Anderson Main Library
🏢 Anderson County Library System · Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson Main Library
In the heart of the "Electric City" — the South Carolina Upstate town that pioneered hydroelectric power for the world in the 1890s — the Anderson Main Library carries that spirit of ingenuity into a full-featured makerspace, a genealogy collection reaching back to the Revolutionary War, and open Sunday afternoon hours for the whole community.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–6pm |
| Sunday | 2pm–6pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 300 N. McDuffie St., Anderson, SC 29621
Phone: (864) 260-4500
Website: andersonlibrary.org
Plus Code: 866VG942+HJ (Anderson, SC)
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📖 About Anderson Main Library
The Anderson Main Library is the flagship of the Anderson County Library System, occupying its current home on North McDuffie Street since January 5, 1972, funded in part by a $100,000 LSCA grant from the South Carolina State Library Board. The system's roots run deeper: a Carnegie-funded library built in 1908 — whose historic building now serves as the Anderson County Arts Center — made organized public library service in Anderson more than a century old. Today the ten-branch system holds nearly 335,000 physical volumes and participates in SC LENDS, a statewide consortium of 30 libraries giving cardholders access to more than 2.75 million items. The main library is linked by name to Anderson's proudest identity — the "Electric City" nickname earned in the 1890s when engineer William Whitner harnessed hydroelectric power to make Anderson the first city in the world to run a cotton gin on electricity. The library honors that legacy with its second-floor Electric City Creative makerspace, which has served makers of all ages since 2019.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Electric City Creative makerspace (second floor): Cricut Maker 3, large-format printer, sublimation printer, sewing machines, heat press, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Canva — open to ages 12+ during Open Create hours
- Local history and genealogy collection spanning Anderson County records from the Revolutionary War: microfilmed newspapers (1807–1981), census records (1790–1930), court equity records, probate papers, and land deeds
- LEAP Station lending program: museum passes to Greenville's Children's Museum and Roper Mountain Science Center, state park admissions, fishing poles, and a seed library stocked with Anderson County Soil and Water Conservation
- SC LENDS consortium membership — every cardholder can access 2.75 million items from 30 South Carolina county libraries, delivered to any Anderson branch
- Open every Sunday 2–6 pm, with late evening hours Monday through Thursday until 8 pm
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Anderson County cardholders can read, research, and borrow free through these digital and statewide resources:
📚 Services
- Electric City Creative makerspace (ages 12+): Cricut, large-format printer, sublimation printer, sewing machines, heat press, Adobe Creative Cloud
- Local history and genealogy research room with microfilm, census records, and in-library Ancestry Library Edition
- LEAP Station non-traditional lending: museum passes, state park admissions, fishing poles, seed packets
- Computer access with library card or guest pass; scanning (email/USB/cloud/fax); printing (10¢ B&W, 50¢ color); fax service; notary ($5/document)
- Book-a-Librarian: free one-on-one research or technology help appointments
- Curbside pickup and 24/7 Book Lockers for contactless holds
- Meeting room reservations for community and nonprofit groups
- Friends Bookstore and Traveling Trunks lending program
🎸 Programs
- Preschool and Family Storytimes — weekly drop-in sessions for young children
- STEAM learning programs and Robotics Team meetings for youth
- Summer Reading Program (themed annually; 2026: 'Roar into Summer')
- Electric City Creative craft and maker workshops for teens and adults
- Computer skills and Internet Basics classes for adults
- Chapter Chasers reading challenge; civic education events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Upstate South Carolina
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Anderson · Browse all Anderson County, South Carolina libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Electric City Creative Makerspace and who can use it?
The Electric City Creative (ECC) is a second-floor makerspace at the Anderson Main Library, open to anyone aged 12 and up with a library card or guest pass. During Open Create hours — Tuesday through Thursday 1:00–7:30 pm and Saturday 9:30 am–5:30 pm — visitors can use Cricut cutting machines, a large-format and sublimation printer, sewing machines, a heat press, and professional design software including Adobe Creative Cloud. Patrons ages 12–14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Does the Anderson Main Library hold historical records for Anderson County?
Yes. The library's Local History and Genealogy collection is one of the most extensive repositories of Anderson County history in the region. Researchers can access microfilmed newspapers dating back to 1807, federal census records from 1790 to 1930, court equity petitions (1820–1878), probate estate papers (1790–1868), land deeds and conveyances (1790–1900), Revolutionary War military records, and tax lists. The in-library Ancestry Library Edition and the remotely accessible HeritageQuest database extend these resources further.
Can I borrow more than books from the Anderson County Library?
Yes. The LEAP Station program lets cardholders check out non-traditional items at every branch, including museum passes to Greenville's Children's Museum of the Upstate and Roper Mountain Science Center, South Carolina state park admission passes, fishing poles, and seed packets from a library seed library stocked in partnership with Anderson County Soil and Water Conservation.
What is SC LENDS and how does it benefit Anderson County residents?
SC LENDS (South Carolina Library ENhanced Delivery System) is a statewide resource-sharing consortium of 30 county libraries and the SC State Library. Anderson County Library is a full member, meaning your free Anderson County card gives you access to a shared catalog of more than 2.75 million items. Request any circulating item from a partner library and have it delivered to your preferred Anderson branch — typically within a few days at no cost.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services 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.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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