Amita Lonial (she/her/hers) has served as the deputy director for Tacoma Public Library from 2019 to 2024. When former director Kate Larsen resigned in 2024, Tacoma Public Library's Board of Trustees promoted Amita to the role of library director.
Amita has worked in public libraries for more than a decade with a focus on public services, programming, and community building. Prior to becoming a librarian, she spent eight years in the non-profit sector organizing for racial and economic justice. She is deeply committed to advancing the promise and power of public libraries and the critical role libraries play in anchoring communities. She has proudly served on the Public Library Association (PLA) Board of Directors and on the PLA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Taskforce. She was named a Mover & Shaker by Library Journal in 2016.
Amita is a graduate of Oberlin College (BA) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (MLIS). She is originally from the East Coast and has lived in Austin, TX, Oakland and San Diego, CA, and Chicago, IL. In addition to being a voracious reader, her interests include music, crafting, and exploring the Puget Sound. She is passionate about social justice, community care and belonging, digital equity, and expanding educational access. She is a proud resident of the South End of Tacoma.
