The Salinas Public Library has proudly served the community since 1909 when it first opened its doors as a Carnegie Public Library. Today, there are three branch libraries, John Steinbeck Library, Cesar Chavez Library, and El Gabilan Library, with services available 7 days a week. The collection includes more than 100,000 books, magazines, movies, and audiobooks, and a separate Steinbeck Collection of more than a thousand books, articles, and historical items.
The Salinas Public Library's digital collection at California Revealed consists of moving images and audio recordings from the 1930s to the 1990s. The collection includes many recorded oral interviews with people who personally knew John Steinbeck recounting their memories of him. Other material includes film from annual Steinbeck Festivals throughout the 1990s.