The South Carolina State Library is pleased to announce the selection of the most notable South Carolina state government documents of 2009. The selection is announced annually on or near Freedom of Information Day, March 16, the birthday of President James Madison, an early proponent of citizen access to government information.

Awards were presented to the winning agencies by David Goble, State Library Director, at a morning ceremony at the State Library on March 16. “As we celebrate Freedom of Information Day, I salute South Carolina state agencies that continue to make their information available to the public, either in print form or electronically. The agencies honored today continue a fine tradition of open government in the Palmetto State,” said Goble.

Winning documents were selected by a group of state documents depository librarians from around the state and by staff at the South Carolina State Library.  All documents are available to view at the State Library.

The winners are:

The Palmetto State’s Memory. A History of the South Carolina Department of Archives & History, 1905-1960, by Charles H. Lesser.  SC Department of Archives and History.  

State Art Collection 1987-2006. Harriett Green, editor. South Carolina Arts Commission.

Home Lawn Management in South Carolina, by Bert McCarty and Robert F. Polomski.  Clemson Extension Service, Clemson University. Individuals may order through their local county Extension office.  Credit card orders may be placed on-line at http://dprod4.clemson.edu/br/aspx/searchmain.aspx or by calling toll-free 1-888-772-2665.  To purchase by check or money order (payable to Clemson University) mail to: Clemson University Public Service Publishing, Room 96 Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0129.

SC Annual School District Report Card Summary.  SC Department of Education.  Online at http://ed.sc.gov/topics/researchandstats/schoolreportcard/.

G-man the Rise and Fall of Melvin Purvis.  Amy Shumaker, executive producer, South Carolina Educational Television Network.  Available for purchase at the website http://etvstore.org/ for $24.95.

South Carolina Day by Day. Family Literacy Activity Calendar. South Carolina State Library.  Purchase for $10.00 or download at http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/sc-day-by-day-calendar.

South Carolina State Museum Images, Tut Underwood, editor. South Carolina State Museum Commission.  Available with membership or view online at http://www.scmuseum.org/media_room/images.aspx.

History of the South Carolina Blue Crab Fishery, by Victor G. Burrell, Jr, J. David Whitaker, Elizabeth L. Wenner, and Lawrence B. DeLancey, SC Department of Natural Resources.  Available for purchase for $15.00 at https://www.dnr.state.sc.us/magazine/shop/books2.html.

Beautiful Places.  The Timeless Beauty of South Carolina State Parks by Chad Prosser, SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.  The book is available for purchase at $34.95 at the Beautiful Places Alliance website http://www.beautifulplacesalliance.org/store/products.aspx?Product=1.

University of South Carolina Digital Libraries, Kate Boyd, program director.  University of South Carolina. http://www.scmemory.org.