Tammy Houston ‘keys’ library growth, retires after 29 years
Published 12:15 am Wednesday, September 20, 2017
- Library director Trina Smith, Tammy Houston and Library Board President Virgie Johnson joke around at the LaPlace library after Houston was presented “The Key” to St. John the Baptist Parish Library.
LAPLACE — Tammy Houston recalls the running joke among her college friends at the University of New Orleans was “if you want to see Tammy sleep, bring her to the library.”
That certainly didn’t carry over to her professional career.
Hired as Reserve library branch supervisor in late September 1988 (before the location officially opened), Houston retired this month after 29 years of service to the St. John the Baptist Parish Library System. She retired as assistant library director.
Library director Trina Smith and Tammy Houston pose with the “key” to the library system.
Calling it her home branch, Houston said the Reserve location’s growth in the last 30 years is indicative of the parish’s system, which boasts four locations, thousands of yearly visitors and as smooth a transition as possible from “the printed page to the digital age.”
Houston said St. John libraries serve patrons in LaPlace, Reserve, Garyville and Edgard in a timely fashion, delivering books, audio options, DVDs, computer access and direct downloads.
Missing the patrons is the hardest part of retiring, according to Houston, who said she is most proud of seeing how local libraries evolved to meet the needs of a changing community.
Houston was recently presented “The Key” to St. John the Baptist Parish Library as a thank you for her service. She also enjoyed a going away party in Reserve.
In remarking on Houston’s service, longtime Library Board Member Butch Millet Jr. said the library’s impact in St. John the Baptist Parish has exceeded his wildest dreams and that could not have been done without Tammy Houston.
