Patty Wong

Patty Wong is the new Santa Clara City Librarian. She started this month. Wong is the President of the American Library Association (ALA) for the 2021-2022 term. She is the first Asian American president of the ALA. She graduated from UC Berkeley and earned her Master of Library Science degree...

Veteran librarian Patty Wong is taking over as Santa Clara's new city librarian, beginning Monday. Wong has spent 37 years working in California libraries, including those in Santa Monica, Yolo County, Oakland, and Berkeley. Wong is also a part-time faculty member at San Jose State University and serves as a consultant for libraries on issues related to change management, youth development and cultural diversity.

Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) Director Patty Wong announced recently that she will leave Santa Monica to take on the role of Library Director for the City of Santa Clara. “Patty’s commitment to lifelong learning, inclusion, and redefining what a library can be for its community has seen the library through our best days and the hardest days when the pandemic required the closure of our beloved branches,” said Interim City Manager John Jalili. “We are grateful for Patty’s passion, perseverance, and dedication to Santa Monica.”

After successfully steering the City’s public libraries through a year and a half of extreme financial turbulence, Patty Wong is preparing for a new library director to take the helm. As Wong parts ways with Santa Monica for a position as Library Director in the City of Santa Clara, she...

Patty Wong, Director of Santa Monica Public Library, announced on Wednesday that she will leave her post on September 4 to take on a similar role for the City of Santa Clara. “Patty’s commitment to lifelong learning, inclusion, and redefining what a library can be for its community has seen the library through our best days and the hardest days when the pandemic required the closure of our beloved branches,” said Interim City Manager John Jalili. “We are grateful for Patty’s passion, perseverance, and dedication to Santa Monica.”

Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) Director Patty Wong has announced that she will leave Santa Monica to take on the role of Library Director for the City of Santa Clara. “Patty’s commitment to lifelong learning, inclusion, and redefining what a library can be for its community has seen the library through our best days and the hardest days when the pandemic required the closure of our beloved branches,” said Interim City Manager John Jalili. “We are grateful for Patty’s passion, perseverance, and dedication to Santa Monica.”

AdvertisementPatty Wong, Director of Santa Monica Public Library, announced on Wednesday that she will leave her post on September 4 to take on a similar role for the City of Santa Clara. "Patty's commitment to lifelong learning, inclusion, and redefining what a library can be for its community has seen...

California’s libraries are the hearts of their communities. That’s one reason 23 million Californians have library cards. But many of California’s libraries are 40 years of age or older, and like everything from power grids to two-lane highways, libraries eventually need to be repaired, renovated or replaced. Old wiring. Lousy plumbing. Non-existent or antiquated fire alarm or sprinkler systems. Restrooms that don’t work for Americans with disabilities. Despite the great love Californians have for our libraries, these conditions exist in far more communities than they should.