September 28th 2009
The Salinas Californian
by Maria Ines Zamudio
The Mecca of books in Salinas celebrated its 100th birthday on Sunday afternoon with thousands of city residents joining the party.
On a warm, sunny day, the Salinas Public Libraries celebrated a century of bringing knowledge and culture to its citizens, organizers said.
The four-hour birthday bash was held at all three library branches — John Steinbeck in south Salinas, El Gabilan in north Salinas and Cesar Chavez in east Salinas. Each provided white and chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting, chocolate-dipped strawberries and other goodies, a DJ and live music, poetry and dancing.
At the various venues, children watched performances of and mingled with puppets from PBS' "Between the Lions" and "Sesame Street's" Big Bird and Elmo. Cartoon favorites Scooby-Doo, Winnie the Pooh and Sponge Bob also were on hand.
The fiesta at the El Gabilan branch featured the sealing of a time capsule by centennial organizers and elected officials to be opened in 100 years on Sept. 27, 2109.
The shiny, metallic capsule, shaped like a giant pill, contained letters to the future from Salinas middle and high school students, a cell phone, iPod and a copy of The Salinas Californian.
The festivities underscored the importance of keeping the libraries open, observers said..
"If you don't know how to read or write ... you can't succeed," said Jimmy Santiago Baca, a Chicano author who traveled from New Mexico to join the celebration.
"I was [once] told that I didn't know how to speak or write English ... and now I'm writing so much."
Baca, author of more than seven books, told more than 1,000 people outside Cesar Chavez Library he understood the importance of literacy while he was in prison.
For him, learning how to read and write changed his life.
And libraries are a key part of literacy, he said.
Petra Chavez agreed.
The mother of three said she brings her daughters to Cesar Chavez Library twice a week.
"There are so many books and activities for them," Chavez said in Spanish. "I just don't have money to buy them the books they want. It's nice to come and borrow the books for a while and then bring them back."
Chavez and her children are among the 1,800 Salinas residents who visit one of the three library branches every day.
But some chapters of the library's 100-year history are gloom.
In 2005, the libraries almost closed because of budget problems. But Salinas voters approved Measure V, a half-cent sales tax increase, to restore the city's libraries and other services. Since then, a new library director, Elizabeth Martinez was hired and new programs and activities were created to attract more children and teens.
The new strategies attracted Anthony Castro, 8.
Anthony goes to Gabilan Library every day after school to use the computers and read books.
He loves the library, he said, and he couldn't miss Sunday's birthday bash.
On the other side of town, just outside John Steinbeck Library, Angel Valdez, 9, sat with her mother, brother and cousin eating cake and talking about the library.
Valdez loves the library. She was in the summer reading program, where she read more than 10 books. She also calls Steinbeck Library, the closest to her home, to receive her favorite books, the "Rainbow Fairies" series.
"I feel so proud to be at the 100 birthday celebration," Angel said, smiling. "I like the decorations and the cake."
