John F. Szabo

John F. Szabo is City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library, the 20th person to hold the post, and was named Library Journal's 2025 Librarian of the Year for his community-focused leadership across four public library systems.

Based in Los Angeles, CA Org Los Angeles Public Library Role City Librarian

Notable work and positions

Los Angeles Public Library — City Librarian (since 2012)
Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System — former Director
Clearwater Public Library System (Florida) — former Director
OCLC — Trustee; former Chair of the Board of Trustees

Biography

John F. Szabo is City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), the 20th person to hold the position, overseeing the historic Central Library and 72 neighborhood branches serving nearly four million residents across 503 square miles. He has led LAPL since 2012, and under his direction the library has expanded programs in digital equity, immigrant integration and citizenship, civic engagement, workforce development, literacy and homelessness services, including the Library Experience Office, which connects Angelenos with social services, and Career Online High School, a free program allowing adults to earn an accredited high school diploma. When the owners of Angel City Press, an independent Los Angeles-focused publisher, retired, they gave the press to LAPL, citing Szabo's interest in the city's history and cultural life; the library also launched the L.A. Libros Book Festival during his tenure.

In January 2025, Library Journal named Szabo its Librarian of the Year, citing his community-focused leadership across four library systems, beginning with his first directorship in a rural Illinois town of about 8,000 residents. The announcement came the same week the Eaton and Palisades wildfires broke out in Los Angeles, destroying the library's Palisades branch along with thousands of homes; Szabo redirected the library's response toward distributing water, power packs and Wi-Fi hotspots and deploying outreach vehicles and social workers for displaced residents. Under his leadership, LAPL has also received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the U.S. government's highest honor for library and museum service.

Before joining LAPL, Szabo served as director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, Florida's Clearwater Public Library System, Palm Harbor Public Library, and the Robinson Public Library District in Illinois, accumulating more than 30 years of public library leadership experience. He has served nearly 12 years as a trustee of OCLC, the global library cooperative, including six years as chair of its board, and has served on the boards of California Humanities and the Urban Libraries Council, as well 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 serves on the Board of Visitors for the College of Communication and 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.

Career highlights

1. Library Journal's Librarian of the Year, 2025Named for community-focused leadership across four public library systems and more than 30 years in the field.

2. National Medal for Museum and Library ServiceLAPL received the nation's highest honor for library and museum service under his leadership.

3. Angel City Press acquisitionThe independent Los Angeles publisher's owners gave the press to LAPL upon retirement, citing Szabo's commitment to the city's history and culture.

4. OCLC Board of Trustees chairServed six years as chair of the global library cooperative's board during nearly 12 years as a trustee.