Please note: Participation in this project has been strictly voluntary. Not every county is represented. We have chosen to omit references to commercial database services that may be available through Library subscriptions at the individual public libraries. Please address your questions regarding availability of subscription database services at a specific library to that library.

Thank you to all the public libraries who have joined in this endeavor to provide a clearinghouse of contact information regarding the availability and fees associated with obituary services throughout our state. Information compiled by staff of the Beaufort County Library and Richland County Public Library, in collaboration with the South Carolina State Library.

Aiken Public Library System

Newspapers indexed:

• Barnwell : Barnwell People Sentinel. Dates - 2 hard copies every Wednesday from January thru December. 1 hard copy held until the end of the year and is sent to be microfilmed. People Sentinel microfilm: January 1877 - December 2006. Indexing is not available. Advetizer-Herald microfilm: 1969-1984. Current year in hard copy. Indexing not available.
• Aiken: Aiken, SC Newspapers on microfilm at ACPL (Revised)
  (No newspapers are available for the year of 1872.)

• Aiken Tribune – November 25, 1871; January 4 – Dec. 27, 1873; July 11, 1874.
• Aiken Journal – February 21, 1874 – October 31, 1874.
• Aiken Journal changes to Courier-Journal beginning November 7, 1874.
• Courier-Journal – November 7, 1874 – June 14, 1877; October 11, 1877 – February 14, 1878.
• Aiken Journal and Review – January 7, 1885 – November 11, 1885.
• Journal and Review – November 18, 1885 – January 18, 1888.
• Journal and Review Trade Issue – October 9, 1889.
• Aiken Recorder – These dates available for 1892: 4/29, 6/10, 7/8, 7/15, & 7/22; Scattered issues for 1892, 1895, 1899, 1906 and 1907.
• Journal and Review – January 20, 1892 – January 27, 1926 (part). (1894 and 1895 missing; 1903 missing; fragment available for front page on 2/5/1919—inside paper dated 1/29//1919); (Masthead moves around between Aiken Journal and Review and Journal and Review between 1902 and 1910 for 1902, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1909, and 1910—frontpage entitled one or the other with subsequent pages on same date(s) labeled Journal and Review; fragments/damaged pages on the reel between 3/31/1897 through 9/9/1904.)
• Aiken Journal and Review – January 27, 1926 – November 13, 1935 (9/19/1934 through March 6, 1935 on earlier reel combined with Aiken Sentinel 1910 and Aiken Standard 1917-1921); (coverage also available out-of-sequence for 1/24/34, 2/21/34, 2/28/34 plus 2/6/35, 2/13/35, and 3/6/35 through 11/13/35).
• Aiken Sentinel – March 11, 1910 through May 6, 1910. (On one reel that also contains Aiken Standard 10/1917 – 1921 as well as Journal and Review 9/19/1934 through 3/6/1935 inspite of difference in years.)
• Aiken Standard – November 13, 1921 through March 16, 1928 (part)--Dates on this reel run chronologically backward—a couple of January 1924 dates out of sequence between 1925 and 1926!; March 16, 1928 through August 29, 1930.
• Aiken Standard and SC Gazette – October 3, 1930 – February 13, 1931; March 6, 1931 – December 1934; and scattered issues 3/30/1935, 4/5/1935, & 11/15/1935.
• Aiken Standard and Review – November 22, 1935 through December 31, 1969.
• Aiken County Journal – September 24, 1969 through October 30, 1969.
• Aiken Standard – January 1, 1970 – current.
• Aiken County Register – November 18, 1983 – April 19, 1984.

Special instructions: Provide name and approximate date of death. Contact persons: Aiken: Janet Robinson 803-642-2022; Bamberg: Jennifer Naimzadeh 803-245-3099; Barnwell: Lisa Gillespie 803-259-3612.

