Pura Belpré was a pioneering Puerto Rican librarian, writer, and storyteller who made significant contributions to children's literature and library services. Born in Cidra, Puerto Rico, in 1899, she moved to New York City in 1921. In 1921, she was hired by the New York Public Library as an Hispanic assistant, becoming the first Puerto Rican librarian in the system. Recognizing the lack of Spanish-language resources, she advocated for and implemented bilingual story hours, acquired Spanish-language materials, and published Puerto Rican folktales, thus enriching the library's offerings and making literature accessible to the Latino community.