New Washougal library manager ready to ‘make connections’

Zoe Nash developed an interest in library sciences relatively later in life, somewhat by chance. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California-Santa Barbara in 2006 and intended to pursue a career as an archivist, but eventually realized that occupation wasn’t for her and discovered her true passion in another walk of life.

“My original degree has a focus in archival stuff and museums, because that’s where I wanted to focus,” Nash said. “But in the process of going to school and working, I was like, ‘I just need to get a library job.’ So I started at a public library. Then I was like, ‘This is really fun. I like this.’ I realized that the archive (jobs are) more of a by-yourself situation. I think it’s fun to collaborate with people and interact.”

That decision led her to a rewarding career as a librarian in southern California — and now Washougal. Fort Vancouver Regional Library (FVRL) announced last month that it has hired Nash as the new branch manager at the Washougal Community Library, replacing Rachael Ries, who accepted a similar position at the FVRL’s Cascade Park (Vancouver) location in April.

“We are very excited to have Zoe join our Washougal team,” said FVRL executive director Amelia Shelley. “(In her previous positions), she created innovative programming and had an active role in developing strong community partnerships. She is a great fit for us as we continue to create community awareness, engagement and support for building a new library in Washougal.”

Nash, a native of Orange, California, worked for the Orange County (California) Library System for the past 10 years. She served in clerk and assistant roles for several years before being promoted to adult services librarian, a position she held at several branches, most recently in La Habra, California.

But she applied for the Washougal position because she felt she was ready for a change, both personally and professionally.

“I do have family in Washington, so part of it was to be able to be closer to them,” she said. “I was looking for a different kind of lifestyle — I love nature and the outdoors. The cost of living (was a factor).

“And I really like a small branch like this — you really get to interact with people and make connections with people, and sometimes I feel that (aspect) gets lost when you’re working at a bigger branch. It is part of a larger system, so there is room to grow professionally. And there’s a lot of opportunities that I see here in the way that FVRL values its employees and creates a work-life balance.”

While working for the Orange County Library System, Nash enrolled at San Jose State University and earned a master of library and information science degree in 2012.

“Every day is so different (as a librarian),” she said. “You get to do tons of different stuff — you’re doing programming, or you’re working with your staff, or you get to go out and do fun events. And there’s that knowledge and education factor that I think librarians enjoy with the books and lifelong learning. I’m always learning something. I like the environment — it’s pushing me to grow and learn.”

Nash had never heard of Washougal and hadn’t spent a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest before applying for the position. She’s not quite sure how she’ll handle the rain, but she’s pretty confident that her new home will provide an ideal outlet for her personal interests.

“I’m a big hiker and camper,” she said. “Being outside, having the access, (the outdoors) being so close, that’s really enjoyable for me. Right after work I can go out on my bike and it’s right there. I like the proximity of it. And it’s new to me — it’s a different environment. Southern California has its own (outdoor scene), which I also love, but it’s very different.”

In the short-term, Nash is looking forward to establishing as many relationships with local residents and organizations as she can in order to facilitate community growth. And long-term, she’s already begun to think about the impact of the new library facility that FVRL is planning to build in Washougal.

“To me, it’s really exciting,” she said. “It’s usually really hard to get a brand-new building — usually you have to refurbish (your current building) or work with what you have. I think the fact that they’re involving the community in the design is amazing, because (in my experience) that doesn’t usually happen. It gives you an opportunity to have something that your community does want. You’re going to build something that people love.”