed in the Hilton Head Gateway campus library.

The University of South Carolina Lancaster, founded in 1959, is a regional campus of the University of South Carolina. The institution is currently in the process of developing a Native American Studies Program with both public and curricular components. The Catawba Indian collection was created using slides and photographs from the Native American Studies Archive.

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Library serves as the School of Medicine's information gateway to biomedical electronic journals, electronic textbooks, and databases. The digital collection includes selected titles from the rare medical books collection housed in the Charles S. Bryan History of Medicine Room.

The history of the University of South Carolina Upstate is one of rapid development and deep ties to the Spartanburg community. When Spartanburg General Hospital announced plans to phase out its diploma program for registered nurses, the need for a replacement source of trained nurses was quickly evident. A group of dedicated citizens and community leaders worked quickly and tirelessly to bring a branch campus of the University of South Carolina to Spartanburg, and in September 1967 the Spartanburg Regional Campus welcomed 177 students through its doors. From our humble beginnings on the first floor of the nursing residence at Spartanburg General Hospital, through name changes from the University of South Carolina Spartanburg to the University of South Carolina Upstate, to the beautiful 330-acre Spartanburg campus that today educates approximately 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, one thing has remained the same…the commitment to being one of the leading metropolitan universities in the Southeast.

The University of South Carolina has participated in the Federal Depository Library Program since 1884. In 2009 the library celebrated its 125 year commitment to providing the students, faculty, staff, and citizens of South Carolina access to federal government information.

The Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections preserves and makes accessible rare materials and special research collections supporting teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines. Holdings now total over 150,000 rare and special collections volumes and over 50 archival collections. The books of the South Carolina College are the foundation of the collection, augmented by gifts and purchases from endowed funds over the past 30 years. Major collecting areas include philosophy, natural history and science, history, and literature, with particular strength in Scottish Literature, Robert Burns in particular; John Milton; nineteenth century American Literature; F. Scott Fitzgerald; Ernest Hemingway; Joseph Heller; the history of the Civil War and the Great War; Giuseppe Garibaldi; Charles Darwin; and Historical Astronomy.

The core of the Map Library collection consists of approximately 250,000 maps, 130,000 aerial photographs and 4,000 atlases and books. The Library provides a wealth of geographic reference and primary source material.

MIRC began in 1980 with the gift of the Fox Movietone News Collection. Since then, archival holdings have increased to an estimated 6000 hours of material, including local television news and commercials, home movies, micro-cinematographic nature films, and fiction and documentary films from the People's Republic of China.

Located within the USC Music Library, the special collections include rare books and music scores, archival collections, art, musical instruments, and audiovisual materials dating from the early 19th Century to the present. The Music Library serves as the repository for the departmental records of the School of Music's Bands Department and for the papers of several former professors. Other highlights include autographed first editions of Massenet operas, archival material of composers Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Henry Cowell, and extensive collections of 19th and 20th Century sheet music.

These collections include records of South Carolina’s leaders in Congress and the General Assembly, the state’s political parties, and other individuals and organizations playing substantive roles in politics and government.

Holdings of The Manuscripts Division include letters, diaries, and other unpublished papers of families and individuals; genealogical collections; broadsides; plantation account books; non-USC dissertations dealing with S.C. history; and information collected by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), regarding folklore, local history, etc. The Manuscripts Division also holds records of churches, clubs, and other organizations, as well as business records of country stores, textile mills, and other concerns.

Published Materials (formerly Books Division) collects and preserves publications written by or about the people, places, and culture of the Palmetto State. Holdings include books, maps, pamphlets, S.C. newspapers, sheet music, USC dissertations and theses, journals, magazines and other periodicals, and vertical files of newspaper clippings and other ephemera.

The USC’s South Caroliniana Library’s Visual Materials Division documents the people, places, and culture of South Carolina through a collection of 19th- and 20th-century photographs, postcards, illustrated newspapers, engravings, and lithographs. Other holdings include original artwork, sculpture, posters, blueprints, and architectural drawings.

The University Archives acquires, preserves, and makes accessible those University records that have permanent historical value. These include the records of major administrative offices, such as the Board of Trustees, the President and the Provost. Other collections held by USC Archives include nineteenth century student records and various University publications, such as commencement programs, annual reports, academic bulletins, the Garnet and Black yearbooks and The Gamecock newspaper. The Archives also collects photographs relating to all aspects of life at USC, as well as architectural plans, drawings and maps of campus buildings and grounds. The bulk of the material is from the 20th century. Archives materials cannot be checked out, but most items can be reproduced.

Committed to the living heritage of South Carolinians, the SCL's Office of Oral History records their stories, told in their own voices, and provides access for future generations. Our core mission preserves the details of their daily lives, communities and families, and notable events that shaped South Carolina.