In 1947 the Jasper County Library was invited to become a member of the Allendale-Hampton Regional Library. The establishment of the county library was sponsored by the Jasper County Council of Farm Women under the leadership of Mrs. Betty Berry, Home Demonstration Agent for the county. Where it had formerly been impossible for Jasper County to provide county-wide library service, through cooperation in the regional library system a county library headquarters was established in Ridgeland and rural library service provided by bookmobile to the entire county. The history of library service in Jasper County is a part of the history of the regional system of which it is a member. An account of the regional program will be found under "Allendale-Hampton-Jasper Regional Library."
In the late 1960's a wealthy winter resident, Mrs. Richard K. Webel became interested in the Jasper County Library and gave the library many valuable gifts. In 1970 in memory of her former husband she provided funds to completely renovate and restore a building in the town of Ridgeland to serve as headquarters of the Jasper County Library. In addition to the work of restoration and decoration, the grounds of the library were elaborately landscaped with flowers and shrubs indigenous to the area. The building was named in honor of Mrs. Webel's former husband the F.R. Pratt Memorial Library and dedicated in November 1971.
Board Chairmen
Mrs T.F. Clements, 1948-56
Mrs. Y.C. Weathersbee, 1956-70
Miss Leah, Jones, 1970-75
Mrs. Epps Collier, 1975-76
Mr. Henry Simmons, 1976-80
Librarians
Claribel Elkins, 1948-50
Gladys Delan, 1951-59
Lillian C. Preacher, 1960-70
Eliza Floyd, 1970-80
Estellene P. Walker,
"So Good and Necessary a Work": The Public Library in South Carolina, 1698-1980
(Columbia: South Carolina State Library, 1981), p. 33.
A note on the text