[PL-Directors] State Library of Oregon Transition

[PATTERSON Jennifer L * SLO]

Hello library community,
I want to share the news that I have submitted my resignation to the Governor's office and my last day at the State Library of Oregon will be Friday, May 28th. Serving the State of Oregon as the State Librarian has been the highlight of my library career. I have been splitting my time between my home in Seattle and work in Salem, and we had originally planned on moving to Oregon after getting our child settled in at college. However, the pandemic caused us to reflect and to reevaluate our plans to move to Oregon, and it is not sustainable for me to work in Salem when my home and family are in Seattle. The pandemic really stressed the importance of not taking for granted time with loved ones, and I don't want to miss time with my family. So, it was with my family in mind that I made this difficult decision.

One of the highlights of my time in this role has been the opportunity to connect with many of you, learn about the great things you are doing in your communities, and be part of an agency that exists in part to support local library efforts. From the moment I started in this position, I recognized that the Oregon library community was special. That has become even more clear over this past year. In the midst of a public health crisis that brought significant loss, grief, financial and social impacts, and many other stressors, you have demonstrated creativity and unwavering commitment to providing vital services to your communities during the pandemic. Thank you is not enough to express the gratitude and admiration I feel for the work you do and the impact that you have on the lives of individuals and communities.

We will provide an update when we know more about the Governor's plans for appointing an interim and recruiting for a new State Librarian. It's been a pleasure to be a part of the Oregon library community.

Best,
Jennifer

Jennifer Patterson (she/her/hers)
State Librarian
State Library of Oregon
jennifer.l.patterson at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:jennifer.l.patterson at slo.oregon.gov>
Office: 503-378-4367 | Cell: 971-375-2713
www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>
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[Title: State Library of Oregon]

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