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Vision

The South Carolina State Library is a national model for innovation, collaboration, leadership and effectiveness. It is the keystone in South Carolina’s intellectual landscape.

Mission

We optimize South Carolina’s investment in library and information services.

We do this by:

*Supporting good governance for South Carolinians through the provision of research and information services to elected officials and state government personnel.

*Providing equal access to information for all South Carolinians.

*Ensuring collaboration and cooperation among information providers and cultural institutions.

*Defining standards for libraries and librarianship that promote professionalism and excellence among library personnel statewide.

*Providing and promoting superior library and information services through research, development and implementation of leading edge practices.

*Advocating for innovation and learning in order to create a better informed and more highly skilled South Carolina citizenry.

Values

Values dictate the way we work with each other as we perform our mission and pursue our vision. We understand that our performance and behavior are guided as much by the spirit of the values as by the definition of the values.

*Communication: We believe communication is essential to performing our mission and pursuing our vision. Communication is vital to building organizational trust and is the hallmark of respect. Communication is a multifaceted, mutually beneficial process, and the transformation of ideas is crucial to organizational advancement. We believe the articulation of ideas by people engaged in an open-minded exchange results in new concepts, different perspectives and organizational excellence.

*Professionalism: We believe professionalism is an essential value and a well-trained and knowledgeable staff is our greatest asset. Integrity, respect and fairness guide our performance as we strive to exemplify professionalism in everything we do for the state of South Carolina.

*Collaboration: We believe the best possible results are achieved through partnerships and teamwork. When the ideas and actions of all interested parties are wisely considered the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.

*Leadership: We believe that leadership is organizational and personal. At the center of leadership is accountability for the responsibilities we have been assigned. We believe that good leadership is characterized by the ability to make decisions, take risks, and manage failure. We believe great leadership creates an environment of inspiration.

*Innovation: We believe that change is constant in the competitive organization. At its heart are people thinking outside the sphere of current norms and learning to live beyond their zone of comfort. Through the well-considered use of new models, practices, and appropriate technology we can define the intellectual landscape of South Carolina.

The South Carolina State Library is located in two buildings at the corner of Senate and Bull Streets in Columbia, South Carolina. Both buildings are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Information and Resource Center at 1500 Senate Street houses the library's general collections and Information Services staff. The offices for the Collection Management Services and Information Technology Departments are also located in this building.

Talking Book Services, Library Development Services, Administration and Finance Departments are located at 1430 Senate Street. The mailing address and telephone number for information are the same for both buildings. The mailing address is P.O. Box 11469, Columbia, South Carolina 29211. The telephone number is (803) 734-8666.