Popular Libraries in Charleston, South Carolina

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he many libraries in Charleston, South Carolina, serve as a key resource for residents of all ages. Residents check out books, music, and movies in various formats or sit down at the computers to use the internet or write a report. They host story time for kids, hold book club meetings, preserve community history, and run more programming for all ages. Libraries are essential for keeping the community connected.

All the local libraries are part of the Charleston County Public Library system. With 18 branches and a roving Bookmobile, the CCPL gives people plenty of places to go for these services. Here’s what everyone needs to know about their nearby branches.

Charleston County Public Library—Main

Address: Charleston County Public Library—Main, 68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina

The Charleston County Public Library’s main branch sits in the historic downtown area near the waterfront. This location carries thousands of books, movies, and CDs for residents to borrow at their convenience. They also have Wi-Fi-connected computers hooked to printers along with copiers. Visitors can print from their smartphones as needed.

The library has dedicated and separate children’s and teens’ areas for materials. It also has Google Chromebooks for checkout.

This library houses the South Carolina History Room and Archive of Charleston Records, where everyone can perform research on Charleston’s past. An art gallery is onsite, as is a notary, though this professional is only available by appointment. The branch has several meeting rooms available for reservation, which can seat up to 100 people.

West Ashley Library

Address: West Ashley Library, 45 Windermere Boulevard, Charleston, South Carolina

The cozy West Ashley Library in Charleston provides residents a quiet place to read and study. They carry many books, movies, and CDs, which can be read onsite or checked out later. Renovations were ongoing as of late 2023.

Like the Main branch, the branch has accessible public computers hooked to Wi-Fi. Visitors can print and copy in color or black and white from the computer banks or their mobile phones. They can make an appointment at the front desk if they need a notary.

Keith Summey North Charleston Library

Address: Cooper River Memorial Library, 3503 Rivers Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina

The brand-new Keith Summey North Charleston Library opened in 2023, replacing the 70-year-old Cooper River Memorial Library. This branch is a significant community hub, attracting residents with their regular community events.

The new building is much larger, at 20,000 sq ft, and has some new facilities. Find a Creative Studio for digital content creation, a mobile teaching kitchen, a learning lab, and dedicated rooms for children and teens. Local book clubs use bookable meeting rooms and the new outdoor reading area as a convenient meeting spot for their group. Kids enjoy the newly expanded children’s library, which still hosts popular programming like story time in its dedicated space.

Use public computers, which offer Wi-Fi connections and mobile printing options. They also have black and white or color copiers available for those who want to copy a few pages from the onsite books. Patrons can also check out books, music, and more to use for a few weeks at home.

Cynthia Graham Hurd/Saint Andrews Regional Library

Address: Cynthia Graham Hurd/Saint Andrews Regional Library, 1735 N. Woodmere Drive, Charleston, South Carolina

The Cynthia Graham Hurd/Saint Andrews Regional Library gives everyone a convenient place to pick up the books, movies, and other items they want to check out. Browse the media in the branch or make color or black and white copies. Public computers are also available, with high-speed internet connections and quick printing.

For those who need a large public meeting area, this library in Charleston has an auditorium. People can reserve this space for meetings and other events of up to 80 people.

The meeting room comes with 60 chairs and 17 tables, plus:

• TVs
• DVD player
• CD and cassette player
• Projector with a pull-down screen
• Microphones
• Podium

While in this room, everyone has full use of the Charleston library’s wireless internet connection.

In addition to these branches, the Charleston County Public Library has many other locations in Hollywood, Mount Pleasant, and beyond. They operate a mobile library that travels around the county throughout the week. See their calendar of stops to find out when it will come to a location near you.

Libraries are just one perk of living in Charleston, South Carolina.

Updated November 2023