I am pleased to announce the appointment of Gerry Garzón as Director of Library Services for the City of Oakland, effective immediately. Mr. Garzón has been serving as the City’s Interim Library Director since December 2012. In his role as Interim Library Director, he worked with Library staff and the City Administration in developing the Library’s FY 2013-15 Budget. During this time, Mr. Garzón distinguished himself as holding a solid policy background with a strong vision for the future of library services for Oakland residents that strengthens valued, relevant services while leveraging technological innovations.

Over the next year, Mr. Garzón will be working with Library staff and the community in looking at new models of service online, and both inside and outside the Library; further integrating into the Library’s services and programs Oakland Reads 2020, an initiative of the Oakland Literacy Coalition; and, working with the Mayor to recruit more young, Oakland students for Library jobs.

Prior to serving as Interim Library Director, Mr. Garzón served as the Associate Director for the Library and has been with Oakland since 2000.  He has worked in libraries in Colorado, California, and has been the administrator of a 16-state government agency working with governors and federal agencies on energy policy issues.

Mr. Garzón holds a Master of Library & Information Science degree from the University of Denver and a Bachelor’s Degree in Hispanic Literature from the University of California Santa Barbara. He is a member of the American and California Library Associations and serves on the Steering Committee of Oakland Reads 2020.  In November, the California Public Library Advocates, a statewide organization, presented him with an award for outstanding service to the Oakland Public Library.

Please join me in congratulating Gerry on his appointment.

Respectfully submitted,

DEANNA J. SANTANA, Oakland City Administrator