LIBRARY BIOGRAPHY

Name of Library: Salem Public Library Address: 585 Liberty St. SE Salem, OR 97304 Phone: 503-588-6315 Website: cityofsalem.net/community/library

Salem Public Library is part of the City of Salem, serving the community at two locations, a Main Library at 585 Liberty St. SE, and a West Salem Branch at 395 Glen Creek Rd. NW. The library has served the state capital since it was established in 1904 by the Salem Women’s Club. Salem Public Library staff seeks to engage all of Salem in lifelong learning, accessing information, and making meaningful connections. The library provides a welcoming community space, a robust collection of books and other items for checkout, excellent customer service, and a vibrant array of events and activities for children and families, teens, and adults. The library offers multiple meeting rooms, study rooms, public computer access, and public wifi as well as eye-catching collections like Cultural Passes and the Library of Things. We seek out opportunities to deliver on our values of responsive service, trust, adaptability, inclusion, and community.

CULTURE CONNECTS PROGRAM GOALS

Salem Public Library, working with the Salem Public Library Foundation as fiscal agent, will create a Culture Connects series based around food and connecting to culture through food. Our project is intended to engage members of a variety of Salem’s cultural communities, including the Hispanic population that makes up about 25 percent of residents as well as growing communities connected to India and Pakistan, several African countries, China, Vietnam, Nepal, and other Asian countries. The project will also offer an opportunity to all community members to increase cultural competency and knowledge outside of their own lived experience.

LEAD CULTURE CONNECTS PROGRAMMERS: Kristy Kemper Hodge, Senior Librarian for Teen Services Shandra Ruby, Adult Services Librarian Sonja Somerville, Programming & Outreach Supervisor