Mayor Appoints Martín Gómez to City Librarian of
Los Angeles Public Library

Gomez will bring his 30-year experience working in urban libraries to
expand access for all Angelenos

 

Los Angeles-- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today appointed Martín Gómez to the top post of City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library.  Gómez will oversee the department’s $129 million budget and 1,100 employees and the administration of the City’s library system, which serves four million people—the largest population of any library in the United States.

"Martín Gómez will lead the library into a new era of greater technology, resources, and access - especially for under-served communities in Los Angeles,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “With his leadership qualities and vision, Martín will guarantee that our libraries serve as safe-havens of infinite learning potential for all Angelenos."

"I look forward to working with the Mayor, members of the City Council, the Library Commission and Foundation and library staff to strengthen the library as an essential part of the city,” City Librarian Gómez said. “It is an honor and privilege to live and work in a world-class city.  I want the Los Angeles Public Library to be the premier model of urban librarianship."

For the past 30 years, Gómez has been one of the nation’s top library reformers advocating to expand access to library resources in urban communities. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from University of California, Los Angeles and his master’s degree in Library Sciences from the University of Arizona, Gómez went straight to work as a Branch Librarian at the San Diego Public Library. As director of the Oakland Public Library, Gómez went on to lead a successful effort to merge the African American History and Museum Society into the city’s public library system. He also spearheaded a digital revolution at the Brooklyn Public Library, the country’s fourth largest library system, by ensuring the library had the proper technological infrastructure. Gómez has served as president of the Urban Libraries Council, a North-American non-profit association of over 190 major urban public libraries that serve populations of over 100,000 people. Most recently, Gómez was Director of the San Mateo Library System.

He currently serves on two non-profit boards based in New York City: Sesame Workshop and Poets House.  He is a past president of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking and a former director of the Executive Board of the American Library Association.

"Martín Gómez brings a wealth of experience to this position," said Board of Library Commissioners President Dr. Tyree Wieder.  "He is a national leader in the library profession and has the skills necessary to lead our great library forward in its mission to serve the diverse communities of Los Angeles.”

Interim City Librarian, Kris Morita, will return to her role as Assistant General Manager of Libraries.

The Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest urban population of any library in the country.  Its Central Library, 71 branch libraries, six million books and state-of-the art technology provide everyone with free and easy access to information and the opportunity for life-long learning.  For further information visit the Library’s Web site at www.lapl.org.

# # # #