The Long Beach City College Faculty Association supports the renaming of the Liberal
Arts Campus L-Building at Long Beach City College to the Bobbie Smith Library.

Bobbie Smith made history as the first African American librarian at Long Beach City
College, serving from the late 1960s to 1992. During her tenure, she was a devoted
member of numerous college committees and played an active role in state and national
library organizations. She achieved several significant milestones, including becoming
the first African American elected as the Academic Senate President at the college.
In addition to her accomplishments at the college, Bobbie was also a trailblazer in public
service. She was the first African American elected to the Long Beach Unified School
Board, serving from 1988 to 2004. In 2014, Peter Burnett Elementary School in Long
Beach was renamed in her honor, further solidifying her legacy in the community.
Beyond her professional roles, Bobbie Smith was a passionate advocate for women’s
rights and equity. She was an active member of the Long Beach Branch NAACP and
served as president of the National Council of Negro Women in Long Beach.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions, we support renaming the Liberal Arts
Campus L-Building at Long Beach City College to the Bobbie Smith Library. This
initiative is inspired by an article published in the Council of Chief Librarians (CCL)
Newsletter, which was later republished in the Little Known Black Librarian Facts blog,
celebrating her remarkable life and work.

Click here to view the Letter of Support.