John Spears has been Chief Librarian & CEO of the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) since early 2016. John has over twenty years of experience working in urban, suburban, and rural libraries, and prior to joining PPLD, he served as the director of libraries in Salt Lake City (UT), Naperville (IL), and Joliet (IL).
John is a past president of the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA), serves on ALA President Loida Garcia Febo's Presidential Advisory Team, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, the International Association Of Library Associations Advisory Committee to the Governing Board on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, and the ALA Taskforce on Violence in Libraries, and was the 2015 Utah Librarian of the Year. He believes that libraries act as a catalyst in the artistic, cultural, economic, and civic development of their communities, and that the strength of a library resides in the staff and the connections they form with those they serve.
In addition to his work in the library profession, John’s passions include serving those experiencing homelessness, working with young addicts to overcome their dependency, and promoting and participating in the arts. Within his own community, he serves on the Governing Board of the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care and the boards of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, Ithaka Land Trust, and Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs. He also enjoys traveling, cooking, and taking care of their two dogs with his partner, Brian.