About Hélène Rivier
Lived 1902 – 1986 (aged 83). Hélène Rivier was a Swiss librarian.
Hélène Rivier (May 25, 1902 – February 11, 1986) was a Swiss librarian.
The daughter of Emile Théodore Rivier, a minister, and Annie Rose, she was born in Porrentruy and attended the Ecole de bibliothécaires in Geneva, graduating in 1928.
In 1931, she established the Bibliothèque Moderne at Geneva, the first free lending library available to the public in Switzerland. She was the first director of the Bibliothèque Municipale in Geneva, serving from 1941 to 1966. She also established library service for the sick in the canton hospital and the Saint-Antoine prison, set up a system of local library branches and established the first Swiss bookmobile in 1962.
Rivier died in Geneva at the age of 83.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Hélène Rivier's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Hélène Rivier?
Swiss librarian (1902-1986)
When was Hélène Rivier born?
Hélène Rivier was born on 25 May 1902 in Porrentruy.
When did Hélène Rivier die?
Hélène Rivier died on 11 February 1986 in Geneva.
What was Hélène Rivier's occupation?
Hélène Rivier was a librarian.
What nationality was Hélène Rivier?
Hélène Rivier was Swiss.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hélène Rivier. https://biography.guide/helene-rivier/
MLA: "Hélène Rivier." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helene-rivier/.
Chicago: "Hélène Rivier." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helene-rivier/.
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