An East Tennessee librarian who spent more than four decades at Norris Elementary School is closing the final chapter of her long career.
Wednesday, Bobbye Pointer attended a retirement party in her honor at the Museum of Appalachia.
In her 46 years as a librarian, Mrs. Pointer taught almost 14,000 students including three generations of some families.
The school library expanded by more than 10,000 books under her guidance, and through her leadership, the school ushered in new waves of technology.
Those who know her say she has an unbridled passion for teaching, and her influence has left a lasting impression on nearly all of Anderson County.
"Well, we still have students stop by the school to check on Miss Bobbye and see how she's doing in the library. And just recently a dad came by, oh he was about six foot three, and Bobbye is not six foot three, and he bent all over and she just wrapper her arms all around him, and that's just a coming thing there at the school," said Principal JessAnn Cole.
"It pleases me when I hear parents say, 'Oh I hate that you're retiring and that you won't be here for my child,' and I really believe that they mean it. I'm sorry I'm not going to be there in that way, but I'll be over visiting. Yeah, they can't do without me. I'll have to go check them out," said Pointer.
And in true librarian fashion, Pointer plans to spend her retirement with her family, reading books cover to cover.
And one more thing -- Mrs. Pointer's tenure at Norris goes well beyond the 46 years she worked there. She attended the school as a student herself.