The South Carolina State Library shall provide advice and assistance to public libraries, library boards, and county governments in matters concerning the establishment, support, operation, improvement, and coordination of library services. The State Library may:

(a) provide a staff of consultants qualified to give advisory and technical assistance to library directors and library boards;

(b) administer state aid and other grants-in-aid to supplement and improve public library services and promulgate regulations as may be necessary to insure effective and efficient use of grants;

(c) administer a certification program for public libraries and librarians, establishing regulations and procedures for the implementation of the program;

(d) carry out statewide programs and services which cannot be effectively or economically provided by local libraries;

(e) plan and coordinate the provision of library services to groups with special needs, including but not limited to the elderly, the physically handicapped, the unemployed, the poor, the functionally illiterate, and those persons who have cultural, social, or educational disadvantages that prevent them from using library services designed for persons without the disadvantages.