a publication of the Greenville County Library System
Little Learners Club Kindergarten readiness with Palmetto Basics
Día de los Muertos Colorful, edible decorations
Books in the Attic Start your own book collection
Victorian Symbolism in Greenville Cemeteries
FALL/WINTER 2019 Language-learning centered around you.
PoweredPowered by by intelligent intelligent technology technology and and an adaptive algorithm, Mango empowers anyou adaptive to communicate algorithm, with Mangoconfidence, empowers youpreparing to communicate you for uncharted with experiencescon idence, preparingwith language you and for culture. uncharted experiences with language and culture. Challenge yourself to discover something new. This resource is free with your Challengelibrary card yourselfin the online to discoverLearning Centersomething via new.greenvillelibrary.org Visit mangolanguages.com
Start the conversation.
2 LIBRARY NOW // Fall/Winter 2019 In This Issue
LIBRARY NOW Fall/Winter 2019 4 // BEAUTY & DECAY Victorian Symbolism in Mission Greenville Cemeteries To champion literacy, inspire learning, and foster community connection.
Vision To be Greenville County's first choice for exploration, discovery, and information.
About this Publication Library Now is produced by the Greenville County Library System and partially underwritten by the Powered by intelligent technology and Friends of the Greenville County Library System. an adaptive algorithm, Mango empowers Visit greenvillelibrary.org/friends to become a you to communicate with confidence, Friends member and have this magazine mailed preparing you for uncharted experiences to your home. with language and culture. Library Board of Trustees 8 // LITTLE LEARNERS Challenge yourself to discover something Mr. Brian Aufmuth CLUB Ms. Laura Baker new. This resource is free with your Use the Palmetto Basics to library card in the online Learning Center via interact with your child. Mr. Kenneth Baxter greenvillelibrary.org Dr. Grady Butler, Vice-Chair Mr. Chace Campbell, Chair Mr. S. Allan Hill 12 // BOOKS IN THE ATTIC Mr. Tommy Hughes Vintage, rare, and antique book Mr. Dick Jensen collecting. Mrs. Glenda Julian Mrs. Deryl Paradis, Secretary Mr. Joe Poore, Treasurer
Library Executive Director Beverly James [email protected]
Greenville County Library System 10 // FRUIT SKULLS 25 Heritage Green Place Colorful, edible 14 // JUST BLOG IT! Greenville, SC 29601 decorations for Día de los Share your experiences and Muertos. connect online. greenvillelibrary.org
11 // HOLIDAY PICKS Curl up with a good album, book, or movie.
Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 3 Victorian Symbolism in Greenville Cemeteries
Amidst Greenville’s rapid growth, it is sometimes easy to overlook the pockets of history that still remain today. Richland Cemetery is one such remainder, resting along Greenville’s outskirts in the arms of N. Church Street. and E. Stone Avenue. Not far away lies Springwood Cemetery with its park-like grounds at the top of the hill on N. Main Street. These ghosts of Greenville's past haunt the perimeter of the city’s life, bordering businesses and new townhome towers, in view of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Cemeteries can be seen as a city’s physical roots, the markers inscribed and sculpted in remembrance of its dead in ways that reflect societal and cultural norms such as religion and spirituality, values, and important symbols. They can be seen as a microcosm of a city at large, visually bearing its traditions over time in each detail, like the shape and size of a family’s plot marker, the images carved into headstones, or the types of material out of which the headstones were fashioned. Other signs are subtler, such as oak and cedar trees muscling between plots, or forget-me-nots and blue pea flower blooms in mounded borders. What are flowers and trees to a cemetery? They are words in the language of South Carolina burial practices, just like the grave markers themselves.
A cherubic mother and child statue in Springwood Cemetery. 4 Local History
Richland Cemetery speaks a variant of that language, one articulated by African American and Victorian funerary art and rites. Heralded by a stonework entrance, simple black and white signs, and a black chain link fence for security, Richland’s grounds retain the historic atmosphere of its beginnings in January 1884 as the one of the first African American cemeteries in Greenville. Its six acres are divided into four sections, A, B, C, and D (with A being the oldest section located in the southwest corner of the cemetery). There a visitor will find thick, mature cedar and magnolia trees that serve to mark the earliest graves alongside headstones made of natural stone like granite. These trees were historically planted in South Carolina cemeteries to represent life eternal.
