When Debra Ely applied for the director position at the Dolores Library, the first thing she did was look it up online, and was hooked.
"I was amazed at the beautiful building, showing everyone around me, 'Look! Look!'" she said. "Then when I learned how well it's managed inside, I knew it would be a great place to work."
Ely brings a background in library science and education to Dolores. She overhauled school libraries in Michigan and is finishing her master's in library science from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
"For a small town, this library offers an impressive amount of services. Carole and her staff did a fantastic job and she leaves big shoes to fill," she said of outgoing director Carole Arnold.
Ely doesn't have big plans yet. She just moved to town, snagging a place on the river and settling in.
She's checked out some materials, including on area hot springs, local hikes and the requisite John Fielder photo book, in order to familiarize herself.
"I'm just taking it all in. I want to learn what the community needs are and then go from there," she said.
Technology is a subject familiar with modern librarians, and Ely is no exception. But creating a balance between regular books with actual pages, and eBooks, digital magazines, and audio books is the key.
"There is a whole generation that did not grow up with computers so there will always be a need and demand for standard books, " Ely said. "At the same time, a library needs to have the technical know-how to show people how to use the latest devices."
For the technically challenged, Ely finds one-on-one instruction works best, and is less embarrassing than a classroom setting.
Ely's background in childhood education will foster the relationship that the library has with area schools.
"I want to get more kids and teenagers in here. I think it is important to coordinate our collections to accommodate what students are studying in class," she said. "For younger students, the Internet is a good tool, but it is not all that is out there. There is a lot to be learned from books and research material."
