Robert Karatsu

The California Library Association (CLA) has announced the recipients of its 2026 awards, honoring the library staff, libraries, supporters, authors and illustrators whose work has strengthened communities across the state.

“Each year, these awards give us the chance to celebrate the people and institutions who make California libraries such vital community resources,” said Dr. Anthony Chow, president of the CLA Board of Directors. “This year’s honorees represent the very best of our profession — from lifelong champions of libraries to the rising talent shaping their future. On behalf of CLA, I congratulate every recipient.”

Many of this year’s honorees will be celebrated at two signature events during the CLA Annual Conference in Riverside: the CLA Awards Gala on Oct. 23 and the Youth Literature Awards event on Oct. 24.

Robert Karatsu is among the recipients of the CLA President’s Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions, leadership and achievement in support of California libraries by a trustee, friend, elected official, or other lay person who has given their time and talents to further the advancement of California libraries.

Karatsu has had a varied career beginning as a Peace Corps volunteer setting up a public library in Labasa, Fiji right out of library school. He’s worked as a research librarian for Western Costume Company in Hollywood.

After returning to public libraries, he led the Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, while he was library director, in 2013 in winning the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal, the highest honor that the federal government can bestow on an American museum or library.

His service to the library community is extensive. He was a participant in the first Stanford University’s Institute on 21st Century Librarianship in 2000. In 2014, he was president of the CLA.

Karatsu taught for 11 years for San Jose State University’s School of Information and more recently for UCLA’s School of Education and Information Studies. He served three terms as a mentor for the Eureka! Leadership Institute. He continued his work in training library leaders as project manager for the Developing Leaders in California Libraries program.

Even after retirement, he served as chair of the Pasadena Public Library Commission as well as a board member of the Pasadena Public Library Foundation.

Karatsu was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame in 2022.

The namesake of the Robert Karatsu Conference Scholarship (Robert & Vinita Karatsu Fund), he most recently came out of retirement to serve as interim executive director of CLA during a pivotal period of transition. His steady leadership ensured organizational continuity, guided the successful search and onboarding of CLA’s new executive director, and reflected decades of servant leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to California libraries.

Also receiving the President’s Award will be Christina DiCaro, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Hillary Theyer, and Michael Threets.

This year’s recipients of the Robert Karatsu Conference Scholarship are Julia Barrios, Mia Lopez, Gabrielle Leyden, Lyndy Willis, and Alondra Covarrubias.

Other honorees will include inductees into the California Library Hall of Fame and recipients of the Outstanding Librarian in Support of Literacy Award, Technical Services Emerging Leader Award, Children’s Services Award, Technology Professional Award, Young Adult Services Award of Achievement, PRExcellence Awards, CLA Member of the Year Award, Beacon Award, John & Patricia Beatty Award, California Young Reader Medal, Begun Scholarship, and CLA Scholarship for Black, Indigenous, People of Color Students in Memory of Edna Yelland.

For more than 120 years, the CLA has supported library professionals and the libraries they serve, helping advance the vital role libraries play in communities throughout California. Membership is open to library staff, institutions, businesses, trustees, friends, and anyone who believes in the power of libraries. For more information, go to www.cla-net.org.