SC Humanities is pleased to announce the receipt of a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Science (IMLS) administered by the South Carolina State Library (SCSL) to support the South Carolina Literary Arts Partnership and the 2011 South Carolina Book Festival.
The South Carolina State Library has long been an important partner with SC Humanities in literary programming in the state and has been a key component of the SC Literary Arts Partnership since its inception. The SC Literary Arts Partnership is a distinctive and exciting cooperative effort funded by the South Carolina State Library, SC Humanities, and the South Carolina Arts Commission to create a full-time staff position shared by the three state-wide agencies. The Literary Arts Partnership Coordinator works on literary programming for all three organizations, rotating from office to office to provide leadership or coordinating support for a wide variety of literary programs in the state, from student writing contests to adult book discussion programs. The South Carolina Literary Arts Partnership began in 1999 and is unique in the country in its status as a long-standing, collaborative program in the literary arts.
In addition to support for the SC Literary Arts Partnership, the grant from the South Carolina State Library will support the 2011 South Carolina Book Festival, scheduled for May 14-15, 2011 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, SC. The SCBook Festival is South Carolina’s largest annual literary event, featuring over 80 national, regional, and local authors and more than seventy exhibitors including booksellers, antiquarian book dealers, small book presses, writers groups, publishers, and literary nonprofits. Saturday and Sunday of the festival are presented free and open to the public. More information and updates about the 2011 SCBook Festival can be found on the official website: www.scbookfestival.org.
The support from the South Carolina State Library is crucial to continuing important cultural and educational programming in the Palmetto State.
Dr. Randy Akers, Executive Director of SC Humanities said: “SC Humanities appreciates the SC State Library’s willingness to partner with us in providing quality programs and resources to enrich the lives of our citizens.”
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The South Carolina State Library is a national model for innovation, collaboration, leadership and effectiveness. It is the keystone in South Carolina’s intellectual landscape.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. SC Humanities programs and initiatives are balanced, reflecting sensitivity to the diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations.
