Neighborhood Libraries Director
Multnomah County Library
Rita Jimenez has served as the Neighborhood Libraries Director at Multnomah County Library since 2004. She is a lifetime member of REFORMA. She currently supports 7 branch libraries that are well-loved hubs of community learning and innovation. Rita leads the nationally recognized We Speak your Language services to immigrants and refugees. Before coming to Oregon, Rita worked at the Peace Corps as the South America Desk Officer, ensuring the smooth operation of six country programs in Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Suriname. One of the highlights was helping re-open Peace Corps/Peru after an absence of 24 years, including witnessing the signing of the country agreement in Lima. Rita started her career at the Library of Congress, where she worked for ten years as a reference specialist, providing information to Members of Congress, congressional staff and committees. In 1996 Rita served as an ALA Library Fellow in Costa Rica and assisted their nation’s legislative library in improving reference and outreach services, along with helping a very small rural library receive book donations and hiking the tallest peak in Central America. She received my M.L.S. from the University of Arizona and a B.A. in Spanish from Bryn Mawr College. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, yoga, and spending time with her family.
Saturday, September 29
2:15 PM – 3:30 PM