Permanent URI for this collection
The Rare Book collection was established following the opening of the South Carolina State Library building in 1970. Approximately three quarters of the Rare Book Collection comes from the personal library of Alexander S. Salley (1871-1961), South Carolina's first historian and archivist. Salley's collection features titles across many subjects and interests, with an emphasis on South Carolina's history, between the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. He signed his name in all his books, and many feature handwritten commentary and notes. As the South Carolina State Library recognizes the need to preserve the rare and fragile materials in our collections, items from the Salley and Rare Book Collections are being housed in archival phase boxes and folders and are occasionally digitized to help these items be handled less and to increase availabilty for patrons.