Patty Wong (librarian)
{{short description|American librarian}}
{{About|the librarian|the model|Patty Wong}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Patty Wong
| image = Patty Wong in Santa Monica (cropped).jpg
| caption = Wong in Santa Monica in 2017
| birth_place = San Francisco, California, United States
| office = President of the American Library Association
| predecessor = Julius C. Jefferson Jr.
| successor = Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada
| nationality = American
| occupation = Librarian
| education =
| termstart = 2021
| termend = 2022
}}
Patricia "Patty" Wong is the city librarian of Santa Clara, California. Wong was the president of the American Library Association (ALA) for the 2021–2022 term and is the first Asian American president of the ALA. She has been on the faculty at the San Jose State University iSchool since 2006, teaching subjects such as equitable access to library services, library management, and library services to young people.
Early life and education
Patricia Mei-Yung Wong was born and raised in San Francisco, California;{{cite web |title=iSchool Instructor Expands Her Dedicated Service in the LIS Field |url=https://ischool.sjsu.edu/community-profile/ischool-instructor-expands-her-dedicated-service-lis-field |website=San Jose State University School of Information |access-date=17 July 2020 |date=6 March 2017}} she is Chinese American and a fourth generation Californian.
She earned her bachelor's degree in women's studies from the University of California at Berkeley in 1983, and went on to earn her Master of Library Science degree from the same institution in 1984.{{cite web |title=Patty Wong Faculty Profile |url=https://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/facultypages/view.php?fac=wongp |website=San Jose State University School of Information |access-date=18 July 2020}}
Career in librarianship
Wong began her career as a children's librarian at the Oakland Public Library, developing programming for six different branches.{{cite web |title=iSchool Lecturer Patty Wong Transforms Communities, One Grant at a Time |url=https://ischool.sjsu.edu/community-profile/ischool-lecturer-patty-wong-transforms-communities-one-grant-time |website=San Jose State University School of Information |access-date=18 July 2020 |date=2 November 2015}}{{cite web |last1=Cardenas-Dow |first1=Melissa I. |title=APA Library Leader Interview — Patty Wong, Yolo County, Calif. |url=http://www.apalaweb.org/apa-library-leader-interview-patty-wong-yolo-county-calif/ |website=Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association |access-date=19 July 2020 |date=13 December 2013}} She arranged multiple visits to elementary schools and worked to create partnerships between the library and local churches and other community organizations. She also worked as a librarian for the Oakland Unified School District, overseeing the district library's collection and founding a (now-defunct) International Children's Library. She then took a position as a children's librarian for the Berkeley Public Library, later shifting to a role in management as a supervising librarian. This experience, along with work on the Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development project, provided the opportunity to return to the Oakland Public Library as the Coordinator of Youth Services.
In 2001, Wong was appointed the deputy director of the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library.{{cite report |author1=Patricia M. Wong |author2=Grace Francisco |author3=Shelly G. Keller |date=2007 |title=California Cultural Crossroads |url=https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED500522.pdf |pages=2–3 |access-date=17 July 2020}} In this role she was responsible for the daily operations of a thirteen-branch system. Wong served as the director for the Yolo County Library system from 2008 to 2017, leading the nine libraries in the system. During her nine years as Yolo County Librarian, she oversaw the construction and opening of two new libraries as well as major renovations at another branch. She was also part of the team that authored the Yolo County Broadband Strategic Plan.{{cite web | last=Journal | first=Library | title=Patty Wong - Movers & Shakers 2007 | website=Library Journal | date=2007-03-20 | url=https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=patty-wong-movers-shakers-2007 | access-date=2020-07-18}}{{cite web | title=Patty Wong - Santa Monica Library - City Librarian | website=Communications & Society Reports - Home | url=https://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/Dialogue-on-Public-Libraries/2020/participants/details/575/Patty-Wong | access-date=2020-07-18}}
In 2017 she was named the Director of Library Services for the Santa Monica Public Library.{{cite web |title=Patty Wong Selected as New Director of Library Services |url=https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2017/02/16/patty-wong-selected-as-new-director-of-library-services |website=City of Santa Monica |access-date=17 July 2020 |date=16 February 2017}} In that role, she oversaw the SMPL central location and four neighborhood branches. Wong was announced as the next city librarian for the city of Santa Clara in July 2021.{{cite web |title=Santa Clara Welcomes American Library Association President Patricia Wong as City Librarian |url=https://www.santaclaraca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/42910/3171 |website=City of Santa Clara |access-date=2021-08-19 |date=2021-07-21}}
Wong has been a part-time faculty at the San Jose State University School of Information since 2006, where she has taught courses on grant writing, management, and library services to young people. She has also served as a consultant for libraries on multiple topics, including fundraising, working with local communities, change management, youth development, and cultural diversity.