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Allendale-Hampton-Jasper Regional Library System

Newspaper Holdings (by library location):

• Allendale Library Location: Citizen Leader (and all other names for this publication) 1947 - 2004; Allendale Library also has partial grave listings done by church members. The microfilm reader does not print, but researchers may take the film to be copied at nearby University of South Carolina Salkehatchie.
• Hampton Library Location: Odd issues of several papers before the Guardian in 1914; holdings of the Guardian complete through 2004. Hampton Library has a state of the art reader/printer.
• Pratt Memorial Library (Ridgeland, Jasper County): Odd issues of older papers until 1964; The Jasper News and Sun 1964 - 2003. Hardeeville Times 1994-2003 and a microfilm reader/printer. (Hardeeville Library has the same newspapers but no microfilm reader/printer at this time).

For other genealogical resources, contact the historical societies of each county within the library's service area:

• Allendale County Historical Society
  PO Box 545
  Allendale, SC 29810-0545
  E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
  Telephone: (803) 584-0899
  Website: http://sciway3.net/clark/allendale/histsoc.html
• Hampton County Historical Society
  PO Box 152
  Hampton, SC 29924
• Jasper County Historical Society
  PO Box 2111
  Ridgeland, SC 29936-2111
  E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
  Telephone: (843) 726-8136
  Fax: (843) 726-4401

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Anderson County Library

Newspapers Indexed:

The following abstracted newspapers available on microfilm:

• Miller’s Weekly Messenger and Pendleton Messenger(film dates: 1807-1851) which was indexed by Brent Holcomb in Marriage and death notices from Pendleton (S.C.) Messenger, 1807-1851.
• Anderson Intelligencer (film dates: 1860-1900) which was indexed by James Harper in The Anderson Intelligencer (abstracts are from July 1882-Dec. 1900).
• Works in progress: World War II KIA obituaries. The deaths were taken from the Anderson Independent and cover the period Dec. 1941-June 1945.

Special instructions: Anyone who wishes more information regarding our obituary search policy may go to our web page at http://www.andersonlibrary.org/scroom.htm or contact Laura Holden at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Information last revised: 2/07/08

Beaufort County Library

Link: Online newspaper index

Geographic Area: Old Beaufort District (Current-day Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton Counties). 1862-1984, November 2007--actively updated.

Newspapers Indexed:

• Beaufort Catalyst (May 22, 1993 - December 31, 1995)
• Beaufort Gazette (July 16, 1903 - present)
• Beaufort Today (November 2007 - present)
  
• Bluffton Packet (January 1994 - December 1995)
• Bluffton Today (November 2007 - present)
  
• Beaufort Republican (October 12, 1871 - October 16, 1873)
• Beaufort Times (June 21, 1944 - December 20, 1945)
• County Democrat (July 20, 1910 - December 1, 1911)
• Hilton Head News (January - December 1993; January - December 1996)
• Hilton Head Report (January 1986 - March 1988)
• Hilton Head Sun (February 1988 - May 1989)
• Hilton Head Today (November 2007 - present)
  
• Island Packet (January 1974 - present)
• Lowcountry Ledger (December 1988 - December 1991)
• Palmetto Herald (March 17, 1864 - December 29, 1864)
• Palmetto Post (January 5, 1882 - December 27, 1906)
• Port Royal Commercial and Beaufort County Republican (October 23, 1873 - April 1874)
• Sea Islander (September 13, 1968 - December 1974)

NOTE: For newspapers with date ranges "to present," check the obituary page for current progress of indexing project.

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Library Website: www.beaufortcountylibrary.org

Information Last Revised: 7/10/08

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Charleston County Public Library

Link: http://192.152.249.240:8080/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/o/60/1180/X

Geographical Area: Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties

Newspapers Indexed: The Post and Courier for the years 1988 to present.

Text of the Obituaries Available Online? No

Special Instructions: The index contains first and last names of the deceased and the date on which the obituary appeared in the local newspaper. Enter first and last name in the "word and phrase" search or last name then first name in the "subject" search. Select Post & Courier Newspaper Index in the Choose Index drop-down box.

The obituaries may be viewed on microfilm available in the Periodicals Department of the Main Library at 68 Calhoun Street. in Charleston.

Library website: http://www.ccpl.org

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Cherokee County Library

Geographical Area: Cherokee County, some coverage of Spartanburg County

• In-house indexes only: Four books,with information concerning deaths and obituaries from the Gaffney Ledger from 1894-1915, compiled by Eddie Lee Gorski.
• Online Indexes: Gaffneyledger.com, the Gaffney Ledger's 2001-2004 obituary archive and Goupstate.com, indexing recent and older obituaries in the Spartanburg Herald and Journal newspapers.