A visitor walking the grounds of Richland Cemetery will find headstones carved with symbols of the afterlife, such as the image of two large gates opening at the end of a path. Some gates open to nothing, the abyss, while others open to the heavens set with a star or a dove flying up to the sky. Others exhibit lone birds, trees, fern fronds, and ivy. Hands clasped symbolize the living letting go of the dead. Hackles of yucca and cactus at the corners and between graves signify the beliefs of some African American traditions that the spiny plants hold spirits captive in the cemetery, preventing them from roaming the land. Symbols of water, like vases and shells, are meant to help transition the deceased into the ether. Head-sized conch shells rest loose like offerings on more than one grave, their bone backs eroded from a century in the Upcountry weather.
A covering of granite rocks with embedded stone Conch shell adorning a gravesite at Richland cross at Springwood Cemetery. Cemetery.
Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 5 Early 20th century ironworks mark a family plot in Springwood Cemetery.
Springwood Cemetery, Greenville’s were bordered on all sides, resembling municipal cemetery with most graves beds. In both cemeteries, headstones dating from the 19th and early 20th range from rough and natural stones and centuries, is to the southwest of Richland crude inscriptions to ornate—hewn into Cemetery across Church St. Many of Gothic arches or beveled slabs and worked Springwood’s headstones are carved with by an artist’s hand and eye. Some markers Victorian funeral symbolism like those are seemingly mysterious. Square markers in Richland Cemetery, though due to its are turned on a point and half buried so size and the more affluent status of its that a triangle of stone points to the sky, dead, Springwood has a larger number of bearing no visible inscription, a symbol graves and more elaborate markers. Here of life on earth and in heaven. No matter a visitor will see tall monuments of Christ, the style, simplicity or extravagance, sculptures of women, crosses, trees, visitors will find each type of grave marker arches, wrought iron fencing, and marble affecting in its own unique ways. mausoleums. But the symbols—like lambs for buried children, doves, broken rose Headstones are irreplaceable artifacts of stems and rosebuds to show a life broken the past. Non-invasive ways to decipher off short, and drapery carved as if it lay faded inscriptions include reflecting light over the stone—can be observed on grave with a mirror, or shining a flashlight on the markers in both cemeteries. headstone.
Symbols of mourning and death were very These Greenville cemeteries are only important to the Victorians, and what the open during daylight hours, but make for Victorians appreciated in life they clung a historic seasonal activity. Whether you to in death. Ferns were all the rage in the believe in ghosts or not, Richland and late 19th century, and fern fronds figure Springwood Cemeteries are open vaults of into the designs of many headstones in Greenville’s past and well worth a visit. Springwood, and a few in Richland, as well as acanthus leaves and willow trees, both symbols of mourning. Many believed their dead were in a long sleep and would one day rise again in accordance with Christian belief. A headstone was often opposed by a footstone, and some graves
6 LIBRARY NOW // Fall/Winter 2019 Local History
Want to learn more about local history and genealogy? Visit the South Carolina Room at Hughes Main Library and start your journey today.
Books: Digital Online The following resources are part of the South Carolina Room collection and are available for Archives: Resources: in-library use. The following resources may be viewed Free with your Library card from any in the South Carolina Room or at Library System location. • South Carolina's home via www.greenvillelibrary.org/ Historic Cemeteries: genealogy-and-local-history. • Ancestry.com A Preservation Handbook • Handwritten Greenville County This resource is available from your by Susan H. McGahee, coroner reports from home free with your library card Mary W. Edmonds February 1894 to December via greenvillelibrary.org. However, 1896—includes inquisitions, using this resource from any library • Cemetery Survey testimonies, and verdicts location offers access to even more of its features. Books (arranged by State and County) • Assorted photos from Upstate • Familysearch.org cemeteries
Copies of this book are available at multiple library system locations for checkout. Microfilm: Vertical Files: A print or digital copy of the following Explore assorted topics previously • The Family Tree items may be requested online at researched by South Carolina Room Cemetery Field greenvillelibrary.org/record-request. staff. Topics include:: Guide: How to Find, Record, & Preserve • South Carolina Death • Upstate cemeteries Your Ancestors' Certificates (1915-1968) Graves • Folklore including ghosts and by Joy Neighbors • Obituaries from The local legends Greenville News
Visit greenvillelibrary.org for a complete listing of Upstate history and genealogy related events occurring at multiple Library System locations during the fall and winter.
Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 7 Does how you interact with your young children matter? YES!
The Greenville County Library System has embraced The Palmetto Basics, a county-wide kindergarten readiness initiative brought to South Carolina by Greenville First Steps. Experts tell us that exploring these 5 areas of learning early in your child’s life can make a big impact on later school success.
