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 During the past nine years, the Richland County Public Library
has established an alliance with actors and scholars to bring
a multicultural focus to library programming. RCPL has now
formally established a Literary Residency to take advantage
of the tremendous talent available to the library and the
community.
Based on the artist-in-residence concept, RCPL’s Literary
Residency was expanded to include actors and scholars who
provide creative literary and historical presentations, lectures
and workshops. These programs stimulate reading, creative
thinking, thought expression and the use of the library’s
collections and services. The programs span many arts and
humanities disciplines including history, literature, language,
linguistics, philosophy, theatre and music, always with a
multicultural focus.
The relationships RCPL has developed with Clarence Felder
and Chris Weatherhead, cofounders of The
Actors’ Theatre
of South Carolina; Howard Burnham; Dr. Glenn James; Carrie
Allen McCray; and Dr. Rosemary Reisman have been extremely
rewarding. These actors and scholars—RCPL’s first
Literary Residents—have an impressive depth of interest
in and knowledge of good literature.
While working with Literary Residents, RCPL will continue
to hold programs with additional scholars and authors and
partner with other organizations to provide fun, informative
community events. The library regularly works on special
programs with the South Carolina Bar, the Historic Columbia
Foundation, SCORE, the U.S. Postal Service, Midlands Technical
College, University of South Carolina and Columbia College.
RCPL’s first Literary Residents
- Clarence Felder and Chris Weatherhead formed The
Actors’ Theatre
of South Carolina to share the outstanding talents they gained
during their years in theatre, film and television in New
York and Los Angeles. They each have an extensive knowledge
of world literature and are associated with an exceptionally
talented group of actors.
- Howard Burnham, a scholar, educator, actor and playwright,
is an Englishman who has chosen to make Columbia his home.
His writings are carefully researched, well written and performed
with precision. He continues to develop his tremendous repertoire
of monologues and dramatic readings.
- Dr. Glenn James is a professor
of English at Midlands Technical College. He is an excellent
lecturer and discussion facilitator who has conducted numerous
humanities programs throughout South Carolina. He has taught
throughout Europe and the United States.
- Carrie Allen McCray, a well-known author
and poet, is a
founder of the South
Carolina Writers’ Workshop and
has written short stories, poems and essays for many years.
Her most recent projects are biographies of her mother and
her husband. The recipient of the 2002 Lucy Hampton Bostick
Award given by the Friends of RCPL, McCray has received numerous
honors and awards.
- Dr. Rosemary Canfield Reisman,
currently an adjunct professor of English at Charleston
Southern University, also taught at Louisiana State University
for 10 years and at Troy State University for more than
20 years. Dr. Reisman has written numerous essays, annotated
bibliographies and critical works on contemporary Southern
fiction writers, and she has conducted humanities programs
throughout the South.
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