Denmark Branch Library Wraps Up Mystery Books for Spring Reading Event

Denmark Branch Library manager Imagen Kinard ran the ABBE Regional Library System's "Blind Date with a Library Book" event on March 26, placing staff-wrapped mystery titles before walk-in patrons at no cost and with no registration required.

The mechanics were straightforward: patrons at 5122 Carolina Highway found books sealed in plain paper, author and title concealed until checkout. Staff curated and wrapped each selection, an exercise designed to surface overlooked parts of the collection and move readers toward authors or genres they might not have chosen on their own.

The event fits within the Denmark branch's spring programming schedule, which continues through April with National Poetry Month activities and children's programs. The branch operates Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., with no Friday or weekend hours.

Denmark's branch is one of two ABBE-operated libraries in Bamberg County, alongside the Bamberg County Public Library. The broader ABBE network spans 14 libraries and a bookmobile across Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Edgefield counties, serving a combined population of 225,692 residents. Systemwide, the network maintains 251,524 volumes and records 604,288 annual circulations, a measurable baseline for the regional public investment that the Denmark branch draws on for its programming and collections.

Beyond its physical holdings, the Denmark branch provides four public computers and two children's AWE learning stations, some of the few publicly accessible digital resources in a city where civic programming options outside schools and churches are limited. Internet access and adult education services round out what the branch delivers year-round under Kinard's management.

Governance of the ABBE system runs through five boards of trustees, one per member county with appointments made by the respective county councils, plus a regional board responsible for setting system-wide policy and hiring the director. Kinard holds a master's degree in library and information science from the University of South Carolina.

The Denmark branch can be reached at (803) 793-4511 for current hours and upcoming events.