American Library Association honors Rivkah Sass with Charlie Robinson Award 

Prestigious annual award honors public library directors who are innovative agents for change.
July 13, 2020
Sacramento Public Library Director and CEO Rivkah Sass received the 2020 Charlie Robinson Award from the American Library Association (ALA).

The prestigious annual award honors a public library director who, over seven years, has been an innovator, risk-taker and change agent in a public library and known for developing programs that are responsive to community residents’ needs.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Sass moved to California in 2009 and assumed leadership of the 28-library system when it was in the midst of a crisis. Under her leadership, the Sacramento Public Library has transformed into an award-winning institution that has earned considerable community trust and support.

"Charles Robinson was a friend and mentor who supported me, sometimes argued with me and always pushed me to be the best I could be," said Sass. "The award was established in 1997 and I just might be one of the last recipients who knew and learned his 'Give ‘em what they want' philosophy and believed him to be a true prophet when it came to the future of libraries, why reading for pure pleasure is so important and how technology was going to change our work."