Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos has named Rita Hamilton Phoenix city librarian. Hamilton will manage a $36 million budget and more than 400 employees.
Hamilton will administer Phoenix Public Library's system of 17 libraries that served more than 4.3 million people last year with a circulation of more than 13.8 million books, DVDs and CDs. There are more than one million Phoenix Public Library cardholders in the metropolitan area.
Hamilton has served as the library director for Scottsdale Public Library since 2002 and produced two award-winning library branches. Prior to that, she served for two years as the public services administrator for Phoenix Public Library in charge of branch services.
She also spent nine years as a library manager and assistant director in Nashville and managed a $115 million capital building program, six years as a library manager in Tucson, in addition to prior years of service in a variety of library roles.
Hamilton holds a master of library science degree from the University of Arizona and a bachelor of arts degree from Western Michigan University.
