The renovated South Caroliniana Library has been recognized with a 2024 Preservation Honor Award. The award, which is overseen by Preservation South Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, and the Office of the Governor, was presented in a ceremony at the South Carolina State House on June 20. Representatives from each organization joined Governor Henry McMaster in presenting the award.
The Preservation Honor Awards celebrate successful and exemplary historic preservation projects in South Carolina. The South Caroliniana Library reopened in October 2023 after a seven-year renovation that was in many respects faithful to the library’s original 19th-century appearance. The jury noted the sensitivity, exhaustive planning, and attention to historical detail in its citation.
Dean of Libraries David Banush and Jay White, principal, Liollio Architecture, the firm which lead the design, accepted the awards. University Architect Derek Gruner was also honored for his work on the multi-year renovation project.
“On behalf of University Libraries, I am honored to accept this recognition,” said Dean Banush. “The spectacular renovation of the South Caroliniana brought a unique treasure back to life for generations of students, faculty, and South Carolina citizens, whose cultural patrimony it stewards. Credit goes to the architects and designers; to the state legislature and university administration, to our generous alumni, especially Jim Barrow and his family, for their financial support; and to Dean Emeritus Tom McNally, who was the prime mover behind the project.”
Liollio Architecture was joined by HealyKohler Design, an industry-leading design firm specializing in exhibits and user experiences in museums, archives, libraries, and other cultural institutions in designing the building’s restoration and renovation.
The South Caroliniana Library is located on the University’s historic Horseshoe. Designed by Robert Mills, one of the first American-born, professionally trained architects in the nation, it was the first free-standing academic library building in the United States. The 1840 structure served as the University’s principal library for 100 years. In 1940, it became a repository dedicated to acquiring, preserving, and making available a growing collection of historic materials. It houses the largest collection of South Carolina history materials of any repository in the state. University faculty and students regularly use its collections for teaching and research, and it draws visitors from around the world for their work. A growing portion of its collections are now available digitally.