The Latta Library is celebrating 100 years of service to the community.
An open house was held during Latta Springfest. Light refreshments, provided by the Friends of the Library, were served.
The Latta Library celebrated 100 years of service with an open house on Saturday during Latta Springfest. Pictured above are Dillon County Head Librarian Yolanda McCormick, Latta Branch Librarian Vanessa Bildon, Assistant Latta Branch Librarian Dixie Weatherly, and District Four Dillon County Councilman T.F. “Buzzy” Finklea, Jr. (Photo by Betsy Finklea/The Dillon Herald)
The Latta Library opened in June 1914.
The movement to start a public library was begun by Reverend William Cox “W.C.“ Allen. Allen was the pastor of the Baptist Church in Latta and later served as the editor of the Baptist Courier.
The Latta Town Council supported Allen in this effort. A library association was formed and chartered.
The association worked to secure $5,000 from the Carnegie Foundation for a building. Andrew Carnegie was a steel industrialist and philanthropist. The funds were secured on the condition that the town provide a lot in the center of town that could be easily accessed by all parts of the community.
The lot was donated by Carl F. Bass, and the library was constructed.
Today, of the 14 libraries built with Carnegie funds, only four continue to operate as public libraries—Latta, which opened in 1914; Honea Path, which opened in 1908; Union, which opened in 1905; and Marion, which was opened in 1905.
After 16 years of serving the Latta School District, a movement began to extend the library’s services to the whole county.
The county delegation, which was made up by Senator R.S. Rogers, Rep. J.W. Hamer, and Rep. W.C. Parham in conjunction with the chairman of the library board of managers, H.A. Bethea, who also served as president of the S.C. Library Board, and Dillon County Superintendent of Education, Mrs. John Hargrove, got a n act passed which provided for a tax of 1/2 mill for the maintenance of the library. The Latta School District had been previously taxed one mill and this raised the assessment to 1 1/2 mills.
In 1931, the work was begun by Miss Cheves, a South Carolina field agent, to classify and catalogue the library using the Dewey decimal system. The work was completed by Mrs. C.E. Bethea, president of the library association.
By 1934, the circulation had nearly doubled and more than 2,000 books were added to the shelves. The library also got on the regular list to receive quarterly gifts of books from the Carnegie Foundation For International Peace.
The library underwent a renovation in 1936. According to a history of the library, “ During the Depression, the WPA Library Project provided additional personnel, binding and book repair, and added a large annex to the building. “
By 1938-39, it was noted that 144,875 books had been read during that year by patrons of the library.
In an interview, Mrs. Hyatha Brigman, who served as an assistant librarian, recalled that in 1943, the library had about 10,000 volumes. The library “was heated by fireplaces, burning coal, and washing the books with soap wand water to remove the soot was a summer job for the librarian and her assistants.”
In 1955, the library had a another renovation. A north wing was added to the building and a heating and air conditioning system was installed.
According to the historical marker at the library erected by the Latta Rotary Club in 1979, “By statutory provision in 1973, a county library providing for countywide control was established. The Latta Library is the basis of this operation.”
By 1979, the Latta Library contained more than 60,000 volumes, according to a newspaper article.
In 1980, the library announced the arrival of their brand new circulation system. They added automatic charging machines to check out books and other materials. Library patrons received library cards with a metal number tag on it which activated the charging machine.
The new system was to help speed up the check-out process and also help with recordkeeping. Cards were issued in the first part of November 1980.
In 1981, the library made some improvements which included new landscaping, the fresh painting and lettering of the book return, a complete rewiring of the library, new lighting to make the interior brighter, and the addition of a timer switch to turn on the exterior lights of the library in the evenings.
In 1982, the library hired a professional, Carolyn McDaniel Mace, a Latta native and Columbia College graduate, to specialize in services for children
In 2000, the Dillon County Library official moved to Dillon, and the library became known again as the Latta Library.
In October 2004, the Latta Library was rededicated after another renovation/remodeling of the library was completed. The library’s 90 years of service was also celebrated at this time. Today, patrons can enjoy use of computers and the internet at the library and other modern conveniences.
Over the years, both children and adults have enjoyed what the Latta Library has to offer—from afternoon films, to summer book clubs, to live events with authors, knitting and computer classes, and much, much more. The library has served as a center of activity for the Latta community for 100 years.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to visit the library and commemorate this special event.
If you need more information about the open house or if you would like to volunteer to help with the event, please call the library at 752-5389.
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(Sources: Latta Library Through the Years compiled by Christina Fowler; Dillon County Librarian Yolanda McCormick, and The Dillon Herald newspaper)
BOARD CHAIRMEN
Mr. George E. Allen, Latta, 1946-47
Ms. Etta Sue Sellers, Latta, 1947-50
Mr. Howard Griffin, Latta, 1950-52
Mrs. F.R. Ellerbe, Latta, 1952-58
Mrs. J.A. McCreight, Latta, 1958-64
Mr. W.C. Parham, Latta, 1964-72
Mr. C.B. Allen, Latta, 1972-76
Mrs. Joe L. Powell, Latta, 1976-77
Mr. Frank Ellerbe, Jr., Latta, 1977-79
Mrs. Robert (Marie) Glenn, Hamer, 1979
Mr. Joseph Griffin, Latta, 2000
Mr. Famon Whitfield, Dillon, 2000-2001
Mr. William C. Lee, Hamer, 2001-Present
COUNTY LIBRARIANS
Mrs. T.C. McGee, 1915-17
Mrs. Lola Sessions, 1917-18
Mrs. Ada Edwards, 1918-1921
Mrs. Wessie Braddy, 1921-1930
Mrs. C.E. Bethea, 1930-1972
Ms. Janice E. Peppers, 1972-74
Ms. Marie White, 1974-76
Ms. Pat Gray, 1977-1980
Mrs. Ann Ramsey, 1980-84
Sylvia Minton, 1985-86
Ms. Paula Devino, 1987-89
Mrs. Sue Rainey, 1990-96
Mrs. Yolanda McCormick, 1996-Present
LATTA LIBRARY BRANCH MANAGERS
Mrs. Hyatha L. Brigman, 193(?)-1979
Mrs. Barbara H. Henderson, 1979-1986
Mrs. Yolanda McCormick, 1986-1996
Mrs. Christy Berry, 1997-2001
Mrs. Vanessa Biildon, 2001-Present
