Born and raised in Scott County in Kentucky, Earlene Arnett says her greatest achievement has been her career and becoming the Scott County Public Library Director. She loves the opportunity to try new things, which has translated in the last year to tremendous progress for the library and its community. She has been the point person implementing the 'Library Express' project with remote library locations - through the LEID Products' iLibrary System - in Sadieville, and soon in Stamping Ground, KY. We are taking the opportunity this month to shine the spotlight on Earlene.

When Earlene graduated from Georgetown High School, she sort of fell into a position at the Scott County Public Library when her mother fielded a phone call from a friend of her sister suggesting Earlene apply for a newly available position. Little did Earlene know at the time, that phone call would send her down a path that would become a life-long rewarding career. She immediately started working at the library where she was a part-time clerk. She was responsible for typing catalog cards, checking books in and out, and after a few years, she started helping the library director with book orders, paying the bills and other secretarial duties. While working at the library, she attended Georgetown College for two years. She has also audited many library sciences classes at the University of Kentucky.

Earlene Visits Tahara Public Library in Japan

With the guidance of her mentor, former Scott County Library Director, Patsy Hall, Earlene flourished in the library environment, reaching her greatest professional achievement when becoming director in 1977.  "My library career has allowed me to move the library in many directions including developing a professional staff, automating the library, ensuring financial stability, and building a new 28,000 square foot facility in 2000," Earlene said. "Beyond my career, when I think about the relationship we have with our sister city in Japan, the quilting group connection is the personal accomplishment that I am most proud of!"

Earlene reading to her dog BB, the library has a program called 'Books and Best Friends' where children read to dogs.

The city of Georgetown has had a sister city relationship with Tahara, Japan since 1990 - both communities have a Toyota plant, both were about the same size when the relationship wasdeveloped, and both were agriculture communities at the time. In 2005, the Elkhorn Creek Quilters (she is one of the founding members) formed a sister relationship with the Friendship Quilters of Tahara. In 2007, the Scott County Public Library formed a sister relationship with the Tahara Public Library and Earlene was able to visit Japan through that program. In 2010, nine quilters from Tahara came to visit Georgetown during its Kite Festival and the two clubs participated in a joint quilt show.