One, above all, deserves library praise

He praises county officials. He applauds Library Director Christina Rice and her staff. He cheers for regional library officials, a key benefactor, the library board and the Friends of the Library.

But there's one key person Dr. Jefferson Hardin neglected to praise in his column today (below):

Dr. Jefferson Hardin.

It simply isn't possible to find one person more devoted and dedicated to the vision and completion of Columbia County's new library, which celebrates its grand opening beginning this week.

Hardin, fond of saying he was working on the library "when country wasn't cool," has served on the county's Library Board of Trustees since 1997 - right about the time the county began studying the growing needs of library patrons.

The payoff has been nearly 10 years in coming, but what a grand reward it is. The new library is a masterpiece, nothing short of a monument to Columbia County's success as a community - and Hardin's hard work helped lay the visionary cornerstone.

His work now complete, Hardin's term on the Library Board ends June 30 when the retired dentist will retire again - this time from his tremendous accomplishment at seeing the new library through to its grand completion. If ever anyone deserved a breather, it's Jeff Hardin.

Eventually, someone else will take Hardin's position on the Library Board - but they will never replace him. This community owes Jefferson Hardin, a man who won't sing his own praises, a grand chorus of gratitude.