Text of the Obituaries Available Online? No

Library website: http://www.chesterlibsc.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Clarendon County Library

Geographical Area: Manning and Clarendon County

Newspapers Indexed (only available at the Clarendon County Archive):
Manning Times Obituary indexing is available from 1997-present.
Microfilm for the Manning Times is available from 1885-present.

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special Instructions: Patrons are referred to the Clarendon County Archive for the Manning Times and the obituary indexes.

Additional Resource: The Clarendon County Archives and History Center website: http://home.sc.rr.com/clarendonarchive/

Library website: www.hccl.lis.sc.us

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Colleton County Memorial Library

Link: Online newspaper index

Geographical Area: Colleton County

Newspapers Indexed: The Press and Standard (*1873-present), with deaths, funerals, anniversaries, births, birthdays, class reunions, engagements, "In Memory" notices, marriages, military service, retirements, graduations and other events. (*limited issues available up until 1906)

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

For e-mail enquiries, contact Colleton County Memorial Library's Reference Librarian, James Gahagan. His email is: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please contact him regarding the fee schedule.

Compiler & publisher of the indexed newspaper information for Colleton County is Larry Ulmer. His email address is: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

You may view the microfilm of the above newspaper at the Colleton County Memorial Library, Walterboro, SC or at the South Caroliniana Library on the campus of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

Library website: www.colletonlibrary.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Dillon County Library

Link: Online newspaper index

Geographical Area: Dillon County

Newspapers Indexed: The Dillon Herald (1904-1939).

For obituaries after 1939, Dillon County Library has a project with permission from The Dillon Herald to extract only primary information at Helen's Little Corner (http://bellsouthpwp.net/h/b/hbmoody/). There you can request, for a fee, lookup and copy of individual obituaries from microfilm of the newpaper issues.

Description: The index references Early Obituaries from The Dillon Herald, notebook volumes available in the Dillon County Library's Genealogy Library.

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special instructions: You can find archives of The Dillon Herald in our Genealogy Section.

Library website: http://www.dillon.lib.sc.us/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Fairfield County Library

Geographical Area: Fairfield County

Newspapers on Microfilm: Local newspapers from 1866-present. Not indexed.

Book available: Death Notices Listed in the Fairfield Herald and the News and Herald by Jonathon E. Davis (Covers Fairfield Herald from July 4, 1866 to September 6, 1876 and News and Herald from October 19, 1876 to February 24, 1916).

Special Instructions: Contact by telephone or email: Sarah McMaster, (803) 635-4971 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Library Website: www.fairfield.lib.sc.us

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Florence County Library

Geographical Area: Florence County (and areas mentioned below)

Online Obituary Index (1895-1928, 1996-present): go to the link, http://74.255.101.5:8080/. On the drop down menu, select newspaper general keyword search for best results.

The indexed materials must be used within the South Carolina Room. These include:

• Funeral home records from the 1970s (does not include African-American records)
• Various cemetery records
• NewspaperARCHIVE.com, with full articles from Florence newspapers (1924-1977), selected South Carolina newspapers, and 2,700 newspapers worldwide.
• Microfilms of Florence County newspapers from Florence (1874-present), Lake City (1950-1967, 1972-2003) and Timmonsville (miscellaneous issues from 1895-1968).
• Microfilms of South Carolina newspapers from other counties, including Kingstree (1897-1975), Darlington (1851-1944), Manning (Clarendon County, miscellaneous issues from around 1860-1880).

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special instructions: For more information regarding the South Carolina Room materials, phone (843) 413-7073 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Library website: www.florencelibrary.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Georgetown County Library

Geographical Area: Georgetown area

In-house indexes only: Obituary indexes covering 1937-1988.

Text of the Obituaries Available Online? No

Special Instructions: Contact telephone number is (843) 545-3388.

