April 9, 2008

City Librarian Deborah L. Jacobs Joins Foundation to Lead Global Libraries Initiative

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Public Library board of trustees announced today that City Librarian Deborah L. Jacobs has accepted a position with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and will leave her Library post July 2, 2008.

Library Board President Eric Liu said, "Deborah's legacy is remarkable. With vision, passion and skill, she has helped build one of the nation's most vibrant and respected public institutions. Deborah leaves us a Seattle Public Library that is strong and ready for its next great chapter. We're grateful for her decade of service and leadership—and while we will miss her, we're glad she’ll still be a patron of the Library and a citizen of Seattle."

To read the full press release, visit the The Seattle Public Library Web site.

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.