Oconee County Public Library
🏢 Oconee County Library System · Walhalla, South Carolina
Oconee County Public Library
The Oconee County Public Library in Walhalla, the county seat of South Carolina's westernmost county, was legally established on May 3, 1948, making 2023 its 75th anniversary year. The branch houses the South Carolina Room, a nationally recognized genealogical archive that includes the German Colony Protocol — the founding documents of Walhalla, which was settled in 1850 by the German Colonization Society of Charleston.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 501 W S Broad St, Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4133
Website: oconeelibrary.org
Plus Code: 866RQW7G+XR (Walhalla, SC)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Oconee County Public Library
Oconee County did not establish county-wide library service until 1948, making it one of the last South Carolina counties to do so — yet when it did, it acted swiftly: the library commission opened the first location in the old courthouse annex in Walhalla on October 18, 1948, just five months after being legally established. Unusually, its founding funds came from a state appropriation rather than a local tax millage. Branches in Westminster, Seneca, Salem, and the Walhalla main building followed over the next decade. The current Walhalla branch, purpose-built in 1979, houses the South Carolina Room, which preserves the Ann Rogers Memorial Room with over 40,000 cemetery index cards, indexed local newspaper transcriptions, and the German Colony Protocol documenting Walhalla's 1850 founding by the German Colonization Society of Charleston. In 1998 the library received a Gates Foundation grant to provide public computer access, and it marked its 75th anniversary in 2023.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Legally established May 3, 1948; opened October 18, 1948 — one of the last South Carolina counties to create a public library, yet one of the first to fund it through state appropriation
- South Carolina Room houses the German Colony Protocol — the founding documents of Walhalla, settled in 1850 by the German Colonization Society of Charleston
- Ann Rogers Memorial Room: over 40,000 cemetery index cards, indexed newspapers, census data, and local genealogical records
- Library of Things collection includes museum passes, park passes, microscopes, and educational kits
- Betty B. Watkins Seed Library and bookmobile outreach serving rural Oconee County communities since 1948
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Oconee County cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free through South Carolina's statewide and local digital collections:
📚 Services
- South Carolina Room — genealogy, local history, German Colony Protocol, and indexed local newspapers
- Ann Rogers Memorial Room — 40,000+ cemetery index cards and newspaper transcriptions
- Library of Things — museum passes, park passes, microscopes, and educational kits
- Betty B. Watkins Seed Library
- Bookmobile & community outreach services
- Public computers, free Wi-Fi, printing and scanning
- Meeting and study rooms
- Community Information and Resource Guide
🎸 Programs
- Children's and youth storytimes
- Chess club
- Tech help sessions for all ages
- Health education programs (in partnership with Prisma Health)
- Bingo and community events
- Summer reading program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Upstate South Carolina
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Walhalla · Browse all South Carolina libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the South Carolina Room, and what records does it hold?
The South Carolina Room is the library's dedicated local history and genealogy archive. It houses the Ann Rogers Memorial Room with over 40,000 cemetery index cards and indexed newspaper transcriptions, plus census data, vital records, and the German Colony Protocol — the founding documents of Walhalla, written when the German Colonization Society of Charleston established the town in 1850. It is one of the strongest genealogical resources in the upstate region.
What is DISCUS and do Oconee County Library cardholders have access?
DISCUS is South Carolina's Virtual Library — a statewide consortium of research databases available 24/7 at no cost to all South Carolina residents, funded by the state. Oconee County Library cardholders access DISCUS through the library's website. It covers reference, academic, business, health, and general interest databases for all ages.
Does the library offer a Library of Things, and what can I borrow?
Yes. The Library of Things at Oconee County Public Library includes museum passes, park passes, microscopes, and educational kits that can be checked out just like books. The library also maintains the Betty B. Watkins Seed Library, where patrons can borrow garden seeds each growing season.
When is the Walhalla branch open, and is it open on weekends?
The Walhalla main branch is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.