Library website: www.gclibrary.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Greenville County Library System

Geographical Area: Greenville County

Newspaper Indexed: The Greenville News (1923-present)

Searchable Obituary Index : The Greenville News (1917 - 1993)

Additional Resources:

• Online newspaper article index (1991-present)
• Online obituary and marriage index (1994-present)

Special instructions: From the library website go to Research then South Carolina Room.

Library website: http://www.greenvillelibrary.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Greenwood County Library

Link: Online newspaper obituary index

Geographical Area: Greenwood County

Newspapers Indexed:

• Greenwood Journal (Sep 12, 1895 to Apr 12, 1917)
• Greenwood Index (Mar 7, 1901 to Feb 5, 1919)
• Greenwood Index-Journal (Feb 6, 1919 to present)

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special instructions: Years available for searching here are indicated by an underlined link. Click on a year, and scroll down the page--the files are in alphabetical order by last name. On larger files, you can use the "find" function of your Internet browser to search by last name. Information can include the person's full name as given, age, dateline of the obituary, spouse(s) or other kin, and the dates of the issue(s) in which the information appears.

Library website: www.youseemore.com/Greenwood/default.asp

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Horry County Memorial Library

Geographical Area: Horry County

Resources (In-house only:)

• Obituary and marriage indexes from 1861 - 1917 in print. In addition to the in-house indexes, the library has several print sources for the years beyond 1917.
• Local newspapers indexed: Horry Dispatch, Conway Telephone and Horry Herald, 1861- 1917 in print. Indexing of local newspapers is an ongoing project.

Special instructions:
Please send information requests to:
Jane Bunal, Reference Librarian
Horry County Memorial Library
801 Main Street
Conway, SC 29526

Request a microfilm obituary search by sending the name of deceased, and the month and year of death. If found, obituaries are usually scanned and sent via e-mail, or they can be snail-mailed or faxed. There is currently no charge for this service.

Telephone: (843) 915-7442
Fax: (843) 488-4331
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Library website: www.horry.lib.sc.us

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Kershaw County: Camden Archives and Museum

Link: Obituary obituary Indexes

Geographical Area: Kershaw County

Description: Camden Archives and Museum has an extensive obituary collection on people of Kershaw County, South Carolina. This index is for the obituaries on file from local newspapers and does not include obituaries from other of the numerous collections at the Archives and Museum.

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Organization website: www.camdenarchives.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Lancaster County Library

Geographical Area: Lancaster County with some coverage of surrounding counties: Chester, York, Kershaw, Chesterfield and Union County, N.C.

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No online obituaries available and no in-house indexes.

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Library website: http://www.lanclib.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Lexington County Public Library

Newspapers Indexed:

• The State Newspaper Obituary Index 1960 (SC REF 929.3747 STA)
• The State Newspaper Obituary Index 1961 (SC REF 929.3747 STA)
• The Lexington Dispatch (1870-1917) and the Lexington News (1915-1917) Lexington, South Carolina, obituary index [SC REF 929.3757 MER]
• The Lexington County Chronicle and The Dispatch-News 2005 [SC REF 929.3757 MER 2005]
• The Lexington County Chronicle and The Dispatch-News 2006 [SC REF 929.3757 MER 2006]
• The Lexington County Chronicle and The Dispatch-News 2007 [SC REF 929.3757 MER 2007]

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special Instructions: To request information, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Have the deceased's name and approximate date of death, and any other information that might be useful. We will make an attempt to find any obituary requested, within reason (please request no more than three records at one time).

Library website: www.lex.lib.sc.us

Information last revised: 8/28/08

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Marion County Library

Geographical Area: The South Carolina Room collection concentrates on Marion County and the surrounding Pee Dee area, with statewide resources included, particularly as they contain pertinent references to families in our area.

Newspapers Indexed: Marion Star, Mullins Enterprise, and Marion Star and Enterprise (copies on microfilm, not indexed).

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special Instructions: See the South Carolina Room policy at: www.marioncountylibrary.org/scroompolicy.htm

Library website: www.marioncountylibrary.org

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Marlboro County Library

Geographical Area: Marlboro County

Newspapers Indexed: Marlboro Herald-Advocate (1989-present), deaths only

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special Instructions: You may view the microfilm at the library or in some cases the actual newspaper for information. The Library has the Marlboro Herald-Advocate on microfilm starting in 1951, but it is not indexed that far back. Searches can be done but exact dates are needed. Please call 843-479-5630 or e-mail your requests to Tammy Perkins at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Library Website: www.marlborocountylibrary.info (Coming soon!)

