I’m excited to announce that I’ve been appointed to the Library Board for the City of Santa Barbara! The Library Board oversees the Santa Barbara Central Library, the Eastside Library and the Montecito Library and provides recommendations to the City Council on policies and budgeting for the libraries. The Board consists of five members who are appointed by City Council vote (so technically elected, but not by the public). We are an arm of the city government, so I’m rapidly learning about relevant regulations like the Brown Act!
My decision to run for the position is a personal one and reflects a new chapter in my life (and honestly the life of my family) and a desire to stay connected to my roots as an educator. Basically I’ve been in academia most of life, and have now shifted to entrepreneurial endeavors but still want to continue serving my community in a way that reflects my training as an educator and professor. My kids are all now post high-school and my wife and I are establishing new places to mentor and support our neighbors with the skills that we have developed. At a time when public institutions need advocates, I want to be one of those advocates locally: I can’t do everything, but I can do something, so I decided that the library was a good place to show up.
That said, while I’m intimately familiar with university libraries, and using public libraries, I have a lot to learn about running them and understanding the ways that they uniquely support literacy, education, community and access in our city. There are funding sources to understand, policies to learn, and lots of allies to meet. I’m very impressed with the other board members and library staff that I’ve met so far and very grateful for the City Council for supporting my appointment on the board. So if my Instagram feed suddenly looks like I’m stanning the library, that’s because I am.
Public Statement
Here’s my statement to the board during my public interview which fleshes out some of these ideas:
“Good afternoon, Mayor Rouse and Councilmembers. My name is Don Patterson. I’ve lived in Santa Barbara for ten years, and I’m here to put my name forward to be considered for the Library Board.In response to the questions that were promulgated, Yes, I’m fully willing and able to devote the time needed to serve — I’ve attended the last three months of board meetings and read the past six years of minutes to understand the history, rhythm, and priorities of the Library Board.
From my perspective, the public library is one of the most democratic institutions we have — a place where every person, regardless of age, background, or income, can access information, tools, and community.
In Santa Barbara, the library is more than a building with books; it’s a civic commons and now also a physical commons. It supports literacy, lifelong learning, and inclusion — whether through children’s programs, technology access, or newer initiatives like ZipBooks, which I personally love for extending the reach of the collection to patrons, like myself, who apparently read unusual books.
I’ve been an academic computer science professor for over twenty-five years, so I’ve worked closely with libraries and librarians throughout my career. I understand how collections are built, how information access is evolving, and how technology is reshaping both discovery and equity. Before that, I served in the U.S. Navy as a combat veteran — which taught me the value of service, teamwork, and steady stewardship — all of which I’d bring to this board role.
I believe that in a community as diverse as Santa Barbara, our library’s collections and programs should reflect that diversity and the reality that the bills are being paid by our diverse community, so not just the majority voice, but also less-represented perspectives are appropriate.
Libraries are strongest when every resident can find value in what’s offered, and when it provides access to views that help us understand ourselves and each other better.
I want to serve because I believe the library is one of the best investments our city can make in civic life and in the future of our children and as mine are now all post-high school as of two months ago, I have a little more flexibility to participate in service roles. I’d be honored to contribute to that work as part of the Library Board.
Thank you for your time and for your service to the city.”