Bob Byrd loves the library! He discovered his passion when he received his first library card during the WWII years at a Carnegie Public Library in Richmond, California.
At Fresno State College, he worked in the library for 90 cents an hour, along with his twin brother (who is also a librarian), to escape picking fruit or working in the fields. After all, it’s hot in Fresno.
After graduating from college, he worked as a journalist and then returned to San Jose State College to earn his master’s degree in Librarianship. On the first day, he met one of our library icons, Jan Lieberman, who taught some of his classes.
After working as a school librarian for more than 30 years, he retired but didn’t slow down. He served on the Santa Clara Library Board of Trustees for 10 years and was chair when the new Central Park Library was dedicated in 2004. He was one of the founding volunteers of the Foundation & Friends, working in the bookstore and helping to set up the sorting room. You can see his skills on display today in the Heritage Pavilion’s exhibit cases. He has been creating new displays for 12 years.
Most recently, he helped create the Jan Lieberman Concert Fund and served on the Planning Committee for the Mission Library Renovation Campaign. When Bob isn’t at the Library, you can find him at the Harris-Lass House working for historic preservation in Santa Clara. Bob and his wife Shirley have also been generous donors to the Santa Clara Library Foundation & Friends.
We are thrilled to be honoring Bob at the 2018 Librarypalooza!