The position of library manager at Elma Timberland Library has been filled, as Dee Depoe officially stepped into her new role for the first time Saturday, June 1.

A graduate of Shelton High School, Depoe was born and raised in Mason County. She earned her undergraduate degree from The Evergreen State College before going on to Texas Women’s University to purse a career linked with her love for books and libraries. She fell in love with what libraries have to offer while still in high school.

“I was 16 and looking for an after school job, and I got hooked,” she said.

For Depoe, libraries are more than just a destination to get books.

“I like what the library stands for. I like the community involvement and I like connecting people with resources and promoting lifelong learning,” she said.

Depoe is celebrating 37 years with Timberland Regional Libraries as of June 30. She started out as a page and has worked as a youth services associate as well as on bookmobiles, vehicles designed for use as a library. Now, she is the new manager at the Elma Timberland Library.

Interim manager Karen Boyer was excited to work beside Depoe on her first day.

“We’re happy to have her join us at the library, and I know she is going to help us get to where we need to go,” Boyer said.

Where the library needs to go, according to Depoe, is forward in the way the library communicates its available resources to the community.

“The library is not the library of your childhood, we have many more resources in addition to great print resources,” she said. “We have online resources many people don’t know about, online classes and things that people don’t usually associate with libraries but that are available.”

Depoe is optimstic about her future at the Elma Timberland Library.

“I think it’s going well,” she said of the first half of her first day.

“I had a meeting this morning, and this afternoon I will hopefully meet some of our wonderful patrons, and help people find anything they need to find,” Depoe added.

“We’re very excited to have her on board with us,” Boyer said.