An unexpected and generous donation to the Friends of the Polk County Public Libraries from a former educator will lead to the renovation of the Columbus Library’s Children’s Area and additional learning tools for children at the Saluda Library.

Marye Jane Priddy died on March 13, 2020, at the age of 78. She was a lifelong educator, teaching kindergarten through fourth grade during her career. She taught in Connecticut for 30 years, Georgia for three years, Virginia for two years and finished her career in Tryon as a substitute teacher in the public school system.

“A gift like Ms. Priddy’s helps us fulfill the libraries’ vision of creating connection and igniting imagination for all within our community,” Polk County Public Libraries Director Marcie Dowling said. “Over the past year, the libraries have been working on creating a new, five-year strategic plan that provides the roadmap for our work through 2026. We interviewed local leaders, analyzed data, and received direct responses from 637 community members about their needs and wants for their lives and libraries.

“Ms. Priddy’s gift is a major reason that the new goals in our new plan are so ambitious, yet also so attainable. Many of the libraries’ most exciting plans for the coming years will be made possible with the funds of Ms. Priddy and others like her who remember us in their estate planning and charitable giving.”

It made perfect sense to begin leveraging Priddy’s generous gift to renovate the Children’s Area as she was known to buy thousands of books for her students to read, and then she passed those books along to other members of her school’s faculty to use in their classrooms.

As library staff prioritized upcoming projects, the renovation of the Columbus Library Children’s Area was identified as top of the list. The plan is to begin the renovation, which doesn’t include any construction, in September and be completed in October, just as the weather gets colder and parents look for indoor options for kids.

Renovation of the space will include new carpet, furniture and décor as well as the new addition of museum quality, hands-on literacy learning tools spread throughout the space and including the children’s area at Saluda Library.

“This is a project that has been in discussion for four years, and the fact that it’s finally a reality is so energizing both for staff and families within the community who eagerly anticipate the updates,” Dowling said. “Our vision is to create a children’s library so engaging and interactive that families can’t possibly drive by without stopping in.

“To me, the most exciting addition to the space will be interactive, hands-on literacy learning panels for both Columbus and Saluda Libraries,” she continued. “These activities are custom designed for us by Burgeon Group, a company that specializes in designing for libraries. One focus of our new design is to create activities and experiences that encourage exploration and learning in multiple ways.

“We love seeing children walk out with stacks of books, but we also want the libraries to be places to come and experience something new. By engaging children and their parents with these new activities we hope to spark curiosity and help create lifelong learners.”