The library in Charleston managed by Cynthia Graham Hurd before she was killed in last week’s Emanuel AME church shootings is being renamed in her honour.

Hurd was one of nine victims who died during Bible study at the Charleston church on 17 June. Charleston county council met on Thursday to vote on whether St Andrews regional library, where Hurd had been branch manager since 2011, should be renamed the Cynthia Graham Hurd St Andrews regional library. The motion was passed unanimously, according to the Post and Courier, which reported that Hurd’s family and friends had filled the front row of the council’s chambers as the resolution was read out.

Her brother, the former North Carolina senator Malcolm Graham, has described Hurd as “a librarian’s librarian”, who “enjoyed working with the kids, but she also realised her job extended beyond the walls of the library”. She had worked in the Charleston county library system for 31 years.

“She helped [children] discover themselves and learn skills that gave them the ability to live and grow, but she also was there to help people work through their problems. It went beyond just checking out books and helping people find jobs; she was there for people throughout the community who sought her advice on a variety of issues,” Graham said, adding that his sister was a “book nerd, always a very smart young lady, and she loved reading from a very young age”.

Hurd’s family has also set up the Cynthia Graham Hurd Fund for Reading and Literacy, which will benefit Freedom School Partners, a programme of summer education for children in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Cynthia was a passionate advocate for education and for every child reaching his or her potential,” the family’s statement said. “The fund will ensure that children have access to books that strengthen their literacy skills and [be dedicated] to the support of a community that believes in them, values Cynthia held closely to her heart.”



Hurd’s wake is due to be held on Friday, with her funeral on Saturday. The library service said that all 16 of Charleston’s public library branches will close on Saturday, in her honour and to allow staff to attend the funeral services.