EDITOR’S COLUMN: Salem library partners with Salem Reporter for free access
There’s a new reason to visit the library in Salem: free access to Salem Reporter.
Emily Byers, a librarian who oversees Salem Public Library’s online resources, approached Salem Reporter about an institutional subscription after getting several requests from patrons. Access to local news, in her view, is a key service for the library to provide.
“The community staying connected to what is happening is really important,” she said. “That aligns with our mission of people being able to get the information they need.”
Rather than charge the library for a subscription, Salem Reporter configured our website so anyone connected to the library’s Wi-Fi can access stories on the site without hitting a paywall. Library computers also have free access.
We’re excited to offer this service to Salem.
As a small, independent newsroom, we depend on paying subscribers to stay afloat, pay our reporters and keep the newsroom running.
But access to high-quality information shouldn’t be a privilege reserved only for those who can afford it. We’ve tried since our inception to strike a balance between the need to pay our bills and the belief that local news is a civic good benefiting everyone.
We keep stories about active threats to public safety, like the Liberty Fire in south Salem, cooling resources during a heat wave or widespread power outages, free for all to read so Salemites don’t miss critical information.
We do the same for articles focused on key civic issues, like guides on how to vote by mail, information about affordable housing waitlists, or frequently asked questions about the city of Salem’s payroll tax.
And we’ve made some of our most in-depth reports free to read, like our investigation finding a driver police identified as a DEA agent sped through a stop sign before fatally colliding with a cyclist in south Salem in late March.
Salem Reporter joins an array of digital resources already available at the library. Patrons can access over two dozen other publications and databases through the library website, including Consumer Reports, National Geographic Kids, the Statesman Journal and Morningstar Research Investment Center. There are even digital resources explaining how to repair cars.
“There’s some really neat stuff that definitely saves people money,” Byers said.
We hope the new offering makes it easier for Salemites to tune into what’s happening in their community. And we hope you’ll help us spread the word.
If you’re among our new readers checking in from the library, drop us a line to suggest a story or let us know what you think. I’ll be listening at [email protected].
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for over a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
