PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Aimee Reeder
Communications Manager
Berkeley Public Library
510.495.4175
areeder@berkeleyca.gov
Berkeley, California (August 24, 2026) Berkeley Public Library is pleased to welcome Rebecca Alcalá-Veraflor, who began serving as the Library's Director of Library Services on August 17, following a year-long nationwide search. With more than two decades of experience serving Bay Area communities, Alcalá-Veraflor brings a collaborative leadership style rooted in community partnership, equity, and a lifelong belief in thepower of public libraries to transform lives.
"Public libraries have the power to change lives because they create opportunities for everyone," saidAlcalá-Veraflor. "My own journey began with a library card, and I have never forgotten what that simpleact of welcome meant to me and my family… as the daughter of parents who immigrated from Mexicowith limited formal education, I received my first library card during a kindergarten class trip and itopened a world of opportunity and sparked a lifelong love of learning.”
She is the first Latinx person to lead the Library in sixty-five years. Robert Alvarez served as the Directorof Library Services from 1959-1961.
Alcalá-Veraflor has begun meeting with staff, visiting neighborhood libraries, and learning from thepeople and communities that make Berkeley Public Library such a vital civic institution.“I look forward to listening, learning, and working alongside our talented staff, the Board of LibraryTrustees, community partners, and Berkeley residents to build on the Library's remarkable legacy andimagine what we can accomplish together," said Alcalá-Veraflor.
“We are delighted to welcome Ms. Alcalá-Veraflor as our new Director of Library Services,” said BeverlyGreene, President of the Berkeley Public Library Board of Trustees (BOLT). “She brings a remarkablecombination of operational expertise, strategic vision, and a genuine passion for public service.”Most recently, Alcalá-Veraflor served as Chief of Branches for the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL). Prior to joining SFPL in 2011, she served with San Mateo County Library and Alameda County Library andhas worked in many roles in libraries from entry-level positions to librarianship to leadership. Sheearned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Masters of Library andInformation Science from San José State University.
"Rebecca has exactly the kind of experience and vision that makes her an exceptional choice to leadBerkeley's beloved libraries," said City of Berkeley Councilmember and Board of Library Trustee,Shoshana O'Keefe. "We are lucky she's decided to trade one side of the Bay for another, and I'm veryhappy to welcome her to Berkeley."
To schedule an interview - in English and/or in Spanish - with Alcalá-Veraflor or for additionalinformation about the Berkeley Public Library, please contact Aimee Reeder, Communications Manager, at (510) 495-4175 or areeder@berkeleyca.gov.
For general questions about Library events, services, hours and locations, please visit the Library’s website www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.
For over 130 years, the Berkeley Public Library has been dedicated to fostering community, learning, andopportunity by providing accessible and diverse resources to all. The Library’s Mission is to empower,inspire, and eliminate barriers with resources and experiences; the Vision is to evolve and respond to thechanging needs of the community.
All Library programs are wheelchair accessible. For questions, to request a sign language interpreter orother accommodations for library events, please call (510) 981-6195 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY) atleast five working days in advance to help ensure availability.
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