The Palmetto Basics:
Maximize Love, Talk, Sing, and Count, Group, and Explore Through Read and Discuss Manage Stress Point Compare Movement and Stories Play
8 LIBRARY NOW // Fall/Winter 2019 Kindergarten Readiness
Participating in simple, free activities with your child from each of the five Palmetto Basics categories supports and develops kindergarten readiness. Because the Library System wants to support families in developing school-ready children, we have responded to the Palmetto Basics initiative by creating the Little Learners Club.
The Little Learners Club is open to children under 5 years of age. To join, visit any Library System location and ask for a Little Learners Club activity log.
Complete Palmetto Basics activities to earn a Little Learners Club tote bag and pins.
Find downloadable lists of suggested activities representing each of the Palmetto Basics at greenvillelibrary.org/little-learners- club. Choose activities that best fit your child's age and abilities. You may also create your own activities, and are very likely participating in some of them already.
The Palmetto Basics activities are meant to span and enrich the early years of your child’s life. No rush to finish, just complete by kindergarten to foster school readiness.
Sample Activities Cuddle with your child while reading.
Play "I Spy" as you wait in line or at an appointment.
Read books with your child. Ask your librarian for recommendations.
Let your child help sort laundry by color and size.
Play "Simon Says" with simple directions.
Many of the suggested activities that support the Palmetto Basics incorporate the use of books and music. To help ensure that children and caregivers have access to these materials, the Library System has created a Little Learners card. The Little Learners card is available to children from birth through age 4 and allows caregivers to check out children’s music and books for their little ones. Borrowing books and music from the library gives you access to a large variety of materials as your child grows and changes. It’s also a great way to “try out” stories before you buy them.
Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 9 Make At Home
Celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in a most delicious way! Adult supervision is required. Día de los Muertos is a day for honoring the memory of family members who have passed on. Relatives traditionally gather together to preserve the memory of their loved ones by cooking their favorite foods, sharing memories, dusting off old photographs, and enjoying the legacy of the family created by their ancestors.
Materials: Now for the fun part! • Large strawberries, pears, apples, or other fruits Add colorful edible decorations to your fruit skulls! • Large package of white chocolate melts • Use candy markers to draw eyes, a nose, and • Edible markers from the baking aisle some teeth. • Grab those cupcake sprinkles and sprinkle away. Directions • Use small baking candies for eyes and cheeks. 1. Wash fruit. • Be creative. If it’s edible, you can’t get this wrong. 2. Follow microwave directions on chocolate melts • Tag a photo of your fruit skulls on Instagram package. with #GCLSdayofthedead by November 15 and be 3. One by one, carefully dip each fruit into the melted entered to win a goodie bag. white chocolate so that it is completely or nearly completely covered. For more decorating ideas, visit Creative Bug in the online 4. Place plate of white chocolate covered fruit in the Learning Center of greenvillelibrary.org. Free with your refrigerator. Let cool for one hour. library card, Creative Bug offers step-by-step instructions for 5. Set each piece of fruit on a separate plate for optimal more Día de los Muertos themed crafts. decorating fun. Visit greenvillelibrary.org for a complete listing of Library events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
10 LIBRARY NOW // Fall/Winter 2019 Read / Watch / Listen
Holiday Music Kids Download & listen with Freegal Music and Hoopla. Check it out at the Library. Thriller - Michael Jackson You Spin Me Right Round - Ghostbusters - Ray Parker, Jr. Dead or Alive Time Warp - Little Nell, Patricia Jump in the Line - Quinn & Richard O'Brien Harry Belafonte I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow The Addams Family Theme - Vic Mizzy & His Orchestra Monster Mash - Bobby Pickett Things Can Only Get Better - A Nightmare on My Street - Howard Jones DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince September - Earth, Wind & Fire Halloween Party Playlist She Blinded Me With Science - (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Download or stream free Thomas Dolby Blue Oyster Cult on Freegal Music. Evil Woman - ELO
Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook by Kim Smith E Rekulak
Joy - An Irish Christmas 20 1's Christmas Classics A Jolly Christmas from Keith & Kristyn Getty Various Artists Frank Sinatra
Download books, movies, and music free at greenvillelibrary.org/downloads. Available on Hoopla Available on Hoopla Frank Sinatra Available on Hoopla Ghosts of Christmas Past Curl up with a good movie. The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker by Katy Flint, Jessica Courtney-Tickle E Courtney-Tickle
The Nightmare Before Gremlins Beetlejuice Christmas DVD Gremlins J DVD Toy DVD Nightmare Available on Hoopla
Wintertime Singalong by Emily Arrow J CD/MUS 781.723 Arrow
A Christmas Carol The Grinch Babes in Toyland DVD Christmas J DVD Grinch J DVD Babes Available on Hoopla Available on Hoopla Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 11 Friends of the Library
Books in the Attic
Vintage, rare, and antique book collecting
Do you love the smell, weight, and texture of a book in hand? The way a complete or matching set of works compliments a room? The promise of a story waiting to be told?
