Michael Lambert is the city librarian for the city and county of San Francisco. He was appointed to the position in March 2019 by Mayor London Breed. During his tenure, the San Francisco Public Library was named the 2018 National Library of the Year by Library Journal. Lambert has championed increased and equitable access to libraries through expanded hours and a fine-free library system. 

Prior to his employment with the city and county of San Francisco, Lambert managed library operations at San Mateo County Libraries and at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina. He began his career in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, at the Richland Library. He is a proud alumnus of the University of South Carolina with a degree in history and earned his Master of Library and Information Science Degree from the South Carolina College of Library & Information Science.

Lambert currently serves as the president-elect for the Public Library Association, the nation’s largest professional membership association supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. He also serves on the city and county of San Francisco’s Children and Families First Commission and Committee on Information Technology (COIT). Born in Seoul, Korea, he is the first Asian American to lead the San Francisco Public Library.