On Thursday, August 31st friends and colleagues gathered at El Gabilan Library to witness the unveiling of a plaque dedicated to the memory of two of our wonderful librarians past: Vanessa Bautista and Anthony Lacono. Deputy Librarian, Mila Rianto, opened the event by talking about their dedication to the community while colleagues Margarita Medina Romero and Chuck Scurrah unveiled the plaque in the library's garden. 

Library Director, Kristan Lundquist, opened the floor to friends who offered memories of the pair, describing how they knocked door to door to garner support for the library when services were threatened during the Great Recession, and sharing uplifting stories about their love for the community. Attendees were delighted to re-watch a screening of Salinas Public Library's hilarious and inventive grant submission for resources to fund high speed internet for the library. Click below to see the video which features Anthony as a beleaguered astronaut, his performance helping to secure the top award of $10,000.

Hartnell Jazz Ensemble closed the event with three songs dedicated to the memory of Anthony, who played saxophone for the group. To make it extra special, one of our new generation of library staff, Jax Mendoza, joined the ensemble after a three year musical hiatus. The atmosphere was warm and uplifting as friends from across the City of Salinas and the library community reunited to honor Anthony and Vanessa.

The Librarian Zone