South Caroliniana Library
University of South Carolina Horseshoe
Celebrated as the first separate college library building in the nation, the South Caroliniana Library stands at the northwest corner of the University of South Carolina's historic Horseshoe. Designed by Robert Mills in 1840, this library is an example of Greek Revival architecture. By 1927, the library collection outgrew the size of the structure and J. Carroll Johnson, a noted Columbia architect, designed two fireproof wings to house additional materials. With the construction of the university's new library building in 1940, which is now McKissick Museum and the USC Visitors Center, this building became a special collections library. It houses manuscripts and archival materials that document the state's rich history. The building received additional attention in the 1970s, as interior and exterior renovations brought modern conveniences, including air conditioning. In 2015, renovations began to upgrade storage facilities, add a new fire suppression system, and improve exhibition spaces within the ground floor gallery.
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![Exterior of South Caroliniana Library]()
South Caroliniana Library, "Artwork of Columbia, S.C., published by Gravure Illustration Company, 1905." Historic Columbia collection, HCF 2008.4.1E
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![Interior of South Carolinana Library]()
South Caroliniana Library's Reading Room, "Artwork of Columbia, S.C., published by Gravure Illustration Company, 1905." Historic Columbia collection, HCF 2008.4.1A
