Charleston Library Society

With great success from last year's Life Long Learning Course on the Music of Vietnam Era, Dana Beach and Teddy Gilbreth return for another six-part series exploring the distinctive music of South & North Carolina, from its diverse array of originating influences to the wide-ranging diaspora of its impact. The unique cross-section of community, class, […]

Due to the high enthusiasm surrounding Story Time, we will be offering this to members only. To join the Library Society, please click here. Join us for our beloved Story Time in the Rabbit Hole! During this hour long, kid-friendly program, children and their parents/caregivers will join Kenna, our part time Children's Librarian. She will be […]

Living in the Lowcountry, we are familiar with the coastal aesthetic and the designers who've made themselves at home perfecting it. As one of the most beloved tastemakers, Amanda Lindroth delivers another captivating compendium of her signature work, Island Dreaming, a gorgeous collection of her colorful, coastal, and fittingly dreamy designs. With a soaring career […]

Described by scholar W.E.B. DuBois as the "leading portrait painter of the race," Charleston native and prolific artist Edwin "Teddy" Augustus Harleston paved the way for artists of color in the South. Joined by his wife and photographer, Elise, the two not only planted the foundations for a Harlem Renaissance-esque artistic movement in the South, […]

Join our resident bookbinder and conservator, James Davis, to learn the art of hand bookbinding and walk away with your very own journal. Starting with paper, board, and thread, students will be instructed on the techniques and practices of constructing a well made blank book from scratch. Each journal will feature hand stitching and decorative marbled […]

We are thrilled to invite you to our latest addition to the social calendar – Member Mingle also known as Cocktail Hour, Happy Hour or 5 o'clock somewhere – a meet and greet opportunity without any programmatic component. Held on the third Wednesday evening of each month and open to all members, we hope you'll […]

Just ahead of the 10 year anniversary, we are incredibly honored to host New York Times and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kevin Sack in conversation with reporter Carolyn Murray, for the pub-day release of Mother Emanuel, a comprehensive history of one of the nation’s most important African American churches and the profound story of courage and […]

CLS is honored to partner with CofC's Department of Theatre and Dance to present the third annual Shakespeare on the Steps. Don't miss this special Shakespearian experience that returns for its third year! Join us on Sunday, June 8th, as we transform our front steps into a stage for a plein air, abbreviated performance. This […]

CLS Book Club is FREE, in-person, and open to the public—and also member-researched and led through thoughtfully curated discussion. Whether you’ve finished the book, are thinking about starting it, or couldn’t make it past the halfway point, please join us. RSVP is required via the form below so that we can plan for seating. About […]

We are thrilled to invite you to our latest addition to the social calendar – Member Mingle also known as Cocktail Hour, Happy Hour or 5 o'clock somewhere – a meet and greet opportunity without any programmatic component. Held on the third Wednesday evening of each month and open to all members, we hope you'll […]

Dubbed the queen of Southern suspense, Charleston's own Stacy Willingham joins us to celebrate the publication day of Forget Me Not — the fourth psychological suspense novel from New York Times, USA Today and internationally bestselling author Stacy Willingham. A novice of the Main Reading Room, we are thrilled to welcome Stacy back to discuss […]