Melissa Depper is a Librarian for the Arapahoe Library District, where she develops early childhood programs, services, and staff training. Melissa is a founding member of Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy, an advisory group to the Colorado State Library that supports early literacy training and advocacy efforts. She was one of two public library advisors and an adjunct professor for the Early Childhood Librarian Fellowship program at the University of Denver. Melissa is Selection Committee Chair for the inaugural CLEL Bell Awards for Early Literacy, created to celebrate picture books that support early literacy development in young children.