PASADENA, Calif.—After completing a nationwide recruitment process, City Manager Miguel Márquez has announced the appointment of Tim McDonald as the new director of Pasadena’s Department of Libraries & Information Services. McDonald has been with the City of Pasadena since 2016 and has served as acting director since February 2022.
McDonald will oversee a department that includes 10 branch locations, collectively circulating over 1.2 million library books, DVDs and other resources per year to the community. He will lead 99 full-time employees and direct an annual budget of about $16.5 million. With more than 2,300 on-site programs, free WiFi services and an extensive collection of printed books, periodicals, media and cloud-based eBooks, Pasadena Public Library serves as a life-long learning center and cultural beacon for the greater Pasadena community. The department also includes the nearly 100-year-old Central Library designed by Myron Hunt, which is currently in the design phase of a retrofit and renovation project. “The project will enable the library to continue its vital role as a beacon of knowledge, culture and democratic engagement, ensuring that generations to come will benefit from the transformative power of education and diverse voices,” said McDonald.
McDonald held numerous positions prior to joining the City of Pasadena. He previously worked in the National Medal-winning Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. Various roles in Las Vegas included literacy manager, children’s department head, and branch manager of Sunrise Library, with its service area population of 230,000 people. Before becoming a librarian, McDonald lived in Chicago and worked as a public school teacher. He earned an undergraduate degree at 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,” said McDonald. “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.”
Márquez added, “Tim is ideally suited to serve as director given his proven leadership skills and the universal respect he’s earned as acting director. He has a clear vision of public libraries as essential hubs of information and community activity. Tim also has the vision, knowledge and skills needed to lead the restoration and renovation of the historic Central Library to serve the community for centuries to come.”
McDonald lives in Los Angeles with his partner, television producer Roy Orecchio. When their busy schedules allow, they enjoy traveling and sharing time with friends and family.