The City Librarian

John F. Szabo

John F. Szabo is City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library, one of the nation’s largest and most innovative public library systems, serving more than four million Angelenos through the historic Central Library and 72 neighborhood branches. Since becoming City Librarian in 2012, Szabo has worked to position the Library as an essential civic, educational, cultural, and community institution—one that meets people where they are and responds creatively to the changing needs of a diverse city.

As often the most visible, open, and approachable arm of government, Szabo and the Los Angeles Public Library leverage community trust to support residents at every age and every stage. Szabo has expanded the Library’s work in digital equity, immigrant integration and citizenship, civic engagement, workforce development, lifelong learning, literacy, sustainability, and connecting residents with social and community services. The Library welcomes everyone, and Szabo has emphasized partnerships across Los Angeles and championed new ways for libraries to engage communities both in person and digitally.

In 2025, Library Journal named Szabo its Librarian of the Year, commending his “genuine love of community” and his leadership in aligning library services with the needs and aspirations of Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the Library has also been honored with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest recognition for library and museum service.

Szabo has more than 30 years of leadership experience in public libraries. Before coming to Los Angeles, he served as director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, Florida’s Clearwater Public Library System, Palm Harbor Public Library, and Robinson Public Library District in Illinois. Throughout his career, he has been an advocate for libraries as engines of opportunity, learning, connection, and civic life.

A leader in the broader library community, Szabo has served for nearly 12 years as a trustee of OCLC, the global library cooperative, including six years as Chair of its Board of Trustees. He has served on the boards of California Humanities and the Urban Libraries Council and as president of the Florida Library Association.

Szabo holds a master’s degree in information and library studies from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the University of Alabama, where he now serves on the Board of Visitors for the College of Communication & Information Sciences. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.