DICK MURPHY. (cover story)

SAN Diego (Calif.); CALIFORNIA; UNITED States

The article praises San Diego, California, Mayor Dick Murphy for his work with, and support for, the city's library system. The rare combination of a mayor giving the city library system as high a priority as other crucial city services, articulating a long-term vision for the development of that plan, seeking allies to support it, and sticking with it even when it became a campaign issue attracted the attention of "Library Journal" editors. San Diego's $300 million library plan includes $150 million for a new main library and $150 million for branch libraries. With crucial support from city council member Jim Madaffer, the Mayor's partner on the library goal, the ambitious plan to improve San Diego's library system has drawn support from nearly all San Diego elected officials. While the existing San Diego Public Library (SDPL) has served the city well for more than 100 years, Murphy believes, along with SDPL director Anna Tatar, that the libraries should be an integrated system anchored by a new main library to share resources and provide state-of-the-art technology and information services. Because of his vision, his commitment to libraries, his conviction that they are as important as other city services, and for having the fortitude to execute the library plan, San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy is the "Library Journal" choice for 2004 Politician of the Year.