New library at juvenile detention center holding book drive

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Librarians are working to expand the collection at a brand new library that opened within the Charleston County Juvenile Detention Center last month.

They’re asking the community to help the kids at the Juvenile Detention Center explore other worlds by participating in a book drive.

READ MORE: Charleston County opens new library at juvenile detention center

Officials with Charleston County Public Libraries said the response from those at the Juvenile Detention Center has been amazing so far.

Karli Gallagher, the Outreach Manager for Charleston County Public Libraries, said the fact that the teens are coming back for second visits, reading a variety of books and asking for recommendations from librarians shows just how great the response has been.

She said they’re beginning to open up to the librarians and become more talkative- and they’re even asking for specific books to be added to the collection.

“Every library worker loves that. Every library worker loves to see...being able to put that book into somebody’s hand, and the joy that it sparks. And having them come back, I mean that’s amazing. Even if they don’t like the book! And I’ve seen so many smiling faces, so much more engagement, they’re coming out of their shell and they’re learning to trust us. And books are just bridges, and we’re able to build those relationships and it means a lot,” Gallagher said.

The original collection the library opened with was carefully selected by selection experts and the Charleston County Public Libraries Outreach Team.

Now, they’re asking the public to help add to that collection.

Gallagher said many of the books that are listed in the book drive were specifically requested by the teens.

She said she can tell it’s meaningful to them to have adults visiting the library consistently, listening and then bringing in the books that they ask for.

The National Campaign to End Solitary Confinement is spotlighting this book drive as a positive example of how incarcerated teens should be treated.

For a link to that book drive, click here.

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