About and Contact

The Santa Maria Public Library system provides library services to about 170,000 people in northern Santa Barbara County at the Main Library, and separate branches located in Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt. Santa Barbara County has contracted with the City of Santa Maria to provide library services to nearby County libraries continuously since 1961.

Contact Us:

General Information: (805) 925-0994

Administration: (805) 925-0994 extension 8561

Bookmobile: (805) 925-0994 extension 8657 or email the Bookmobile Desk

Circulation: (805) 925-0994 extension 8563

Reference: (805) 925-0994 extension 8562 or email the Reference Desk

Youth Services: (805) 925-0994 extension 8564 or email the Youth Services Desk

Spanish: (805) 925-0994 extension 8565

Dawn Jackson
Library Director
Public Library
421 South McClelland Street
Santa Maria, Ca 93454
City Phone: (805) 925-0994 extension 2322
E-mail: djackson@cityofsantamaria.org

 EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT: 

• Master of Library and Information Sciences, San Jose State University
• Bachelor of Arts, California State University, Bakersfield
• Library Director, City of Santa Maria
• Interim Library Director, City of Santa Maria
• Librarian III, City of Santa Maria
• Librarian II, City of Santa Maria
• Librarian I, County of Kern
• Library Associate, County of Kern
• Library Serials Supervisor, Walter Stiern Library, California State University Bakersfield

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: 

• American Library Association
• California Library Association
• Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services
• Association of Library Services to Children

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Library Director provides strategic leadership and oversight of operations for the Library and its major divisions of Circulation, Reference, Youth, and Outreach Services including contracted service for four County branch library locations in Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt.

MISSION STATEMENT

To inspire literacy and lifelong learning, embracing and strengthening our diverse community through free and equitable access to information, knowledge and services.

2022-23 Goals and Objectives

1. Conduct the Library as a safe and welcoming space for all community members through the addition of updated security hardware throughout the building, adequate staffing, assessment of physical layout, and robust safety procedures to facilitate meaningful library use by the public.

    

2. Restore in-person programming options to pre-pandemic levels, while retaining existing flexible program formats to serve a full scope of patrons from early learners through older adults. Evaluate program options using statistical data, and survey tools.

    

3. Boost Library access for the community by developing and attending at least five added outreach opportunities through new partner programs with local businesses and non-profits to reach underserved communities, families, and children.

    

4. Support the Smart City, Safe City initiative by collaborating with Human Resources to establish a City-wide staff training hub incorporating core competencies, legally mandated, safety and staff development trainings.

    

5. Complete three-year strategic plan, using previously gathered SWOT (Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats) analysis to develop long-range goals and guiding principles.

    

6. Coordinate with the Finance Department to analyze County Library funding of branch libraries, to ensure timely efficiency of annual County budget completion, full cost recovery for contracted services provided to branch operations, and accurate tracking to efficiently fulfill the adopted Agreement for Operation of a Countywide Library System.

    

7. Examine literacy services offered by the Library and in partnership with Central Coast Literacy Council and develop a report to determine effective use of resources to achieve the greatest collective literacy impact for Santa Maria residents.

    

8. Analyze changes to patron use of Library collections due to changes in Black Gold Cooperative Library System membership and materials sharing, using statistical analysis. Use data results to set ongoing goals for collection development.

    

9. Strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion in Library programs through staff attendance at trainings, analysis, discussion, and design to remove barriers for participation and information.

    

10. Implement process efficiencies through the use of Koha, the new integrated Library system. Use electronic data interchange (EDI) ordering with Library materials vendors.

Library Organizational Chart