WINNSBORO – “It has been a beautiful friendship for me and a life of service to the Fairfield County Library,” Sarah McMaster, former director of the Fairfield County Library, said as she and Library Director Eric Robinson presented a Life Membership Award and other mementos to Winnsboro resident Dr. Clyde T. McCants during the Friends of the Library’s annual meeting on Sunday.
“Dr McCants visited the Library when he first came to Winnsboro and has provided his time, talents and financial support ever since,” McMaster said. “Dr Clyde has donated books and CDs from his own personal collections and provided the financial support that has allowed us to purchase a stellar collection of art and music books. He has been involved in everything from book sales to our very well received music related programs. I was not very much into opera, but he converted me,” McMaster quipped, as a round of laughter erupted from the crowd.
A retired teacher, McCants is a pastor and has authored four books relating to music and is currently working on his fifth.
With nearly 50 Friends of the Library in attendance, FOL President Michelle Taylor opened the program announcing that, “We are now a 501C(3) organization,” which, she explained, will allow donations to be considered tax deductible.
“We are also a part of Amazon Smile so please use this when you make online purchases,” Taylor added.
Taylor said a goal for the Friends for this year is to replace the Book Drop.
“We currently have $445 dollars toward the project, and we need $2000,” she said. “In our effort to go green, we are moving our newsletter distribution to an email where possible, and we are changing our membership schedule to the calendar year to make it easier to keep track of when a membership is due,” Taylor said.
The evening’s speaker was Hannah Phillips, 90, a lifelong resident of Fairfield County who took the evening’s patrons on an eclectic journey of Fairfield County through trivia – from the time that Scotch-Irish settled Fairfield County to when Richard Winn surveyed it and steam engines watered in White Oak.
Wine and cheese refreshments were served.