Contact: Heidi Dolamore
Director of Library Services
Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6195
Berkeley resident Elliot Warren has been selected as Deputy Director of Berkeley Public Library. He will provide leadership for major operational areas including public services, collections, IT, and facilities.
“Elliot Warren has committed himself to inclusively engage with staff to create progressive change towards more equitable services,” said Heidi Dolamore, Director of Library Services. Warren shared that he is excited to join a staff at Berkeley Public Library that is also clearly committed to those methods and goals.
Warren brings a rich background in strategic planning, community engagement, program development, and progressive change management to the position of Deputy Director. He has devoted his career to supporting access to reading materials, community spaces, and culturally enriching programming for a diverse range of Bay Area communities.
Warren comes to Berkeley from Alameda County Library, where he oversaw services for incarcerated populations, a bookmobile, literacy programs, and collections. During his tenure, Warren initiated a User Experience Design task force to engage with the community and staff to holistically improve collections practices to make the experience of using library spaces more intuitive and enjoyable.
Prior to Alameda County, Warren served as Deputy City Librarian at San Mateo Public Library, where he oversaw operations for a three branch system that includes a 90,000 square-foot downtown Main Library. He helped modernize technological services, strengthen collections, support kindergarten readiness efforts, and train new staff.
In previous positions with Contra Costa County Library, Warren worked as a youth services librarian and later as a manager. He initiated bilingual storytimes and helped open the new Hercules Library. In addition, Warren served as Collection Development and Technical Services Manager, successfully initiating practices that guaranteed equitable distribution of materials, engaged staff and community to ensure appropriate input into selection practices, and used resources efficiently to ensure that Library could be identified as an organization supporting reading needs and interests across all demographics. He played a key role in an inclusive planning initiative that resulted in a new strategic plan for the Library.
Warren also worked as co lead for development of the Enki Library ebook project, a collaboration with the non profit library consortium Califa that successfully broadened access to ebooks for library patrons nationally.
During the 1990s, Warren worked as a bookseller and buyer at Berkeley’s Pegasus Books, where he says he “got the book bug” and was introduced to the rich intellectual tradition and wide range of cultural interests of Berkeley residents.
Warren was selected after a national search that included input from employees and City agencies. He holds an MLIS from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from UC Santa Cruz. He will begin his new position in February.
Founded in 1893, the Berkeley Public Library has grown from a small reading room with 264 books, into a five-story Central Library, four recently renovated neighborhood branches, and a Tool Lending Library. For more information, visit www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.