Do you remember when books from the library had those distinctive manila pockets with the date-stamped cards inside the front cover? —Tucky Taylor does.

Tucky Neel Taylor remembers many things about how a library used to do business. And her depth of knowledge in all things library-historical is matched by the county librarian’s dogged determination in leading the way to a modern world of reading and communicating from behind that same circulation desk. After nearly 30 years, Taylor is stepping down, and leaving a legacy of change, and constancy, behind her.

Like Newberry County itself, Taylor has built a curious mix of old and new in the services provided by the county library. In the three decades gone by, Taylor has moved the library to electronic checkout (no more date-stamped, signed cards). Now, there is even a self checkout available at the state-of-the-art Hal Kohn Memorial Library.

In fact, many would consider the new library at 1100 Friend St. Taylor’s crowning acheivement as the county librarian. It was certainly the one that she was waiting on to retire. And within that 22,000-square foot building is a room dedicated to Taylor by her Friends of the Library group, the South Carolina room.

But many of the innovations that are present in the library’s building were there in a smaller format down the street. Taylor was not waiting on square footage to try and serve the public.

In those 30 years the library has been thrust into the information age like any other private citizen. Under Taylor’s leadership, the library has added computers and Internet access (which has skyrocketed in popularity among library patrons), books on tape...and then CD, and movies for checkout...on tape, and then DVD. As one longtime library staffer says, the facility has expanded its options for entertainment greatly from the books and LP records it used to offer.

For Taylor, and thankfully for her library’s patrons, the information has always been as important as its entertainment factor. Promoting genealogical research is a vital facet of her legacy, and one she is known for among the ever-growing circles of family history researchers.

Bringing new readers up and into the fold, giving them access to information and tools for knowledge is a key function for a community library, and one Taylor embraced. Whether it is as a board member for Newberry County First Steps or sitting as an advisory member on the Newberry Literacy Council, Taylor could always be counted on to lend her time, her wit and her quiet determination to any worthwhile project.

We honor Tucky Taylor with words, a tool and passion that she has helped bring to many. We hope those many she has served will take the time to honor her this Sunday at her retirement reception, 3-5 p.m., at the library.