By Khalida Sarwari
Allison Parham, Saratoga Library’s acting community librarian since October, dropped the modifier from her title this week when the Santa Clara County Library District permanently appointed her to the position.
Parham’s official start date as the new librarian was Feb. 17. She replaces Gayathri Kanth, who is now the community librarian at the Cupertino Library after a three-year stint as the main librarian at the Saratoga Library. Parham said her transition to Saratoga’s permanent librarian will be a smooth one thanks to Kanth’s guidance.
“She’s let me know where she’s left off on things, so I’ve continued and started my own projects,” said Parham. “It really won’t be any different.”
She said that she is committed to upholding the district’s core values, which include “providing a positive patron experience, ensuring equal and open access to a relevant and diverse collection and fostering lifelong learning.”
“I am dedicated to promoting innovation, collaborating with community partners and developing beneficial and enjoyable programs and services,” Parham said. ” I look forward to being an active, approachable member of the community.”
Parham was selected as Saratoga’s librarian following a nationwide search. She previously served for three years as the supervising librarian for adult and teen services at the Campbell Library.
Parham came to the library district in 2005 and served for two years as the librarian at the Campbell Library and then three years as the district’s first electronic resources librarian. During her tenure, Parham was responsible for the rollout of initiatives such as website improvements, social media, a text-messaging reference service and a mobile application.
Before coming to the Santa Clara County Library District, Parham worked for eight years at the Santa Clara City Library, working her way up from page to librarian.
Parham received a bachelor’s degree in English from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University.
Parham no longer acting–she’s Saratoga’s community librarian
