SANTEE - The vision of a town library was realized Monday afternoon with the opening of the new Santee Public Library at 119 Dazzy Circle, off Bass Drive in Santee.

The milestone for the community was the result of a grass-roots effort by many, officials say.

Members of the Rotary Club of Lake Marion and Santee Mayor Silas Seabrooks, with the support of the Santee Town Council and the employees of the town, Orangeburg County officials and the Orangeburg County Library System, were very involved in making the new library possible.

Originally a joint project of the Rotary Club of Lake Marion and the Town of Santee, the facility was the Rotary’s centennial project, commemorating the 100-year anniversary of Rotary International on Feb. 23, 2005.

The site of the new library was formerly the old Santee Town Hall. Rotary members worked long and hard to refurbish the building, providing sweat equity with carpentry, painting and other interior work and exterior work on the building and grounds.

Contributions of cash and building supplies were donated by many residents, and a pancake breakfast fund-raiser was held by Rotary. George Asbury and his shop students at Lake Marion High School & Technology Center helped to hang the drywall in the library. A Rotary project was initiated to sell commemorative bricks for $50 each. The bricks, which are inscribed with the names of contributors, line the walkway of the library.

Extension Librarian Margaret Thomas said the library’s three public computers, printer and office chairs were donated by the Rotary Club.

“Free Internet access will be available to patrons, who must abide by the rules and regulations of the Orangeburg County Library System,” she said.

Children’s programs are being planned for the new library, Thomas noted.

“Everyone in Santee is happy to have the library, and we are happy to serve the community, especially the children,” she said.

“Seldom has there been a project in the town in which so many people worked so cooperatively together to realize a common vision,” said Silas Seabrooks, Santee mayor and Rotary member.

“It’s a great day in Santee.”

The library will be open from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Librarian Russ Bidinger said cardholders may borrow all books and materials at the branch library as well as books, audio books and DVDs from the main library in Orangeburg.

The Santee Public Library is stocked with more than 3,000 items, and members can borrow up to 20 books or magazines at a time. Thomas pointed out that the new library is hooked up to the automated catalogue system and that items can be requested from any library in the OCLS.

Requested materials will be sent to Santee at no charge to the patron, and books and magazines from other county libraries can be returned here.

The installation of a stainless steel book drop enables cardholders to return books after hours.

Incoming library patrons were impressed with the appearance and convenience of the new library.

“This is one of the best things to happen to this town,” said Adgie Wilson of Bradford Village in Santee.

Pauline and Don Burgbacher of Santee have been using the Bookmobile until now, they said.

“It’s nice to have a full-service library right here in town,” Don Burgbacher said.

No one was more excited about the library than the children of Santee. Socoya Summers, 5, a pre-K student at Vance Elementary School, and her brother, Tyrrell, 12, who will enter the seventh grade in September, sat at a table in the children’s section while Seabrooks read them a story.

“The library is fun,” Socoya said.

For more information, call the Santee Branch Library at 803-854-5300 or the OCLS at 803-531-4636.

T&D Correspondent Shirley Upton can be reached by e-mail at writer@ntinet.com.

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