1956-
Ingrid Betancourt served in various leadership positions at Newark Public Library including interim director, assistant director, director of Operations, Hispanic Services Coordinator, head of Special Collections and head of Ethnic Services and Collections. She retired recently c. 2024.
Born in Puerto Rico, Ingrid arrived at the library in 1980. She helped found La Sala, a room for service Spanish speakers, as well as the NJ Hispanic Research and Information Center which contains the Puerto Rican Community Archives. She was also instrumental in the annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration. She became the library’s first Hispanic director when she served as Interim Director.
From 1991 to 2005, Ingrid also served as Director of MultiMAC, the Multilingual Materials Acquisition Center, a New Jersey information clearinghouse and resource center on library services and materials in selected world languages.
Ingrid has been honored many times including as Outstanding Community Advocate in the 1988 Puerto Rican Day Parade. She was also inducted 2002 into the Newark Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2023 she won the Roger McDonough Award from the NJSAA.
Bibliography
“Springfield Library is Reopened” Star Ledger Sept 18, 1989
“Librarian Reaches Out to Latino Community” Star Ledger Feb 24, 2008
“Statewide Parade will Honor Puerto Rican Women” Star Ledger Jul 18, 1988
“Seven Women Honored…” Star Ledger Mar 28, 2002
https://sites.google.com/site/njstudiesacademicalliance/awards/roger-mcdonough-librarianship-award