HUNTINGTON BEACH : City Librarian Wins Statewide Honor

Library Director Ron Hayden has received the Librarian of the Year Award from the California Assn. of Library Trustees and Commissioners.

Hayden, 43, was recognized recently by the organization for seeking the help of community members in library management decisions and working closely with the Huntington Beach Library Board of Directors.

Hayden said he has worked with 13 different community organizations to develop plans for a 43,000-square-foot Central Library expansion, scheduled to be completed next September.

The expansion will include a 16,000-square-foot children’s area, the largest west of Chicago, Hayden said.

Since 1986, Hayden has been director of the library system, which includes the Central Library and the Main Street, Graham and Banning branch libraries.

Hayden began his library service in Huntington Beach in 1970 stacking books at the Main Street branch. He worked his way up to senior librarian and assistant director before assuming his current position.

The library has 170,000 cardholders and circulates more than a million items each year, Hayden said.