Director’s Letter

Dear Community, The month of June marks the start of our Summer Reading program and Pride Month, meaning we have an absolutely jam-packed month of programming ready for you to enjoy. With 85+ events across our four locations and outreach across our communities, these programs will spark joy, encourage curiosity, or provide helpful support and resources across our county. In case you're wondering why the library puts so much work into our summer reading [Read more]

Dear Community, The month of May brings along sunnier days and beautiful flowers, but it also means budget season! While many public libraries across the nation and in Oregon are facing cuts, the library’s proposed budget for FY25-27 remains stable thanks to proactive planning and dedicated revenue sources such as the local option levy and the Benton County Library Services District. While the increasing costs of doing business mean that a flat budget is [Read more]

Dear Community, April is always one of my favorite months. It brings along the lovely days of spring, and also National Library Week, which takes place April 6-12 this year. The week helps us highlight the valuable role that libraries and everyday library workers play in strengthening our communities and transforming lives. Unfortunately, this is also an uncertain time for libraries. As you may know, a White House Executive Order was issued on March [Read more]

Dear Community, Since March is Women’s History Month, I thought it would be an appropriate time to share the origin story of the Corvallis Public Library. In 1883, the Corvallis Coffee Club was formed by Mrs. Rose J. Wilson, who saw a need to serve coffee and sandwiches to firefighters on duty. She invited eight other women to join her: Mrs. L. H. Additon, Mrs. M. A. Atwood, Miss Kate Carlile, Mrs. James Cauthorn, [Read more]

Dear Community, As I sit down to write this letter to you, the sun is shining through my window. It is a rare and lovely sight in January. However, clear winter weather often brings below-freezing temperatures as well. During these times, all our library locations serve as warming centers during open hours. Unfortunately, the library cannot always be open. This might be because of dangerous and challenging travel conditions for staff or because we [Read more]

Dear Community, As we approach the end of 2024, I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support we have received from our community throughout the year. It’s been a year of growth and exciting initiatives, all made possible because of you—the patrons, donors, and volunteers who help make the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library a vital resource for everyone in our community. We are especially excited about [Read more]