I was first introduced to Sarah Saleh as a neighbor who became a friend, and have increasingly come to know her as a thoughtful and effective community builder who gets things done. When I learned she decided to run for one of the library trustee openings, I jumped to support her candidacy, and I’m writing now to encourage readers to do the same.
In my humble opinion, Harvard’s library is one of our town’s greatest assets. It’s one of the reasons my family felt a pull to move here. A well-run and strongly supported public library, in turn, is empowered to support its community members of all stripes. This is as good a time as any to take a moment to thank the trustees and staff who have brought the Harvard Public Library to its current state: a welcoming resource for knowledge and information in many forms; a well-utilized space for gathering, studying, and learning to use tools like a 3D printer; facilitator of enriching experiences outside its walls, like free museum passes and borrowable instruments and tech; a partner to our schools; and a bridge to a broader network of interlibrary resources.
I know that Sarah actively appreciates our library and has already contributed to making it what it is. For example, she has been a member of library planning and advisory committees, and is currently an organizer of the popular monthly cookbook club events.
In various contexts around town, I have seen Sarah both in leadership roles and in supporting roles. Her knack for clarifying problems and possible roads to solutions—no doubt influenced by her background in mechanical engineering—complement her remarkable aptitude for bringing people together around a common goal.
I’m glad to offer my support to Sarah. I consider the library a critical asset to our town, and I’m confident that, as a library trustee and continually engaged community member, she’d find concrete ways to meaningfully contribute to its important work. We’d all benefit. Please consider joining me in voting for Sarah Saleh.
Yelena Cope
Slough Road
