Library director begins 35th year of service

November 1, 2020 is a major milestone for Deborah Fout, the director of the Homewood Public Library. 

It starts her 35th year of service to the library and the city of Homewood. During that time, she has worked to grow the library into a main staple within the community. 

In 1985, Fout was hired at the library as a part-time circulation assistant. Within a few months she was hired on as a full-time library clerk, where she was the first library staff member to have a computer. From there she was then promoted to the library’s executive secretary. In 1996, she moved up again and became assistant director of the library. In 2008, she was selected by the Board of Trustees as the director of the Homewood Public Library.

Since becoming director, Fout has made significant contributions to the Homewood Public Library. Building on the visions of previous library directors, she has worked hard to help the library fulfill its mission to the community. Many of these contributions have been in the form of grants that Fout has written and been awarded. To date, she has applied for and received over $500,000 in grant funding for projects that improved the Homewood Public Library and library service for the community. This includes a $195,240.00 Energy Star grant that allowed the library to become more energy-efficient. 

As Homewood grows, Fout has advocated for the growth of the Library, including the new computer lab that was completed on October 27, 2020. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she steered the library in a new direction as virtual services, materials, events, and curbside appointments became the best way to reach library users. 

In addition to her work promoting the library within the community, Fout has proven that the first step of being a successful director is being a strong leader for the library staff. 

“Working with and for Debbie Fout has been one of the great experiences of my life,” said Leslie West, head of Adult Services. “She is an incredible director. Her focus is always on how to provide the best library service and experience for the Homewood community. She always tackles challenges immediately and creatively.  She has been a wonderful mentor, example, and leader to me and the rest of the staff. I only wish I’d been working with her my whole career!”  

In 2017, Deborah Fout was selected by the Alabama Library Association as the Eminent Librarian Award for that year. One of the state’s highest honors, this award is presented annually to a librarian who has made an exceptional and enduring contribution toward the development of library service within Alabama.

When asked about her career at the Homewood Public Library, Deborah Fout said, “After 35 years working at the Homewood Public Library, I still love the work I do. I take great pride in what we as a library have accomplished. I am blessed to have a job in the great city of Homewood, and even more blessed to have an exceptional staff and supportive Library Board. This has been the strangest year of my career, but even in the midst of a pandemic, I still look forward to coming to work.” 

The Homewood Public Library has won countless awards and standards within the library community, and this is a direct testament to the hard work, dedication, and leadership of Deborah Fout, the library said in a statement.

“She continues to use her experience and commitment to take the Homewood Public Library to new levels. The library and the city of Homewood are proud and thankful for all her contributions to the Homewood Public Library.”

Submitted by Judith Wright.