Introduction
John F. Szabo (born 1968) is the City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library and head of the board of Online Computer Library Center. In 2015, he was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor for library service in the United States. In 2018, Szabo was featured in Susan Orlean's The Library Book which chronicles the history of libraries, the history of the Los Angeles Public Library system, and the 1986 Los Angeles Central Library fire.
Early life
Szabo was born in Orlando, Florida and raised near Air Force bases in Alabama, as his home town was Montgomery and his father was in the service. There, he cultivated a love of books, as libraries on the bases were highly prized. At age 16, Szabo started working as a clerk at the base library's circulation desk.
Education
Szabo earned his Bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the University of Alabama. He subsequently earned his Master’s degree in Information and Library Studies at the University of Michigan. While earning his Master's, he was known as "Conan the Librarian" due to his fierce style in running the library in his East Quad residence hall.
In continuing education post-Master's and during the course of his career, Szabo completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Career
Szabo began his career in Robinson, Illinois. Between 1992-1995, he helped rehabilitate and shape the city library. His experience then extended to the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System (Director 2005-2012), Clearwater Public Library System in Florida, and Palm Harbor Public Library, also in Florida. During his Florida tenure, he served as Florida Library Association president.
Szabo became L.A. City Librarian in 2012.