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California Library Hall of Fame

Kim Ly /Bui (Bui-Burton)

Kim Ly Bui, known professionally as Kim Bui-Burton, has had a lifelong commitment to libraries and community. Her work in California libraries began in 1975 as a high school shelver in Monterey; 29 years later Kim became Monterey Public Library Director and the first Vietnamese-American library director in the country. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Literature and from SJSU with an MLIS, Kim worked as as a rural branch manager in Monterey County. Returning to the Monterey Public Library as Readers Services Manager, Kim led efforts to eliminate a fee for non-resident library use and restore seven-day Sunday hours after 2008 recession cuts.

Appointed in 2010 as Monterey’s Community Services Director Kim became the only Library Director nationwide to manage a Conference Center, Harbor, Marina and Parking, in addition to Museums, Recreation and Sports Center. Kim led a $60 million conference center renovation to increase the city’s economic base and improved access to Monterey's historic sites through heritage tourism initiatives with the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Office of Tourism.

Kim’s commitment to libraries and community continued after retirement.in 2017.  As President of the Pacific Grove Public Library Friends (and now Foundation) she led a $3 million capital campaign  to renew the historic Carnegie library. As a founding member (now Chair) of the City of Pacific Grove’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force Kim authored an Apology to Chinese village settlers and descendants on behalf of the City.

Her service to libraries extends beyond the Monterey County area.  Kim was CLA President in 2010 and has the distinction of being the first Vietnamese American to serve in that position. She is an advocate for libraries, believing that libraries, and librarians, belong everywhere.