Friends and family of Marian Withington at the dedication of the bench in her memory.
The family and friends of Librarian Emerita Marian Withington have dedicated a bench outside Cooper Library in her memory. Withington, who passed away in April of 2023 at the age of 92, worked as a reference librarian for Clemson Libraries for more than 30 years.
Withington earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and her Master of Library Science from Florida State University. Prior to coming to Clemson, she worked for the U.S. State Department in Germany, Egypt and Washington, D.C. She came to Clemson in 1964 as a reference librarian and held the position until her retirement in 1990. After retirement, she continued to work for Clemson Libraries part-time for more than 10 years.
Upon her retirement, a student took the time to write to then University President Max Lennon about Withington and her outstanding service to students, writing, “She is patient with the unlearned undergraduate, kind to the hurried graduate student, and excited with the doctoral student finding just the right source. Perhaps this would all be a part of her job, except there is something more about her which makes these services special — she cares, she loves what she is doing, she is very good at it!”
Withington at work in Cooper Library
Withington had 18 nieces and nephews, 25 great nieces and nephews and 12 great-great nieces and nephews.
“She loved everything about Clemson and helped many nieces and nephews, graduate students and athletes in the library,” said her niece Leslie Kincheloe, who graduated from Clemson in 1998. “All of our friends at Clemson called her ‘Aunt Marian’ and loved to stop by and talk to her. Aunt Marian always took a genuine interest in others … We loved her dearly.”
Withington’s bench is located on the east side of Cooper Library.