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California Library Hall of Fame

Robert Karatsu

Robert Karatsu has had a varied career beginning as a Peace Corps volunteer setting up a public library in Labasa, Fiji right out of library school. He’s worked as a research librarian for Western Costume Company in Hollywood. 

After returning to public libraries, he led the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, while he was library director, in 2013 in winning the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal, the highest honor that the federal government can bestow on an American museum or library.

His service to the library community is extensive. He was a participant in the first Stanford University’s Institute on 21st Century Librarianship in 2000.  In 2014, Robert was the President of the California Library Association. Robert taught for 11 years for the San Jose State University's School of Information and more recently for UCLA's School of Education and Information Studies. He served three terms as a mentor for the Eureka! Leadership Institute. He continued his work in training library leaders as Project Manager for the Developing Leaders in California Libraries program.  Even after retirement, Robert served as the Chair of the Pasadena Public Library Commission as well as a Board member of the Pasadena Public Library Foundation.

Robert Karatsu was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame in 2022.

Photo credit: Robert Karatsu