Save Salem Public Library (OR)!
JULY 2024 UPDATE:
Mayor Chris Hoy put forth a motion to use temporary funding from the Transient Occupancy Tax to save the library at current operations until June 30, 2025. Salem City Council has approved the fiscal year 2025 (7/2024-6/2025) budget with this amended part. However, we will find ourselves in the same situation next year if we don't find a permanent, steady funding solution for the library.The Revenue Task Force is expected to put forth a couple of levies for Council to consider. One is a public safety levy (police and fire) and the other is a livability levy (library, parks, Center 50+, etc.).Stay tuned for more developments and keep raising your voice.April 2024:
The public library for Salem, the capital city of Oregon, is currently fighting budget options that include losing 8 FTE come July 1, 2024. These options primarily affect Spanish-speaking staff and target diverse programming.Being defunded and/or closed could normalize public libraries being defunded or closed across the nation in any city of any size. We need to mobilize and speak up NOW! This could be a dangerous precedent for all of the U.S. if it moves forward.Photo by @kelseydawn.art and used with permission