Birthday Bash: Home

Taylor Memorial Library at Centenary University is celebrating its 70th birthday this year. Your support will help us develop and deliver quality library facilities, collections, and services. Your gift will immediately support the library in its mission to cultivate curiosity and creativity. Thanks to your generous donation, Taylor Memorial Library will be positioned to thrive today and well into the future!

To celebrate TML's 70th Birthday, we’re asking that you share your favorite memories or best stories about the library! You can send your story by email (library@centenaryuniversity.edu) or through this form.

To celebrate the Taylor Memorial Library's special milestone, we invite the campus community to join us on October 23, 2024, for seasonal activities and a special event!

The William H. and May D. Taylor Memorial Library is an award-winning building that has served as the main library at Centenary for seventy years! It was designed by Jan Hird Pokorny, with construction beginning in 1953 and the library being dedicated in October 1954. Pokorny played a significant role in choosing the library's furnishings, from tables and card catalogs to custom-made Jens Risom chairs. Much of the original furniture is still in use today, showcasing the best of mid-twentieth century American design.

The Taylor Memorial Library was named in honor of William Taylor and his wife, May Andrus Taylor, who met at Centenary Collegiate Institute, both graduating in 1890 and marrying five years later. The library’s construction was partially funded by a grant from the SURDNA Foundation, founded by May’s father, John Andrus. At the time, the grant was the largest in Centenary’s history!