Library chief plans get-togethers

When Mary-Lin Maner meets the public, she hopes people will know she would like to hear their ideas about programs offered by the county's libraries.

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"I want the public to be aware of what the libraries offer and get their input on what they would like for us to offer," said Maner, who took the post of Columbia County's library director after the departure of longtime librarian Christina Rice.

"I want to answer their questions regarding why we don't do certain things and explain to them why we do others," she said.

Maner has been on the job in Columbia County since early July, but she has plans for the libraries she has been entrusted to oversee. She will begin a monthly coffee club at each of the three libraries -- Columbia County, Euchee Creek and Harlem -- starting Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. at the main library on Evans Town Center Drive.

"I want it to be a type of roundtable discussion," said the former Richmond County elementary school media specialist.

The Euchee Creek coffee club is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 17, and the Harlem coffee club will be held at 9 a.m. Aug. 25.

Subsequent coffee clubs at the Columbia County library will be at 10 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month; Euchee Creek will meet the third Monday at 10 a.m., and Harlem will meet the fourth Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Maner said an attendance of 10 to 15 patrons would be great, but she hopes the community backs the coffee clubs and shows their support for the library by coming out.

"We've put it out there, and now we have to wait and see," said Maner, who holds a library specialist degree from the University of South Carolina.

She said she sought out the position because she wanted something different.

"I was looking for more of a challenge," said Maner, whose husband, David, owns the Bean Baskette Coffee Shop in Evans. "I'm looking forward to seeing what's ahead."