Salinas Public Library

John Steinbeck Library Computer Lab

Salinas Public Library Site

Salinas Public Library Calendar

El Gabilan Library and John Steinbeck Library: Monday & Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., and Tuesday thru Thursday from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Cesar Chavez Library: Tuesday thru Thursday from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m., and Friday & Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Current Curbside Service Schedule:

El Gabilan Library and John Steinbeck Library: Monday & Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., and Tuesday thru Thursday from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Cesar Chavez Library: Tuesday thru Thursday from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m., and Friday & Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Visit us at one of our three library locations:

John Steinbeck Library,
350 Lincoln Avenue, Salinas, CA 93901 • (831) 758-7311

Cesar Chavez Library,
615 Williams Road, Salinas, CA 93905 • (831) 758-7345

El Gabilan Public Library,
1400 North Main Street, Salinas, CA 93906 • (831) 758-7302

At the Salinas Public Library, we are committed to helping every member of our community achieve their educational and vocational goals, as well as providing safe and inclusive spaces for residents to meet, learn and connect with one another. The Salinas Public Library has proudly served the community since 1909 when it first opened its doors as a Carnegie Public Library. Today, there are three branch libraries, John Steinbeck Library, Cesar Chavez Library, and El Gabilan Library, that provides hundreds of thousands educational and entertaining books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-rays, music CDs, newspapers and magazines, for free community borrowing with a library card. Our Digital Library available 24/7 to provide research resources along with digital downloads and streaming services. Library programs are available year-round for all ages and with various themes that meets the needs of Salinas community.

End of Year Holiday Celebrations

December 22, 2021

Nearly 500 parents and children took part in our holiday themed Cookie Decorating events at all three of our libraries on December 20 and 21. Thanks to a generous toy donation from Salinas PAL, 163 children also went home with free toys or stuffed animals. Our last take-home kit of the year featured a make-your-own snow globe. On December 22, in a record setting pace, we distributed 300 kits within the first hour of availability. We would like to thank everyone who participated in these end-of-year celebrations and we look forward to continuing to serve...

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Children's Area Improvement at the Library

December 16, 2021

We are happy to announce that Salinas Public Library is one of the recipients of the Sunlight Giving Grant, to support the library's role as a safe space for children and their families or caregivers. in the amount of $40,000. This grant will be utilize for improvements in the children's area of Cesar Chavez and John Steinbeck Libraries. This funding would allow the Library to to reconfigure and expand the children's area at Cesar Chavez Library to allow more room for story time and programs that include movement, like...

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Family Literacy and Family Thankfulness

December 1, 2021

On November 16th the Literacy Program celebrated Thanksgiving in our second annual (and first in-person) Families For Literacy Appreciation Event . In spite of the challenges of the pandemic, these caregivers diligently share a love of reading and learning with their children, and all were happy to celebrate their achievements. Over a two hour period more than 100 children and 30 caregivers safely enjoyed crafts and activities, including four outdoor yoga sessions. Families left the event with take-home activities, reusable water bottles and healthy snacks. More than 270 age-appropriate books were distributed so participants could...

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