My mother taught me that “actions speak louder than words.” In the coming weeks, Boise will show whether its rallying cry, “a city for everyone,” is more than a slogan.
My name is Mark Salisbury. My wife and I live in West Boise with our five children. I never planned to lead a campaign for a new library, but our family and many neighbors are passionate library users. I was surprised to learn that while most Boise residents live within two miles of a library, our nearest branch — Cole and Ustick — is five miles away.
West Boise, west of Maple Grove, is a library desert. I thought we could change this. As an engineer, community activism is new to me. I stepped out of my comfort zone and founded Citizens for a Library in West Boise. We’ve spent countless hours researching, attending budget meetings and library focus groups, canvassing door-to-door and talking with residents at community events…