Marlys Maher's Salinas Legacy Honored at
John Steinbeck Library
Salinas, CA – Marlys Maher’s legacy as an advocate and volunteer for the Salinas community was memorialized at the John Steinbeck Library (JSL) on December 15, 2023. The plaque that was unveiled in her honor in front of the Teen Lounge at JSL will be a reminder for generations to come of the impact she had on Salinas libraries and her efforts to enhance children’s literacy. Ms. Maher’s estate recently made a generous contribution to the City of over $300,000 in her honor, to be dedicated to improvements at JSL.
“We are incredibly grateful for this unbelievable donation, her incredible work that she put into our community, and the legacy she has left behind,” said Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig.
JSL had a special place in her heart, and she was instrumental in the creation of the Digital Art Lab and Homework Center, as well as the issuance of library cards to all students in Salinas schools. Ms. Maher’s daughter, Karen Cameron, shared that when traveling, her mother made visiting local libraries a destination.
“For my mom libraries were always a magic place,” said Ms. Cameron. “It’s clear that she poured her passion into her profession and into her volunteerism.”
She has left a mark on our community’s history that includes advocacy and outreach for the passage of Measure V to keep Salinas libraries open, and subsequently Measure E which will allow Salinas libraries to be funded in perpetuity. However, Ms. Maher’s service to the community went beyond the library walls. She volunteered countless hours serving on many City and community committees and boards, including the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and Sustainable Salinas, and she was active with the League of Women Voters.
“If you think of the range of initiatives she was involved with in this community, it was extraordinary,” said former Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue. “We saved the libraries, in large part, because of Marlys’ leadership in bringing us together.”
Marlys Maher was as a champion for the Salinas Public Library and our community, and she will always be remembered for her unwavering and selfless service to Salinas.
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