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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homewood Public Library Director Debbie Fout stands outside of the computer lab at the library. Fout is retiring from the library May 1 after 37 years of service to the community.
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Staff photo.
Books on a shelf at the Homewood Public Library.
After 37 years of working at the Homewood Public Library, Deborah “Debbie” Fout, director of the library, retires this May.
“When I came to Homewood Public Library, I loved it,” Fout said. “I dreamed of one day becoming the director. I worked hard, and 24 years later became the director of the library. I have had a wonderful career and am very proud of the work I did.”
Fout started in a part-time position in September 1985 and earned a full-time position in October of that year, she said.
“The library celebrated its 80th birthday in 2021, and I am only the sixth library director,” Fout said. “I am happy to have been part of the history of this library for nearly 37 years.”
She was promoted to executive secretary in 1987 and then to an administrative role for the library in 1998, she said.
During the next few years, she would go on to earn her undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a major in public relations and a minor in organizational communication and a master’s degree in library and information studies at the University of Alabama in 1998, she said.
Fout said some of the best parts of working at the library were its staff and the fact that she was never bored. She “wore many hats” and answered to many local and state entities, including the city of Homewood and the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, which kept her busy.
“Being a library director involves a lot of planning sessions and many written reports,” Fout said. “I enjoy most of the work, am challenged by some of it and dread some of it, but I never do the same thing two days in a row. I am never bored with my job.”
She said she’ll miss the people of the Homewood Public Library the most — its staff and patrons.
“I have truly been blessed to work with great staff members, board members and city officials,” Fout said. “Our ‘Friends’ members and foundation members are great. All of these people have supported me through the years and supported the library. I call many of these people my friends along with many of our patrons. I will miss seeing these people on a regular basis.”
Fout is known by her colleagues for her kindness, enthusiasm and love of Alabama football.
“One of the years when we won the national championship, a few years ago, a friend of mine who works for Coca-Cola had given me a cardboard cutout of Nick Saban,” said Mary Eller, children’s librarian at Homewood Public Library. “Before Debbie got here that morning, the day after, I put it in her office so when she would go in there would be Nick Saban waiting on her. You just heard this squeal, and she was so excited about it.”
They also remember how open she was to hear people’s ideas, no matter what their job position was.
“She is like your biggest cheerleader,” Eller said. “She always believes in the staff and has your back; she’s there for you. She’s always been very involved and hands-on, but at the same time, she gives you that space to really soar and find what you love and truly back you, which is huge for a director.”
Judith Wright, assistant director of the Homewood Public Library, said she always felt heard and valued by Fout.
“I love her because she’s so supportive of an idea,” Wright said. “I’ve worked at places in the past, and they might hear you say an idea, but she really listens and thinks ‘OK, how can we make this work?’ She’s always been open to ideas and creativity; she thinks outside of the box.”
Wright said she loves the brainstorming sessions she had with Fout because she always found new ways to “take the library to the next level.” She also appreciates how she’s supportive of the staff whenever they have a project idea or an idea for the library.
“She never shoots anything down,” Wright said.
“Debbie is an excellent administrator,” said Paul Doran, chair of the library’s board of directors. “She knows what she’s doing, and she’s dedicated her adult life to this library … I think her greatest strength is that she trusts her department heads and lets them do their jobs … She’s a top-notch administrator.”
Though they will miss her, Fout’s colleagues at the library said they are excited for her “new chapter” of retirement.
“It’s been an exciting time, but I know she’s ready to spend more time with her dogs,” special projects librarian Laura Tucker said. “She’s been here for 37 years, which is something that I can’t fathom at this moment. It’s an amazingly long time, but it doesn’t seem that way. She doesn’t seem like someone who’s been here forever, as far as energy goes. She always brought a lot of energy to the library.”
Eller said she’s excited for Fout to be able to spend time with her animals, travel and enjoy retirement.
I have truly been blessed to work with great staff members, board members and city officials. Our ‘Friends’ members and foundation members are great. All of these people have supported me through the years and supported the library. I call many of these people my friends along with many of our patrons. I will miss seeing these people on a regular basis.
DEBBIE FOUT
She said Fout told her when she was retiring that she was excited about it, which made Eller more excited for her.
“I think she’s ready for her next chapter,” Eller said.
Eller said she appreciates Fout because she didn’t retire during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic like a lot of other people in leadership positions have. She said she believes Fout stayed until she thought the library wouldn’t be in disarray when she left.
“A lot of people have retired, and a lot of them did it pretty quickly — they didn’t wait around,” Eller said. “She wasn’t going to do that. She’s seen us and led us through the past two years, and now I think she’s like, ‘They’re in a good place. They’re going to be OK.’”