The South Carolina State Library is pleased to announce the 2025 Notable State Documents Award winners. The Notable State Documents Awards Program began in 1991 to recognize exemplary state publications and has since expanded to include state government websites, videos, and apps.
In honor of National Freedom of Information Day and the birthday of President James Madison, an early proponent of public access to government information, the Notable State Documents Awards Ceremony is held annually around March 16. Join us as we honor our award winners at the 2025 Notable State Documents Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, March 11th, from 10 to 11 a.m., with a reception to follow. Everyone is encouraged to register and attend!
Nominations for the Notable Documents Awards were submitted in 2025, and the final candidates were judged by a panel of librarians and state employees. Publications were judged based on their designs, writing styles, and breadth of information. Judges chose from a unique group of nominations, including monographs, serials, and websites. The 2025 Notable Documents Award winners included a toolkit for South Carolinians living with dementia and their families, a water plan to support South Carolina’s growing population, an overview of the state’s climatological journey through 2024, and a website that connects the beautiful flora found throughout the Palmetto State to the state’s history.
“South Carolina state documents provide a wealth of information, statistics, and share a broad range of knowledge about our state,” said South Carolina State Library Director Leesa Aiken. “I am pleased that we are able to publicly recognize these important publications and websites as notable documents, and it is my hope that all South Carolina state agencies continue to produce high-quality documents such as these.”
For more information about the Notable State Documents Awards Program, visit our subject guide.
Monographs
South Carolina Department on Aging Dementia Toolkit | South Carolina Department on Aging
Dementia, an umbrella term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life, can affect every aspect of a person’s life. This Dementia Toolkit is an initiative of the South Carolina Department on Aging in response to the growing number of people in our state impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. This resource aims to help families in South Carolina navigate the dementia journey by providing valuable information and resources, including early warning signs and diagnosis, and the next steps to take.
9 Months to Get Ready | South Carolina Department of Public Health
Pregnancy can be overwhelming, especially for new mothers. This guide provides helpful information about what to expect during each month of pregnancy. Frequent concerns and questions from expecting parents are also addressed in this document, including healthy exercise during pregnancy, prenatal care, and normal complaints and problems of pregnancy. Pregnant women can also keep track of weight gain and take notes from visits to their health care providers in provided charts and sections. Preparing for childbirth and the baby's first weeks are also discussed in this easy-to-use guide from the South Carolina Department of Public Health.
South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Viewbook | South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics
This viewbook from the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (SCGSSM) is an excellent introduction to student life at the school. Shaped by direct input from a student focus group to ensure the content, tone, and visuals resonate with 9th- and 10th-grade audiences, this viewbook was created to ignite student interest in this unique academic environment. Through student-centered storytelling and intentional, modern design, it communicates the academic experience, residential life, and statewide mission of SCGSSM in a clear, engaging, and accessible format.
2025 South Carolina State Water Plan | South Carolina Department of Environmental Services
As South Carolina continues to experience record-breaking economic and population growth, high demand strains our shared and limited natural resources, such as water. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services developed the 2025 State Water Plan at the direction of Gov. Henry McMaster, with critical input from members of the WaterSC Water Resources Working Group and other key stakeholders. The 181-page plan is a data-driven report that builds upon decades' worth of data, modeling, and research compiled by the state's River Basin Councils and includes input from multiple water-use sectors, including representatives from farming and agriculture, energy, industry, conservation, academia, and more. It focuses on topics such as water demand by sector, water availability assessments, drought response preparations, and conceptual considerations for water policies.
New State Law: South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act | South Carolina Department of Public Safety
The South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act aims to reduce the number of distracted driving collisions on South Carolina roads. This new law, in effect as of September 1, 2025, prohibits drivers from using mobile electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle. This brochure from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety provides drivers with a quick overview of what the law prohibits, what the exceptions are to the law, and what the penalties are for breaking the law.
Serials
South Carolina Hurricane Guide 2025 | South Carolina Emergency Management Division
For a coastal state like South Carolina, keeping citizens and their property safe from hurricanes is a top priority. For South Carolinians, it is important to know where to get reliable and trustworthy information when under the threat of a hurricane. The annual South Carolina Hurricane Guide, produced by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, provides South Carolinians with the information they need to protect themselves and their property from hurricanes. Learn how to prepare your home in the event of a hurricane and how to protect yourself and evacuate if you are under threat of a hurricane.
2024-2025 Annual Report | South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority
The 2024-2025 annual report highlights the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority’s (RIA) critical role in creating foundations for growth in communities across the state through strategic investments in water, sewer, and storm drainage infrastructure. In FY25, RIA awarded $61 million in grants, worked to ensure the timely progression of over 200 ongoing grants funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars, and provided $109 million in low-cost loans through the State Revolving Fund program.
South Carolina Year in Review 2024 | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, State Climatology Office
Each year, the South Carolina State Climatology Office delivers a thorough overview of statewide climate statistics. The South Carolina Year in Review 2024, released in early 2025, highlights monthly precipitation and temperature trends, as well as significant weather events throughout the year. Each month is examined in detail to provide a clearer understanding of how weather patterns influenced the Palmetto State in 2024. Data on weather events, precipitation, and temperature are compared to historical averages and extremes, placing 2024 in the broader context of South Carolina's climatological record.
2025 Annual Report | South Carolina Education Oversight Committee
Each year, the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (EOC) produces an annual report for the South Carolina General Assembly and the South Carolina State Board of Education. Their 2025 annual report highlights their work to achieve their mission: to encourage the continuous improvement of South Carolina’s public education system. This report includes updates on the EOC’s Education Data Dashboard – an initiative of the 2022-23 Appropriations Act to provide those inside and outside of the education system with meaningful information on progress from the local to state level. Other reports published throughout the year on topics such as the SC Teacher Loan Program, the Rural Recruitment Incentive Initiative, and SC Military Connected Students were also highlighted in the annual report.
Websites
South Carolina African American Heritage Commission Website: scaahc.org | South Carolina African American Heritage Commission
During the summer of 2025, the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission (SCAAHC) launched its updated website. Since its creation, the Commission has attended numerous events, visited and promoted the preservation of historic buildings, sites, and structures pertaining to African American history throughout the state, and hosted workshops and conferences to educate the public on the importance of African American heritage. With its visually appealing and user-friendly design, the SCAAHC website will assist the Commission in reaching audiences across South Carolina and beyond.
A Tale of Two Storms: Debby and Helene | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, State Climatology Office
The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season featured two storms that brought widespread impacts to South Carolina. The first storm, Tropical Storm Debby, brought heavy rainfall to the Carolinas, resulting in major flooding along the Palmetto State’s Coastal Plain. The second storm, Hurricane Helene, caused widespread destruction across the Southeast after making landfall in Florida. It produced damaging winds from Florida to Kentucky and brought extreme rainfall to Upstate South Carolina and adjacent parts of North Carolina. The damage from these two storms was substantial and will have lasting effects for years to come. This ArcGIS StoryMap, created by the South Carolina Climatology Office, gives South Carolinians the opportunity to learn more about the impact these two storms had on their state.
The Botanical History Tour | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Heritage Trust Program; Koelker & Associates, LLC
Animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, while plants do the opposite. Without plants, we would not survive. Some plants have been in South Carolina's landscape for millions of years. Some are common, like longleaf pine and marsh grass, and some are found nowhere else on Earth. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ Heritage Trust Program tracks nearly 1,400 plant species found in the Palmetto State. Each species has stories that hold our past and inform our future. This ArcGIS StoryMap, created in partnership with Koelker & Associates, LLC, highlights six plants that are vital to South Carolina’s history and identity.
