Kari Locolano

THHS Librarian and President of the New York Library Association Arlene Laverde

After a decade as the librarian of Townsend Harris, Arlene Laverde has retired. Though she retired from the NYC Department of Education last June, she has continued to work part time at the library for two days a week during this school year. With June here, Mrs. Laverde will retire fully and a new librarian will take over in the fall. During her tenure at THHS, Mrs. Laverde became well-known for fostering a culture of reading, learning, and a community inside the library. In addition, she spent time building bridges to other librarians while serving as president of the New York Library Association and she helped launch and run the THHS “Reading Initiative” in recent years. 

“The library wasn’t just a place for books. It was a space where students could come together, share their ideas, and learn not just from textbooks, but from each other,” Ms. Laverde said.

Junior Mohammad Nasrallah said that Ms. Laverde was a key part of his academic success, always willing to help him locate resources and encouraging his newfound love for reading. He said, “Anytime I have trouble accessing a research paper or academic article for my AP Research class, I contact Mrs. Laverde because I know she will make it her mission to get that resource for me.” 

Senior Anton Rud said, “Ms. Laverde helped me apply for an essay scholarship and was super helpful with her feedback in terms of reading over my work. It was a pleasure to work with her.” 

Before joining THHS, Ms. Laverde spent years working as a librarian at John Bowne High School, where she developed a reputation for modernizing library spaces and expanding access to diverse reading genres. However, her passion for books and education began long before her position as a librarian: “I actually started as an English teacher. I always loved literature, but I realized I wanted to do more to connect students with books on a larger scale. That’s what led me to become a librarian.” 

Upon coming to THHS in 2015, Ms. Laverde faced a library that was filled with over 17,000 books, and she wanted to add volumes that would appeal to student interests. Ms. Laverde said, “There was no manga, only four graphic novels. The fiction section was mostly adult fiction.” She began adding manga, young adult fiction, and graphic novels to the collection while clearing out outdated materials. She also ensured that the space became more inviting, adding student artwork, creating comfortable seating, and making the library a place where students could both study and unwind.

In addition to these physical improvements, Ms. Laverde worked to foster a love for reading that went beyond the library. Ms. Laverde, and English teacher and Classic Advisor Brian Sweeney launched the Reading Initiative in 2022, with the encouragement of Principal Brian Condon. It began as an initiative to encourage students to read, and now annually holds numerous social events. These include: the Witching Hour (an all night read-a-thon before Halloween), an annual overnight trip to literary locations, and the yearlong competition between grades to see who can accumulate the most reading points to ultimately win a grand prize at Keepers Day. The points are based on independent reading logs and lead to the awarding of the “THHS Cup,” currently in the possession of the sophomore class. “Reading is fun. I want students to remember that,” Ms. Laverde said.

“When Mr. Condon approached me about revitalizing reading in our English classrooms, I knew that we needed an extracurricular component alongside it. Ms. Laverde was the perfect partner for such a task and it’s been my privilege to work with her closely on the Reading Initiative. We will keep this alive now as a testament to Ms. Laverde’s accomplishments at THHS and will make sure students know that what she most wants to leave this school with is a way to celebrate and publicize a love of independent reading whenever possible,” Mr. Sweeney said.

Her job also involved working closely with the humanities department. She helped students develop critical thinking and research skills that would serve them well throughout their academic careers. “I remember attending an information session Ms. Laverde held on conducting accurate research and avoiding misinformation. She was so passionate about making sure we knew how to verify sources and think critically about what we read. That session completely changed how I approach research, and I still use her advice when working on papers,” sophomore Matthew Armogan said.

Beyond Townsend Harris, Ms. Laverde played a prominent role in the broader librarian community. As president of the New York Library Association, she advocated for increased funding for school libraries, championed the inclusion of diverse books, and worked to ensure that students across the state had access to high-quality library resources. “Libraries are more than just places to store books—they’re hubs of knowledge, creativity, and exploration,” she said. “I wanted to make sure every student, no matter where they are, has the opportunity to experience that.”

Ms. Laverde’s dedication and work wasn’t just recognized by the students either. 

Assistant Principal of Organization Ellen Fee said, “Her tenaciousness in advocating for books and libraries, and making sure that all students have access to a wide array of resources, is one of the things I admire most about her.”

English teacher John Elfriech, who has always been filling in for Ms. Laverde in the library this year, said, “She runs a really efficient library. It’s very organized, and she knows where everything is. The login system, the monitors, everything is just well-maintained. Even though she retired, she’s still involved, and she’s taught me a lot about how to manage the library and how to create a good learning environment for students.”

Even after retiring, Ms. Laverde remains committed to libraries and education. She said she wants to continue to be involved in the library through the American Library Association and the Association for School Libraries. 

She said, “There’s so much going on in the world right now that is so anti-education, anti-book, anti-LGBTQ materials, anti-books on race, and I want to fight to make sure that you and your children will still have access to information and good information.”