Every year, Jefferson County Public Library honors one special individual as our Library Volunteer of the Year — someone who embodies JCPL's mission, vision and values.
Congratulations to Liv, JCPL's 2025 Volunteer of the Year!
Liv and her husband moved from Texas to Colorado in the middle of COVID.
"It was a little bit of a weird time," Liv remembers. "We bought our house sight unseen, which was a little scary, but it worked out ok. We live just a few minutes from the Lakewood Library, and it's a really quiet, nice neighborhood."
The climate and access to outdoor activities in Denver were a big draw for Liv. She loves to spend time outside hiking and walking with her two Australian Shepherds, Roxy and Shadow.
"I really enjoy the mountains and the four seasons. My favorite season is winter," she says. "I actually love shoveling our driveway — the dogs chase the snow and I fling it on them."
Liv also picked up skiing since moving here.
"My husband is a pro, but I had only skied once before we moved here," she says. "I'm pretty good now, but I'm afraid of falling."
Before moving to Colorado, Liv worked as a special education teacher in grades K - 5.
"It was a great school with great staff," Liv remembers. "When you work in special education, having a good support system among the staff is really important. I learned a lot from the kids. After that, I worked with special needs 3- and 4-year-olds. There was never a dull day, but I learned I can't match the energy of younger kids!"
Liv has been passionate about literacy and working with kids for most of her life.
"I grew up going to the library," Liv explains. "Actually, I volunteered at the library in middle and high school, helping with the summer reading challenge, summer festival and working behind the scenes. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so I tutored kids at the library in high school, too."
Then, in 2023, Liv got connected with the Lakewood Library and resumed volunteering.
"Liv has a passion for Library work," says Lakewood Operations Manager Nicole. "And even beyond the work that Liv does here, she has a bright and positive spirit that uplifts everyone she encounters. She will often respond to distress signals when we are short-staffed, or even stop in for a half hour if she has time in her day just to check the bins in the sorter room and see if we could use any assistance."
Liv spends most of her volunteer time shelving, but occasionally helps with other tasks like sorting through donations or helping prepare crafts for upcoming programs.
"I like the atmosphere here," she says. "It's cozy and quiet, and I enjoy seeing some of the same faces every week."
Liv particularly enjoys shelving nonfiction, "but it's hard because I'll stop and read everything as I'm putting it away," she says with a laugh.
"My reading tastes are pretty rigid, actually," she explains. "I fell in love with Robin Cook in high school, so I just go through his medical thrillers. I also love Lisa Gardner books, as well as memoirs and nonfiction."
When Liv isn't volunteering or spending time outside, she and her husband love to explore the globe together. One of her favorite cities is Lucerne, Switzerland, but she also loves visiting Japan and France.
"We did one of those things where you find out your family origin, and I found out I'm 45 percent French," she explains, adding that she enjoys both shopping and eating in Paris — "To be honest, I just really love cheese."
As for Japan, Liv calls it "the most unique place I've been."
"Culturally, it was very different than the United States," she remembers. "Something that was interesting was that I never saw anyone in the customer service industry on their phone. They were very engaged and dedicated to what they were doing."
Liv's curiosity and interest in learning embody the spirit of JCPL and make her an excellent volunteer. She is always eager to try a new task and approaches every challenge with an open mind and positive attitude.
"Whether it's emptying our donation bin, shelving fiction, preparing materials for a children's craft program, or any of the other tasks Liv regularly assists us with, she is a tremendous help at Lakewood," Nicole says. "We are so fortunate to have her on our volunteer team."