News and Announcements

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Memorial Library System is the only library amongst seventeen other finalists for the 2014 InnoVision Awards.  The InnoVision Awards Program was founded in 1999 by Deloitte Development and is presented by the McNair Law Firm.  The program is dedicated to the advancement of technology in South Carolina through communication, education and recognition of the spirit of innovation and technological progress.

The Horry County Memorial Library is a finalist in the Technological Application Division that recognizes a company or organization for the innovative application of an existing technology for a product, process or service that may be utilized in the state of South Carolina. The Horry County Memorial Library’s entry involved the revamping of its website by:

• The use of PHP, Java Script, and MYSQL to create a materials browsing program and a new arrivals wall of images that runs on a virtual webserver.  This enabled users to more easily find library materials.  Also, this allowed the library to make ebooks, selected full-text periodical databases, and their digital collections available in a single, seamless integrated experience. 
• The creation of an application for library patrons to use on their smart phones and tablets. 
• An embedded catalog widget on their Facebook pages. 
• SMS messaging so users could get notices more quickly. 
• Enhanced telephone messaging for library patrons without computer access. 
• To assist with the promotion of library events, Google Events was added to the website which also allows staff to put information on the website directly without having to wait for an IT specialist.

Horry County Memorial Library Director, Clifton Boyer, said of being nominated, “It is an honor to be a finalist for this award and extremely satisfying that the high quality of work done by our staff is being recognized by an organization who promotes technological innovations.”

Winners will be announced at the 16th Annual Innovision Awards Dinner on November 11, 2014.

For more information, contact the Horry County Memorial Library at 843-915-5285.

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Memorial Library will hold a Used Book Sale July 14-July 16, 2014, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Library Administration Offices located at 1008 5th Avenue in Conway. Materials for sale include hardback books, paperbacks and children’s books with nothing costing over fifty cents! Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Horry County Memorial Library Endowment Fund, which provides speakers, training, etc. for the entire library system.

For more information, contact the Horry County Memorial Library Administration Office at 843-248-915-5285.

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Library has joined with one of the largest retailers in the world, Amazon, to support the Horry County Memorial Library Endowment Fund. The Fund provides an external funding source to help with the expansion and development of library facilities, enlarging collections and paying speakers for all branches.

On the Library’s website patrons will see three buttons to the right of each catalog item: Text This To Me, Place Hold, and Buy It Now. When a patron clicks the Buy It Now button, they will be taken to the Amazon website. If the item is purchased from Amazon through the Horry County Memorial Library (HCML) website, the HCML Endowment fund will get a percentage of the price! The program is not just for books, anything purchased on Amazon through the HCML website will benefit the HCML endowment fund.

Horry County Memorial Library Director Clifton Boyer said, “It is my hope that library patrons that shop online will use the Library’s Buy It Now link to Amazon.com to conduct all of their online purchases. It is a small but meaningful way to help grow the HCML Endowment Fund.”

For more information, contact the Horry County Memorial Library Administration Office at 843-248-915-5285.

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Memorial Library has added a new feature, called the Horry County Memorial Library Renewal Line, which will allow patrons to access their accounts using any telephone. Patrons can access the line can by calling 843-488-3802, entering their library card barcode number and PIN.

Using the Renewal Line, patrons will be able to check the status of the materials they have checked out, renew eligible items and check the status of any hold requests.

The service was added to assist patrons who may not have access to the Internet, a computer, smart phone or tablet.

For more information, patrons can visit any one of the ten branches of the Horry County Memorial Libraries located throughout Horry County or visit the website.

Conway, South Carolina – The Surfside Beach branch of the Horry County Memorial Library System will be closed Thursday, April 3, 2014, due to utility work. The library will reopen at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 4.

Patrons are encouraged to visit any one of nine other branches of the Horry County Memorial Library System.

For more information, contact the Horry County Memorial Library System’s Administrative Office at 843-248-1544.