Tamara King has served as executive director of Richland Library for one year. And in that year, King is clearly and confidently showing not only that she is the right steward for our county’s award-winning, nationally recognized library, but that her achievements over the past year, paired with her long-term vision, have her on track to leave an impact and legacy befitting the first Black executive director of Richland Library.
King’s predecessor served as director for 15 years, and her predecessor’s predecessor served for three decades. Following such long tenures, King is quickly moving our library into a position that is already responding to and serving the shifting and growing needs of our community.
When I think about the work the library is doing with Eat Fresh Freely, it’s a perfect example of the kind of response I’m talking about.
Eat Fresh Freely is Richland Library’s pilot community fridge initiative, designed to provide neighbors with free, fresh and healthy food, no questions asked. Located at select library locations, these refrigerators are stocked with locally sourced produce, supporting access to healthy foods while combating growing food insecurity.
According to...