FARMINGTON – The Farmington Public Library board of trustees has announce that Melanie T. Coombs of Farmington has been hired as the new library director.

Coombs, who most recently has been the director of the Bailey Public Library in Winthrop, holds a master’s degree in library and information sciences from the University of Rhode Island. When Coombs assumes the position on July 1, she will become only the seventh director since the library’s founding in 1891.

Coombs succeeds Jean Oplinger of Farmington, who has served as library director since 1987. Oplinger oversaw the 2000 remodeling and expansion of the library, which is on the historical register, and she guided the process of organizing and cataloguing the library’s 30,000 items in compliance with 21st-century information systems requirements.

The public is invited to a retirement tea for Oplinger from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, at the library.

Information about the Farmington Public Library’s holdings, services, educational programming and hours of operation is available online at www.farmington.lib.me.us/.