History
Encompassing more than 60,000 square feet over two floors, the USC Upstate Library offers a wealth of services to meet the needs of university students, staff, and faculty, as well as the larger Upstate community. These services include research help; instruction on how to use the library and evaluate information; print and digital collections; check-out, course reserves, and interlibrary loan; archives and special collections; and affordable education resources, among others.
The Library also offers nearly 100 computers, seating for more than 300 people, several quiet study rooms, and assistive technology.
The Library's collections contain nearly 150,000 print volumes and more than 1 million e-books. The Library provides access to more than 330 online databases and digital resources featuring thousands of full-text journals, magazines, and newspapers; primary sources; reference works; and video, audio, and image collections.
The Library is a member of several consortia, including the University of South Carolina System, the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL), the South Carolina Virtual Library (DISCUS), Lyrasis, and the Carolina Consortium. Through these consortia, students, staff, and faculty have access to research materials not owned by USC Upstate but easily borrowed through interlibrary loan.
PerkUp, the Library's café, is a popular place on campus for coffee drinks, snacks, and relaxing between classes.
Building Updates and Renovations
1960s |
The University of South Carolina Upstate Library began in a small room located on the first floor of the Spartanburg General Hospital nursing residence in 1967. Increasing enrollment and lack of physical space, the Library was moved in the Spring of 1968 to the basement of what was formerly the Spartanburg County Health Department. At that time the holdings of the library totaled 9,607. The USC Upstate campus began in the fall of 1969 with one building – the current Stockwell Administration Building. |
1970s |
Construction on a new building began in 1976. In addition to housing the Library, the building was designed for classrooms and office space. The project took one year to complete and classes were held in the building for the first time In January 1977. Between the 1970s and 2018, the library was remodeled as services and programs changed to meet the needs of the students. |
2018 |
The library began the first phase of a two-part renovation project in Fall 2018. The first phase included the implementation of a library coffee shop and bistro, two non-gender specific restrooms, compact shelving for the entire physical collection, and relocation of two instruction computer labs to the second floor. |
| 2021 | The second phase of renovations began in January 2021 and was completed in August 2021. Renovations included the installation of a sprinkler system, six new faculty offices, two new service desks, an uplifted staircase, open seating, and new flooring. During the fall and spring semesters, the library is open on a 24/5 schedule. |
| 2023 | Discussions are underway for further renovation of the library building, along with the construction of a library annex adjacent to the main building. |
Library Mission
Through our services, collections, spaces, people, and partnerships, the USC Upstate Library supports the University's mission, vision, and strategic directions. Our learning environment encourages persistence and empowers success for students, staff, and faculty, as well as the people of the Upstate region of South Carolina.
The Library is committed to ensuring equitable access to information. We foster a welcoming environment that supports intellectual and academic freedom for all. Located at the heart of the University, the Library's physical space offers a place for research, study, and collaboration. Beyond our physical space, the Library's digital resources offer continuous opportunities for learning and research.
The Library collaborates meaningfully with campus and community partners to collect, preserve, and celebrate University scholarship and the Upstate region's history and culture. Through our participation in University, state, and national initiatives, we prioritize making higher education affordable.
Collections
The general collection is located on the library's first floor and may be checked out. This is the library's largest collection and includes books, DVDs, videos, plays and music recordings.
This collection is located on the library's first floor, in compact shelving, adjacent the bound periodicals. Library users may search for these titles by choosing USC Upstate Juvenile in SearchUp's location panel. Non-fiction, fiction, easy books and many of Newberry & Caldecott Award winning titles are found in this collection.
Maps & Atlases are located under the library's second floor stairs. Flat maps are arranged by area location.
Oversized books are located before the circulating collection, but there are also oversized items that are in the reference collection. Materials that are oversized will be indicated in the library catalog record.
Periodicals are publications issued at regular intervals like a newspaper, magazine, or journal. In the USC Upstate Library, the periodicals are shelved in alphabetical order by the title of the newspaper, magazine, or journal. There are several locations of periodicals, depending on their currency and format.
Current Issues are located on Shelving Range 82, the last set of shelves in the far left of the library, just past the restrooms. Newspapers are kept at the Circulation Desk.
Bound Periodicals are shelved in the compact shelving along the far left wall (just past restrooms) on Shelving Ranges 74 to 81. Titles are in alphabetical order. If you cannot locate a title on either the current or bound shelves, the Circulation Desk can check the record for the title and see whether it has been sent to the bindery.
Microfilm, periodicals in film format, is housed in cabinets across from the library elevator.
Microfiche is available for Daily Congressional Record 1986- July 2000, Monthly Catalog 1965-1977, South Carolina Constitution 1895, South Carolina Convention Journal 1860 -62,65,68, 95, Congressional Record 1949-1978. These publications are also with the cabinets of Microfiche.
The Microfilm & Microfiche Reader is near the research desk and it can be used to read both microfilm and microfiche materials. Check out the mouse from the information desk. If you need assistance in finding or copying the material, please ask-a-librarian.
Many periodicals are listed in the online Library Catalog and are searchable by the Periodical Title. The catalog lists the title and the library location for the item.
The Reference Collection is found in the first several compact shelving ranges adjacent to the reference desk. This collection is for in-library use only. The collection is indicated with red signage on each of the end shelving panels. Materials in this section but are not limited to include dictionaries, large volume sets, and encyclopedias.
Library Deans & Directors
A native of coastal North Carolina, John has more than 25 years of experience in library management, leadership, collections, outreach to diverse audiences, grant writing, scholarly communication and reference and instructional services. Prior to joining USC Upstate, John served as executive director of the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL), an academic library consortium headquartered in Toronto, Canada. John also has held positions with the University of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium (PALCI), Gettysburg College, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and San Antonio Public Library. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Writing and Editing from East Carolina University and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He served as past co-editor of Pennsylvania Libraries: Research and Practice, an open access journal, and continues to research and write about libraries, books, media, travel, and culture.
Frieda Davison
Past Library Dean
2000-2021
Frieda grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of the southwestern section of Virginia. She holds degrees from Clinch Valley College (now UVa at Wise), University of Kentucky, and Columbia University. During her career, she has worked at seven universities, including Upstate, throughout the United States. Her research interests centered on family and local history. Her book More Than A Name, which highlights the lives and deaths of each of the 640 soldiers listed on the Spartanburg County Veterans’ Memorial in Duncan Park, was written while serving as USC Upstate Library Dean.
| 1968-1975 | Ms. Jane Johnson - Library Director |
| 1975 - 19xx | Mr. Bob Perrin - Library Director |
| 19xx - 1988 | Ms. Judy Dye - Library Director |
| 1988 - 1994 | Dr. Julian "Chip" Green - Dean of Library Services |
| 1994 - 19xx | Dr. Celia Adair - Interim Library Dean & Professor of Mathematics |
| 19xx - 2000 | Ms. Helen Wiltse - Library Director then Library Dean |