libraries

The COVID-19 pandemic halted a summer feeding program for kids in Marlboro County. It finally returned, in a county where one in three children does not have a guaranteed next meal.

On Tuesday, Anderson County joined Pickens County in adding seats to the Library Board. Some advocates say adding more voices is a way to censor materials. County officials say there is no political motive.

The American Library Association's annual conference is underway in Chicago, where librarians are discussing topics including countering book challenges, fighting legislative censorship, and ensuring information access and the freedom to read. Authors, scholars and librarians have gathered as several states push to restrict access to books in schools and libraries — overwhelmingly those about race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ topics. The association in March released data showing a record 1,269 demands to censor library books in the U.S. in 2022, a 20-year high.

In Grenville and other counties in South Carolina, an acrimonious public debate is is growing over whether LGBTQ+-themes materials belong near the children's sections of public libraries.