Pasadena Public Library Receives Prestigious Top Innovator Award

Pasadena Public Library has been named a Top Innovator for 2025 by the Urban Libraries Council (ULC), North America’s leading nonprofit for urban libraries. This recognition is in honor of Pasadena Public Library’s Building Resilience After the Eaton Fire project which transformed the Jefferson Branch Library into a cornerstone of recovery – creating a safe, structured hub for learning, care and connection – by providing innovative childcare alternatives, education opportunities, and disaster response resources. As a result, 2,628 children were connected with emergency learning programs and 533 people were connected with wellness sessions in January 2025.

“We are incredibly proud to be recognized by the Urban Libraries Council for our efforts to build resilience after the Eaton Fire. The work we did to transform the Jefferson Branch Library into a flexible community hub for education, healing, and recovery is part of our commitment to community well-being and innovative service delivery. We are grateful also to our partners at the Pasadena Unified School District and the Pasadena Fire and Police Departments, with whom we continue to operate collaboratively at Jefferson, redefining how public institutions can share space and resources to serve a community in need,” notes Tim McDonald, Pasadena Public Library Director, “Due to the Eaton Fire, library programming was modified and expanded at Jefferson to meet the community’s urgent needs. Families were in immediate need of childcare because schools and childcare programs were destroyed by fire. The Pasadena Public Library recognized this as an opportunity to reimagine its services to support the community at a time of great need.”

ULC’s Innovations Initiative is a yearly showcase of exemplary projects from its nearly 200 member libraries across the U.S. and Canada. It seeks to highlight how the library’s role as an essential public institution is evolving to meet the changing needs of communities. From initiatives that promote civic engagement and intellectual freedom to projects that enhance digital connectivity and economic mobility, libraries are at the forefront of addressing today’s challenges.

Pasadena Public Library’s Building Resilience After the Eaton Fire project was selected as a Top Innovator by a distinguished panel of judges. The project won in the category of Health and Wellness for its originality, measurable outcomes, and the potential for other libraries to replicate and implement this successful initiative. More than 180 library projects in six categories were submitted by ULC members from across the U.S. and Canada to be considered for the top awards.

Pasadena Public Library joins world-class programs from peers across North America. Six public libraries in total received the “Top Innovator” designation, and six others received honorable mention recognition for their work.

“The Innovations Initiative highlights the best of what libraries across North America offer their communities,” said Brooks Rainwater, President and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council. “In a year that has proved especially challenging for libraries, this year’s winners, honorable mentions, and nominees all demonstrate our urban libraries are as important, resilient, and forward-thinking as ever.”

Information about the winning project from Pasadena Public Library, honorees, and a wealth of past submissions is available on the ULC website at www.UrbanLibraries.org/Innovations.

For more information about the Pasadena Public Library, visit PasadenaPublicLibrary.net.