Richland County Public Library

Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the Richland Library, which consists of 11 libraries throughout the Midlands region, has redefined its business strategy to focus on changing and strengthening the lives of the people it touches. The library's human-centric approach to answering the needs of the community is evident in its response to the 2015 flooding in the Midlands. An analysis revealed that the libraries were the busiest FEMA respite sites in the state, with 14 percent of all statewide applications received and processed by library staff. As part of its mission to create a stronger, resilient community, the library partnered with social workers to develop a specialized curriculum for male (and now female) inmates at a local detention center. The library also uses innovative programs to facilitate workforce training and promote job growth. Since their business center opened in 2010, the library has assisted customers with more than 75,000 job and small business-related transactions.