WINDHAM – For Jennifer Alvino Leo, becoming the new Windham Public Library Director is not just a means of paying the bills.

“It’s really my dream job,” she said Tuesday, moments after the Windham Town Council unanimously confirmed Town Manager Tony Plante’s appointment of Leo to the position. Her first day on the job is Oct. 9.

“I am really excited about this position and looking forward to getting things started,” Leo said.

Leo, who grew up in Portland and resides in Yarmouth, has worked at the Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook for six years, most recently in a trio of roles as technology coordinator, head of lending services and acting deputy director.

According to Town Manager Tony Plante, Leo was chosen among 25 other applicants for the position, some from as far away as Colorado and Texas. Ten of the applicants were from Maine. She’ll earn $60,476 in her first year and, similar to other department heads, does not have a contract with the town, Plante said.

Plante, at the meeting Tuesday, said he believes Leo is an “excellent candidate for the position to work with the staff, to lead the library into the future, and for serving its patrons and the community.”

“She has extensive library experience,” Plante said. “She is very enthusiastic, and we are very pleased to have her.”

As the new Windham Public Library director, Leo replaces Inese Gruber, who retired in May after more than 20 years.

Councilor Kevin Call told Leo that the council appreciated her “stepping up” to the position, pointing out she has “big shoes to fill,” referring to Gruber.

“She’s well qualified and we are putting our library in good hands,” said Councilor David Nadeau.

Leo said that she was pleased with the application process and in the meantime, learned a lot about the town of Windham and the library. She also said it’s been neat to learn what she’s up against.

“I am looking forward to hitting the ground running,” Leo told councilors.

Leo earned her bachelor’s of arts degree in communications from the University of Southern Maine in 2004 and her master’s in library and information science from Simmons College in 2008.

At Walker library, Leo managed the public access computers, designed and updated the library’s website and managed the staff and lending departments.

Beginning in 1994, Leo worked at the Portland Public Library prior to joining Walker library in 2007, she said, and had a similar role.

“I assisted with public access computers and was the supervisor in the circulation area,” Leo said.

Leo has always had a heart for libraries.

“When I was really young, I’d spend a lot of time at my neighborhood branch and the librarians were always giving me volunteer jobs. When I was old enough in high school, they hired me. I’ve had some wonderful mentors who encouraged me to go to library school.”

Leo said she has worked toward becoming a library director for years. She looks forward to getting to know the library staff and learning about the library’s goals.

She’d like to look into providing the patrons with private access and a better selection of e-books, she said, and aims to build upon the library’s interest in the statewide library consortium, an interlibrary loan system providing ground delivery of books and resources, as well as access to material from more than 80 libraries.

She also eagerly anticipates the day-to-day running of the library, she said.

“I want to help the library grow and meet the needs of the community,” Leo said. “It’s been a long career coming up. To get to this point is really exciting for me.”