City’s Library Director Tim McDonald to Speak at Open-to-the-Public Rotary Club Meeting Wednesday

Pasadena’s Library Director McDonald will be the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Pasadena meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 24. He will be speaking on the topic, “Pasadena Public Library: Past, Present and Future.” The meeting is open to the public.

Those who want to attend must make a reservation by Tuesday morning. There is a fee for the luncheon.

McDonald will be introduced by Rotarian Jan Sanders, who formerly was Pasadena Library Director for 11 years, from the time she came to Pasadena from Spokane, Washington in 2005 until her retirement in August 2016.

Tim McDonald was appointed Director of the Department of Libraries and Information Services in June 2023. He has been acting library director since February 2022.

As the head of the department, McDonald oversees operations across 10 branch locations that collectively circulate over 1.2 million library resources annually. He manages a team of 99 full-time employees and directs an annual budget of approximately $16.5 million. McDonald’s leadership plays a crucial role in maintaining the Pasadena Public Library as a life-long learning center and cultural hub for the community.

Before joining the City of Pasadena, McDonald gained library experience in the National Medal-winning Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. His roles there included literacy manager, children’s department head, and branch manager of Sunrise Library, serving a population of 230,000.

McDonald’s journey into being a librarian began after a career as a public school teacher in Chicago. He holds an undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, a master’s degree in teaching and learning from DePaul University, and a master’s degree in information science from the University of North Texas.

“I grew up visiting my local library, and it was such a valuable asset that helped me learn, grow, and discover,” McDonald said when he was appointed last June. “I am honored and humbled to have been selected by the city manager to lead the Pasadena Public Library. I am fortunate to have an amazing team in place to support our future endeavors and generations who have grown up in our libraries.”

McDonald is also leading the retrofit and renovation project for the Pasadena Central Library, which is funded by a grant from the California State Library. He estimates that it will take up to two years to complete the construction plans. The design phase should conclude by the summer of 2025 and construction will last another 32 to 36 months, meaning the Central Library should reopen in 2028.

Wednesday’s meeting begins at 12 noon at the Pasadena Elks Lodge #672, located at 400 W. Colorado Blvd.

Attendees must make reservations by Tuesday at 10 a.m. To RSVP,  email office@pasadenarotary.com or call (626) 683-8243.

For more information, visit www.pasadenarotary.com/.