Mission

We serve as a cornerstone in Union County, providing access to opportunities, activities, and services that improve the quality of life for all members of our community.

Vision

We contribute to making Union County a joyful, welcoming, and thriving community.

Core Values

We are … trustworthy.
We are … service-oriented.
We are … adaptive.
We are … inclusive.

Board of Trustees

The Union County Library Board consists of seven members appointed by the Union County Council.

  • Michael Tyler – Chair
  • Jennifer Roark – Vice Chair
  • William Rochester – Treasurer
  • Rena Goode – Secretary
  • Kristi Ford-Scales – Member
  • Rhonda Hollingsworth – Member
  • Antonio Johnson – Member

The Advisory Board is appointed by the Library Board and consists of five members:

  • Union County First Steps – Nicole Glenn
  • USC Union – Randy Lowell
  • Upstate Workforce Board – Nikoya Shaw
  • United Way of the Piedmont – LaKenya Young
  • Timken Manufacturing – Dale McClelland

To contact the board, please send correspondence to Board@unionlibrary.org or mail to 300 E. South St, Union, SC 29379.

Awards and Recognition

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Check out the South Carolina State Library’s guide on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion by clicking here

Resources for LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ Reading Lists for all ages

Public Statement on Racial Equity 

June 2, 2020

Across the country and in our own community, peaceful protesters have been and continue to gather to insist on justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and the many, many others before them. These horrific acts are the result of institutional and systemic racism.

Our hearts are heavy with these recent events and the tremendous suffering of our Black community members. At the Union County Library System, one of our core values is inclusiveness, and we are committed to standing against racism. We recognize our role within our community and our responsibility to our community members in overcoming racial inequity. We are honored to serve a richly diverse community, and we reaffirm our mission to provide access to opportunities, activities, and services that improve the quality of life for all members of our community.

As an organization, we began our strategic planning process with the Weathers Group in Fall 2019, which included equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training for all library staff, board members, and facility partners. We are now working to incorporate EDI principles into a thoughtful plan ensuring our vision of making Union County a joyful, welcoming, and thriving community.

We know this is a challenging and stressful time for everyone and we’re here to help by providing resources to be healthy, informed and empowered. Posted below are reading lists with titles available through the Jasmine Overdrive consortium (click here to access), which contain books for all ages to help understand and facilitate conversations about racism. We know these lists are not exhaustive and will continue to work to add more diverse titles, authors, and contributors to our collection to ensure all perspectives and voices are represented.

We lift our voices in love to silence the hate. Black Lives Matter.

— UCLS Leadership Team

Reading Lists

Guides to Anti-Racism and Social Justice for Adults

Anti-Racism and Social Justice for Young Adults

Race, Social Justice, and Activism for Kids – Chapter Books

Race, Social Justice, and Activism for Kids – Picture Books

Further Discussion and Learning about Racism

Looking for how to continue the conversation or learn more? One great resource is available through Richland Library by clicking here