12 LIBRARY NOW // Fall/Winter 2019 1 Book collecting isn’t likely to be a way to earn a living, so make sure you’re having fun. 2 Each book’s value will vary depending on the person collecting. 3 Start with an author or book genre you already have on your shelves. 4 Attend used book sales and estate sales. 5 Subscribe to book-collecting themed enewsletters to keep up with the latest trends.
Evaluating what you have: Check the publication date and edition Notice whether the book is signed by the author Make sure the book is completely intact including original dust jacket Keep Antique book recently found at a Friends Used Book Sale. an eye out for Illustrations, book bindings, sewn-in pages, and other unusual features Look for any missing pages as older books are often mined for illustrations, maps, and etchings Pay attention to any mold, water damage, or insect activity
Give yourself a small collecting Some books tell more than challenge: one story: • All the works by your favorite author • Personal inscriptions with names of • A book series like Nancy Drew or the the people who once cherished them Hardy Boys • Hand-written dates marking when • Pick a significant year in your life, and the book was received as a gift collect all the Newbery or Caldecott • Newspaper clippings or photographs winners for that year tucked inside • Favorites you remember from your • Important family events recorded childhood inside • All the books illustrated by a particular artist
Begin or build your collection by attending the Friends Fall Used Book Sale at the Merovan Center on Woodruff Road.
Fri, Oct 25 • 3p-7p • Friends members only*. Illustrations and other unusual features Merovan Center Sat, Oct 26 • 10a-5p • Open to the public. can add to the value of a book. 1200 Woodruff Road, Suite E2 Sun, Oct 27 • 1p-5p • 50% off. Open to the public. Greenville, SC 29607 *Memberships begin at $5 and are available at the door or online at greenvillelibrary.org/friends. Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 13 Technology Just Blog It!
Do you have a specialized skill set or interest like cooking or traveling? Are you engaged in an artistic or academic pursuit whose process is as fascinating as the end result, like writing or genealogy? Are you a photographer, knitter, hiker, parent, or historian?
Blogging offers the opportunity to share your experience and adds a modern twist to more traditional creative outlets.
GET STARTED FOR FREE Many blogging platforms are free and offer the opportunity to experiment with easy-to-use interfaces and pre-created templates. Google Blogger and Wordpress.com are two well established blogging platforms that offer free blogging as well as intuitive content editors. If your interests and story-telling style are more visual, you might try a platform like Tumblr.
LEARN BASIC CODING SKILLS It is easy to forget that a blog is a website, and as such, offers a fun and creative means for practicing computer skills. Try basics like inserting images and choosing fonts, and progress to more intermediate web design skills including the use of basic coding languages like HTML and CSS.
CONNECT WITH FELLOW ENTHUSIASTS Blogging invites online interaction with people who share your interests or want to learn something new. Visiting other people's blogs can inspire new content and design ideas for your own. Leave comments, share information, and even invite someone to write a guest blog for you.
14 LIBRARY NOW // Fall/Winter 2019 Get Started:
Choose a theme An interest like cooking offers the promise of visual content as well as step-by-step chunks of information, while a topic like genealogy will give you an excuse to organize and share family photographs. Don’t keep that fascinating behind-the-scenes story to yourself. Blog it!
Post it Give yourself a posting challenge that you can keep up with. Begin by publishing something once a week or twice a month, and slowly step up your pace. The more regularly timed your posts are, the more readers will keep returning for the promise of new content.
For additional support and assistance, Book a Librarian for an appointment at any Library System location. The Library’s Book a Librarian service pairs you with a Library staff person whose expertise meets your needs.
Visit greenvillelibrary.org/book-a-librarian to get free, personalized assistance with creating your blog or with other topics such as digital literacy, family history research, online job searching, and more.
Fall/Winter 2019 // LIBRARY NOW 15 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 656 25 Heritage Green Place GREENVILLE, SC Greenville, SC 29601-2034 29601 864-242-5000 greenvillelibrary.org
LIBRARY NOW FALL/WINTER 2019