The Anythink Nature Library is a library unlike any other. So, it’s only natural that the team bringing this one-of-a-kind space to life is equally special. We caught up with a few staff members to learn about how they found their way to the Nature Library, items from the collection they’d recommend and their favorite way to spend time outdoors. Let’s meet them!
Caleb Stallsworth, Nature Library Eco Guide
Q: Why did you want to work at the Anythink Nature Library?
A: What drew me to Anythink in the first place was a desire to serve my community and do work that makes the world a better place, and I’ve had an insatiable curiosity about the natural world since before I could walk. The Eco Guide role is truly a dream job for me. It’s right at the intersection of my passions and experience. My degree is in Environmental Earth Sciences with a minor in biology, I’m a former elementary school teacher and am an avid outdoor enthusiast. I’ve spent much of my life helping others learn about and connect with the world around them, and now I get to do that in a very focused, intentional way.
During the interview for my previous position as Children’s Guide at Wright Farms, former Anythink Executive Director Pam Sandlian Smith mentioned that Anythink was working on a concept for a library focused on nature. I was immediately interested. That was four years ago, and I’ve been following the project closely ever since. I’m really excited for the opportunity to share my passion, experience and knowledge with members of the community and open doors to deeper connections with the natural world!
Q: What’s a book or TryIt from the Nature Library’s collection you’d like to recommend?
A: We have so much cool stuff here, and I can’t wait to see what folks check out! As we were unboxing all the TryIts last week, I saw that we have trail cameras. I’m going to check one out and set it up in my backyard to get some candid photos of the skunk family that lives under my neighbor’s porch!
As far as a book recommendation, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris have created a few amazing books of poetry and artwork that have deepened my connection to and understanding of nature. Their latest collaboration is “The Book of Birds: A Field Guide to Wonder and Loss.” The prose is breathtaking, and the artwork is stunning. Couldn’t recommend it enough.
Q: Do you have a favorite outdoor area in Colorado?
A: To be honest, I really don’t have one. I’ve been fortunate enough to have outdoor adventures all across the state, from hunting trips with my dad near Kremmling, to biology fieldwork at Pawnee and Comanche National Grasslands, to rock climbing and geology trips in the Cañon City area and on the Western Slope, and everywhere in between. I’ve even had profound nature experiences at local spots like Eastlake and Grandview Ponds. I imagine that The Nature Library will become one of those local spots, too. The great thing about Colorado is that you’re never too far from the wonder of nature if you know how to look for it, and I’m excited to help people see that.
Amber Owen, Nature Library Concierge
Q: Why did you want to work at the Anythink Nature Library?
A: I have always loved books. Even when I didn’t read them (I didn’t sit still long enough when I was young), I was thrilled with the promise that a story or an idea could be made into a cute little package and held in my hands. To be able to work in a place that gives that promise and so much more to everyone who comes through the door or plays outside in the mud or takes home a TryIt experience or just needs a resource to help them thrive, feels like a dream — a beautiful waking dream.
Q: What is your favorite way to spend time in nature?
A: My favorite way to spend time in nature is to go for a hike, in the shade preferably. I love that it doesn’t require any special equipment. I just step outside, put one foot in front of the other, look around, listen to what the earth has to say and sniff the air. Whether it is deep into the woods or just finding a small piece of heaven hidden in an urban setting, I just love walking under the sky.
Q: What’s your favorite season and why?
A: Choosing one season over another is difficult. They all feel like one big thing. I have the same difficulty choosing a favorite color. I like the way they all work together. Because it is so hot right now, I am very much looking forward to the cozy, cool fall. If you had asked this question in February, I am not sure I would have answered the same way. Maybe the space between one season and the next is my favorite, looking forward to the change.
Jennifer Damp, Nature Library Wrangler
Q: Why did you want to work at the Anythink Nature Library?
A: I’ve worked at many places that didn’t align with me at all, and it was hard to accept the way I felt every day. I’m a very passionate caring person. I needed to find a job that nourished my soul, surrounded me with people that share my core values and that made a positive impact in people’s lives. When I found the job posting for a Wrangler position at a Nature Library, it was a match made in heaven. It perfectly aligns with my strengths and interests. I wanted to work here because this job offered me exactly what I needed and yearned for in my life.
Q: What feelings does spending time in the natural world inspire in you?
A: Spending time in the natural world makes me feel peaceful and inspired. It always helps me differentiate the things in my life that matter and the things that don’t. I enter a deep state of reflection and acceptance. Being in nature keeps me centered; all my anxieties quickly dissipate.
Q: If you could transport yourself to any natural landscape right now to relax, where would you go?
A: If I could transport myself to any natural landscape right now to relax, I without a doubt would choose Trinidad State Beach in Trinidad, Calif. It’s truly idyllic, the epitome of the word. There is nowhere more peaceful for me. Admiring the beautiful blue abyss, listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks, smelling that refreshing sea smell, my toes in the sand, with a cool ocean breeze keeping my hair out of my face is heaven on earth.
Come meet Caleb, Amber, Jennifer and the rest of the Nature Library team at the Grand Opening on Aug. 8!