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Oconee County Public Library

Geographical Area: Oconee County

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Resources Available: In-house obituary list for Oconee County.

Contact:

Reference Librarian
Oconee County Public Library
501 W. So. Broad St.
Walhalla, SC 29691

Telephone: (864) 638-4133

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Orangeburg County Library

Geographical Area: Orangeburg County

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No

Resources Available: The Times and Democrat newspaper on microfilm (No index; a searcher must know an approximate date-- within a week or so -- since the papers are in consecutive order). Small genealogical print collection, but no system of indexing obits.

Although we have our local newspaper, The Times and Democrat, on microfilm there is no subject or name index for obituaries or other information;A searcher must know an approximate date since the papers are in consecutive order. We have a very small genealogical print collection but no system of indexing obits.

Special Instructions: Request microfilm search by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . If the desired information is found, the library can mail it by USPS or fax (803-533-5860). Contact the library for fees structure. Please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have any other questions.

Library website: http://www.orangeburgcounty.org/library/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Pickens County Library System

Geographical Area: Pickens County, limited Oconee and Anderson Counties

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No

Resources Available on Microfilm:

• Easley Progress: 1902-1906 & 1921- present
• Pickens Sentinel: 1873- 1894 & 1903-present
• People's Journal: (Pickens) 1894-1903
• Pendleton Messenger: 1829-1851
• Keowee Courier: 1849-1882
• Liberty Monitor: 1978-1989 & 1992-2000
• Messenger/Daily Messenger (Clemson): 1954-present
• Easley Messenger: 1883-1884
• Easley Homemaker: 1982-1985

No online indexes available at this time. We are beginning a project to index the Pickens Sentinel.

Print Indexes:

• Pickens Sentinel 1872-1915
• People’s Journal 1894-1903
• Keowee Courier 1849-1851, 1857-1861, 1865-1868

Special Instructions: For requesting obits, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 864-850-7077 extension 102. Have the deceased's name and approximate date of death to within a month, and any other information that might be useful. We will make an attempt to find any obituary requested, within reason. Results sent by mail or e-mail. Contact library for fees.

Library website: http://www.pickens.lib.sc.us

Information last revised: 2/07/08

Richland County Public Library

Link: Online Obituary Index

Geographical Area: South Carolina Midlands area

Newspapers indexed:

• The State (Columbia, SC)
• The Columbia Record (Columbia, SC)
• Palmetto Leader (Columbia, SC)

Database description: This database is a work in progress. Click the link above for updated information on years that have been indexed and for procedures to receive the full text of articles and obituaries.

To request full text of obituaries email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (please request no more than three obits at one time).

Library website: www.myrcpl.com

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Spartanburg County Public Libraries

Geographical Area: Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties in South Carolina, and Rutherford and Polk counties in North Carolina

Links:

• Death Indexes
• Local History and Genealogy Web Page

Newspapers Indexed: Carolina Spartan, Spartanburg Herald and Herald-Journal (1849-1893, 1902-1914, 1930-35, 1938-present, with 1915-29 and 1936-37 remaining to be indexed).

Description: Obituary and Death Index, listing obituaries and death notices, created by staff of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries.

Additional Resources: A brief, early version of the city health department's death records, what we call "Register of Deaths of Spartanburg, Oct. 1, 1895-1896 and 1903-1914" (nothing exists for other dates).

Text of Obituaries Available Online? No.

Special instructions: The alphabetical listings for each year include the person's name as listed in the obituary, age, place of death or residence, spousal information, and date and page on which the obituary appeared.

Library website: http://www.infodepot.org/

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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Union County Library

Geographical Area: Union County

Newspapers Indexed: In house index only - Union County, South Carolina Death Notices from Early Newspapers 1852-1914.

Special instructions: Contact by telephone or email: Bernice Bryson 864-427-7140 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Library website: www.unionlibrary.org

Information last revised: 2/07/08

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