Arlene has been a fixture at the Standley Lake Library for over five years, helping organize the saleroom, shelving materials and helping patrons. She got her start in the Library to You program, delivering books, DVDs and other library materials to homebound readers. Arlene loves giving back to an organization she has enjoyed visiting as a patron for years. Her favorite thing about volunteering at the library is getting to know the people — she cherishes the relationships she has built with staff over the years and loves being part of the library community. The feeling is mutual!
"Her cheery demeanor and friendliness are infectious and help create the happy atmosphere we all enjoy working within — and sometimes take for granted," says Patron Experience Associate Ron. "Arlene is extremely knowledgeable and extremely generous with that knowledge and wisdom, not only with Pages but with Patron Experience associates too. We all benefit from working in her presence. Arlene is such an integral part of the Standley Lake Library (so many operations depend upon her), I often forget she is a volunteer."
Arlene is indeed a Renaissance woman and has a vast amount of knowledge and experience to share on just about any topic. She is an experienced gardener full of tips and tricks for helping things grow in the Colorado climate — and has even volunteered at the Denver Botanic Gardens in the past. Arlene is also a huge patron of the arts and has been a volunteer usher at the Denver Theater company for 28 years. She loves plays and has seen too many to choose just one favorite — but she particularly enjoys anything by Shakespeare.
Though she grew up in Illinois, Denver has been home to Arlene for almost 50 years. She suggested to her husband the move to Denver back in 1976, which turned out to be a perfect fit for their active lifestyle. She has spent her time in Denver enjoying hiking, biking, horseback riding, going downtown for ball games and all the other outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.
Before retirement, Arlene worked as an accountant in downtown Boulder while raising her three sons, who all went on to careers in the navy. She now enjoys having much more free time for her hobbies, volunteer work and, of course, reading! She loves all types of books but gravitates towards mysteries, biographies, nonfiction and history. Volunteering in the saleroom at Standley Lake keeps Arlene in the know about what books are popular and trending, and there's always a big jump in book sales right after she's done updating the book displays. We are so grateful to have Arlene's skilled and knowledgeable help at the library — thank you, Arlene!!
