We were saddened to hear of the passing of the former City of Sacramento Councilmember Robbie Waters. He was integral in the development of the Pocket-Greenhaven Library as a joint-use project between the City of Sacramento, Sacramento Public Library and SCUSD. Completed in 2010, the library was dedicated in his name for his service to the neighborhood and to Sacramento. We are grateful for his belief that libraries are an essential community resource.
I met Robbie Waters for the first time when I interviewed at Sacramento Public Library in 2009. Robbie was on the Library Authority Board and asked tough questions. I remember being very intimidated. Within a few months of my arrival he went from being Mr. Waters to being just Robbie and I quickly learned he was a fierce advocate for library services. He was so proud to have a library named in his honor and displayed such good humor during the annual Seussical Story Hour each March, reading to kids and putting up with our antics to make everyone laugh.
Library staff were proud to help him publish his autobiography, Through the Years: The Legacy of Robbie Waters on our I Street Press and we are grateful that he recorded his story through StoryCorps, also available through the library.
I will remember Robbie for his unwavering love for his community and the library and am so grateful for his generosity in supporting our programs and collections to ensure that Sacramento residents have access to opportunity.
Our love and gratitude go out to his wife Judie and his family. He will be missed.
Read his obituary in the New York Times.