THE face of Lavington library, the only person to work at four different libraries in the suburb, is retiring after 50 years in book lending.
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Her working life has taken her from stamping due dates in the back of books to overseeing signing in for coronavirus contact tracing.
Indeed if it was not for COVID-19, Mrs Kennedy would have retired earlier this year instead she opted to stay until the end of October to help provide some continuity.
"I didn't think they could do anything too much about getting someone in and it would be hard to advertise," Mrs Kennedy said.
"I just thought I could stay longer and council accepted that, so it was a mutual agreement."
With the Lavington library shut for the COVID-19 lockdown in April, recognition of Mrs Kennedy's golden anniversary was postponed to last Thursday when a celebration was held before doors opened to borrowers.
Albury Council chief executive Frank Zaknich lauded Mrs Kennedy as a "tower of strength" who had shown exemplary leadership in a calm and beautiful manner.
Those gathered heard Mrs Kennedy began work at Lavington in 1978.
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Since then she has worked at four library sites - Urana Road, the Coles supermarket complex, Griffith Road and the Zauner tower since 2013.
"It doesn't feel like 50 years, it is a great achievement but I don't think about it," Mrs Kennedy said.
"I just enjoy what I do and I'm going to miss it."
Not surprisingly Mrs Kennedy nominated technology as the biggest change in her five decades in the book borrowing world.
When she began, catalogues that contained thousands of cards were needed to locate novels, now borrowers can sit at home online and find a volume they want.
"It's amazing to think back over 50 years and think what's happened," Mrs Kennedy said.
Albury Council's libraries chief Carina Clement said Mrs Kennedy had done a remarkable job as the manager of the Lavington library.
"Judy has been the life and soul of Lavington library," Ms Clement said.
"She understands the dynamics of the community and demographic make-up of those that use the library.
"There's a lot of families and older people that live around the library and Judy has been able to create programs for those communities.
"She's also worked with the multicultural community to create programs for them.
"She is the centre of the library."