Service to librarianship
Wong served as the president for the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association from 1999 to 2000.{{cite web |title=Executive Board |url=http://www.apalaweb.org/about/executive-board/ |website=APALA |access-date=17 July 2020}}
She has held many leadership roles in the American Library Association, including multiple terms on the ALA Executive Board and as an at-large councilor for ALA Council, as well as chairing the ALA Budget Analysis and Review Committee.{{cite web |title=Wong Wins 2021–2022 ALA Presidency |url=https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/wong-wins-2021-2022-ala-presidency |website=American Libraries |access-date=18 July 2020 |date=8 April 2020}} In April 2020, Wong was elected ALA 2021–2022 president, and she has since completed her term.{{cite web | last=Albanese | first=Andrew | title=Santa Monica Librarian Patty Wong Wins 2021-2022 ALA Presidency | website=PublishersWeekly.com | date=2020-04-08 | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/82986-santa-monica-librarian-patty-wong-wins-2021-2022-ala-presidency.html | access-date=2020-07-18}}{{Cite web |title=Patty Wong |url=https://ischool.sjsu.edu/speaker/patty-wong-0 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=SJSU {{!}} School of Information |date=5 October 2020 |language=en}} She was the first Asian American president of the ALA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apalaweb.org/apala-endorses-patricia-patty-wong-as-the-american-library-associations-2020-21-presidential-candidate/|title=APALA endorses Patricia "Patty" Wong as the American Library Association's 2020-21 Presidential Candidate – APALA|date=9 January 2020 }}
Awards and honors
California State Senator Lois Wolk selected Wong as the 5th State Senate district's 2009 Woman of the Year, citing her dedication to improving library access.{{cite news |title=Yolo librarian honored as "Woman of the Year" |url=https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2010/03/24/yolo-librarian-honored-as-woman-of-the-year/ |access-date=17 July 2020 |work=Woodland Daily Democrat |date=24 March 2010}}
Wong was recognized for her work on diversity issues at the California State Library and her mentorship of MLIS students at San Jose State University in 2012 when she was presented with the American Library Association Equality Award{{cite web |last1=Kuenn |first1=Stephanie |title=2012 ALA Award Winners |url=https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2012/09/17/2012-ala-award-winners/ |website=American Libraries |access-date=17 July 2020 |date=17 September 2012}}
=Additional awards=
- Joint Conference of Librarians of Color Advocacy Award, 2006
- Library Journal Mover and Shaker, 2007
- California Library Association Member of the Year, 2013{{cite web | title=Distinguished SJSU Lecturer Patty Wong Running for ALA Treasurer - School of Information | website=SJSU | School of Information | date=2018-08-28 | url=https://ischool.sjsu.edu/about/news/detail/distinguished-sjsu-lecturer-patty-wong-running-ala-treasurer | access-date=2020-07-18}}
- Distinguished Service Award by the Chinese American Librarians Association, 2015{{cite web | title=2015 CALA Scholarship Recipients - CALA | website=Chinese American Librarians Association | date=2016-06-10 | url=https://www.cala-web.org/node/1797 | access-date=2020-07-18}}
References
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{{ALA Presidents}}
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Category:Presidents of the American Library Association
Category:University of California, Berkeley School of Information alumni
Category:San Jose State University faculty
Category:American librarians of Chinese descent
Category:People from Santa Clara, California
Category:People from San Francisco
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)