NORTH, S.C. — The town of North's latest addition is hoping to create some buzz in the western region of Orangeburg County. The new library.
"We don't see much in North," expressed Abigail Laird, North Resident. "As more as we grow, it makes us feel like we can stay at home." It's such a small town, and not much has been here except the people and the generations that are growing here."
"Expanding the North Branch Library is following along the vision the county administrator and I have," expressed Anna Zacherl, Orangeburg County Library's (OCL) Director. "We have received good feedback from the community that we need larger regional branches."
The director says the county paid $775,000 to renovate an abandoned warehouse in 2017 to serve as the new library. The building has four times the space than the old library, and 10 computers are now available for patrons to use.
Zacherl said libraries are a crucial asset in rural South Carolina to assist folks who don't have internet access to do things like filling out job applications or students needing to complete their homework.
"I'm here creating the menu for the Laird's Bar-B-Que Restaurant," said Laird. "The library is right here instead of me going to Orangeburg."
"There are still some areas where people can have internet even if they pay for it," explained Zacherl. "It doesn't matter how rich they are; they can't get the lines out there. There's a lot of people who depend on the WIFI that the library provides.