Bridget Esqueda appointed as Salem city librarian

Salem announced the appointment of the city librarian Friday afternoon.

Bridget Esqueda, the former deputy city librarian and acting city librarian for the Salem Public Library, will have the official title starting Monday.

Esqueda has been acting in the capacity of city librarian for the past eight months since the departure of previous city librarian Kim Carroll. Her appointment follows a competitive internal recruitment.

“Bridget’s leadership of the Library during this interim period has been exemplary,” said Deputy City Manager Scott Archer, who oversees the library as part of the Community Services Department. “Bridget has implemented new policies, updated procedures, and stabilized our library operations during a time of change, while thoughtfully supporting staff and fostering a positive organizational culture.”

Esqueda began her service in Salem in September 2022 as deputy city librarian.

She has 17 years of experience in various public library system roles. She has a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and Technical Communication from Arizona State University, and a master’s degree in Library Science with a focus on administration and public library services from San Jose State University.

“I’m happy to have had this past eight months to see if this would be the right fit for me,” Esqueda said. “I wouldn’t be able to do this job as well as I have if not for the support of our library leadership team, Rachel Collins, Learning and Development Supervisor, and Sonja Somerville, Programming and Outreach Supervisor."

City officials said Esqueda faced many challenges in her first months on the job as she and her team addressed the impact of the city’s budget shortfall on the library. These challenges included staff burnout, eliminated positions and reduced hours.

“As we navigate the current budget and revenue challenges, I am committed to optimizing our services to ensure that we are making the greatest impact and using our library’s strategic plan as our guide,” Esqueda said. “I will continue my efforts to overcome these hurdles and provide the community the best service possible with our current resources.”

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem Public Library appoints Bridget Esqueda as city librarian