South Carolina State Library

Front inscription

Authorized by the S.C. General Assembly in 1965 and constructed 1967-1969, this building was dedicated as the South Carolina State Library on Feb. 18, 1970. It was designed by architects Geiger, Califf, and Player. Funding for the $1.7 million building came primarily from the federal Library Services and Construction Act (1964). The 5-story, 60,000-sq. ft. building was built to house 500,000 volumes.

Reverse inscription

When finished, this building centralized the previously scattered holdings of the State Library Board, created in 1929 to help county and city governments establish and maintain local library systems. The Board reorganized in 1969 as the S.C. State Library and occupied this building. The lion statues that flank the north entrance of the Library were created c.1895 by sculptor Alfonso Pelzer and previously stood in Camden, S.C.