Marlene Iwamoto Will Oversee Strategy and Staff Development
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. – The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) is pleased to announce that Marlene Iwamoto has been named Deputy County Librarian for Strategy and Staff Development. In this role, Iwamoto will take the lead on implementing the Library District’s new strategic plan, which is intended to ensure that library services continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of the communities served in an inclusive way.
“Marlene brings with her over two decades of experience working for SCCLD, getting to know the organization from the ground up,” said County Librarian Jennifer Weeks. “She understands what makes the Library District most effective and is ideally equipped to help us adapt and progress as we strive to best meet the evolving needs of our patrons.”
Iwamoto began her career with SCCLD in 1997 working as a library page. She credits her years as a library clerk as the impetus of her desire to serve the community, as well as the time when she was able to hone her customer service skills.
“Libraries have tremendous potential to positively affect the lives of our communities,” Iwamoto said. “I hope to help improve the depth and diversity of our offerings in terms of programs and services, working closely with library staff to identify new opportunities.”
Iwamoto has worked at every SCCLD library and served in both frontline and management positions. In 2017, she became the Community Librarian for Los Altos and Woodland libraries, where Iwamoto oversaw expanded library hours, the introduction of passport services, and launched their Go Go Biblio outreach service. Since 2019, she had served as a Library Services Manager for Organizational Development, where Iwamoto oversaw staff development, system-wide initiatives, and partnerships with groups like the Children’s Advocacy Center and the Gilroy Strong Resiliency Center to implement mini-library collections at each location. She also was instrumental in obtaining a California State Library Community Connections grant to fund a Community Outreach Specialist, connecting patrons with community resources at the Milpitas Library and Ochoa Migrant Center in Gilroy.
