The 20,000-sq-ft branch will celebrate its opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by a day full of fun and informative programs for all ages.

CHARLESTON, SC – Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) will open the Keith Summey North Charleston Library (KSNC), located at 3503 Rivers Ave (view map), on Thursday, April 20. The public is invited to attend a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony beginning at 9 a.m. at the branch.   

“We’re thrilled to bring the latest library resources, services and technology to this area, while also honoring the history and impact of the former Cooper River Memorial Library that once sat on this site,” said Executive Director Angela Craig. “We hope the community will join us in celebrating the opening of this brand-new hub for knowledge and connection.” 

This facility is the last of five new libraries to open after the passing of a $108.5 million referendum in 2014 that called for new facilities, renovations, and updates throughout Charleston County libraries. For more details on the referendum and construction projects, visit ccpl.org/construction.  

The KSNC branch was designed by architects McMillan Pazdan Smith and was built by MB Kahn. Construction of the 20,000 square-foot facility began with a groundbreaking in May 2021. Features include:   

-Community and study rooms 

-Outdoor reading area 

-Self-Check kiosks and Automated Materials Handling?  

-Creative Studios/Makerspace 

-Storytime room?  

-Dedicated children and teen areas 

-Learning (computer) lab?  

-Demonstration kitchen 

-Interactive history display

The KSNC library was built on the site of the original Cooper River Memorial Library, which opened in 1948. The new branch was designed to incorporate a portion of the original library’s building into its structure. To honor this history, the branch will feature a unique, interactive history wall that tells the story of the original branch’s inception in the 1940s, all the way through the building of the new library today.  

Activities are planned throughout the day on April 20 to celebrate the opening of the new branch. A ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. will include speakers from the library and Charleston County Government, as well as other elected officials including the library’s namesake, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. In addition to the ribbon cutting, patrons will have the opportunity to attend several opening day programs including:  

-Chef demos in our Cooking Classroom.  

-Food and refreshments courtesy of local businesses and chefs (to be announced). 

-A special Storytime at 11 a.m. featuring CCPL’s mascot Owlbert and Cool Ray from the South Carolina Stingrays hockey team. 

-A Teen Space Drop-in from 2:30-4:30 p.m. including Nintendo Switch gaming, a scavenger hunt, mega-size checkers, pizza, and more! 

-Creative studio demonstrations including 3D printing of special bookmarks. 

-A program by CCPL Historian and producer of the Charleston Time Machine podcast Dr. Nic Butler and special guest Hester McFadden at 6 p.m. discussing the history of the Cooper River Memorial Library and its impact on the surrounding community.

For more information about this library branch and updates on the construction of the other facilities, please visit ccpl.org/construction or call 843-805-6890.