Anne's Place

A recent gift from the estate of Anne Paley Wolman will be used for “Anne’s Place “ - a hearth reading lounge at the new Sequoya Branch Library. 

 “Anne’s Place”, will incorporate the periodicals lounge and reading lounge, where a two-sided fireplace will add warmth and interest to both areas. Furnishing in “Anne’s Place” will include comfortable chairs as well as study tables.  

Anne Paley Wolman was a woman of stature within the Madison community.  She raised her family of five in Nakoma, where the kids often rode their bicycles to the Sequoya Branch.  She was an avid reader and was a huge believer in borrowing books.  According to Anne’s daughter, Ruth Henderson of Boulder, Co., the naming of “Anne’s Place” – the hearth reading lounge” at the new Sequoya Branch Library is meaningful to her family because, “ If there is one thing all of us kids remember about our mom, it is that she loved reading and strongly believed in libraries. Her favorite reading spot at home was an old chair—reupholstered several times because she loved it so—next to our fireplace hearth. If you went looking for her, she was either there, or on the back porch, reading.” 

Born and raised in Madison, she graduated from Central High School and received her bachelor’s degree in Labor Economics from the UW.  She was the founder of Youth Services, Inc.  Her community involvement included the YWCA, Friends of the Madison Public Library, the Civic Center Foundation, the Madison Civics Club, the Dane County Arts Council, Temple Beth El, Hadassah, the Madison Jewish Community Council, the Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center Council, the Meriter Foundation, Attic Angels, and the Wisconsin Humanities Commission.

Back