Innovation and Service

Jeremy has worked for 11 years as the library director for Curry Public Library. During that time, his major focus has been finding ways to build strong relationships with community members, and craft library services to meet their needs, particularly programs that serve youth. 

He has worked as a Rotary Club volunteer and leader to raise funds for student scholarships, and was a co-founder of The Gold Beach Youth Fund, a non-profit charity that supports local schools, youth programs, and scholarships. See more at https://goldbeachyouthfund.org/

In his first four years as Library Director, Jeremy led a capital $2 million dollar campaign, planning process, and the construction of a state of the art learning center addition to the Curry Public Library. Immediately after cutting the ribbon on the new space, the Library started its ASCEND afterschool program for middle school students. Initially funded with a $1.2 million dollar, 5-year grant from the 21st Century Community Learning Center program, Curry Public Library was the only library west of the Mississippi to receive one of these grants. This program is now finishing its seventh year, and continues to provide outstanding experiences for students.

In 2019, Jeremy was recognized as the Librarian of the Year by the Oregon Library Association in recognition for his work in transforming the library into a community hub.

In 2020 with the schools closed during the Covid pandemic, Jeremy and his staff rapidly adjusted course and set up a program they called the HIVE, which provided students with working parents and no internet in their homes, an opportunity to connect with their teachers online, while having assistance from in-person staff. This is an example of the kind of innovative approach to solutions Jeremy embraces. The space was simple and constructed with PVC and shower curtains, yet somehow this was not a solution any other entities were able to reproduce.

Jeremy was appointed to the SWOCC Budget Committee in 2022, and to the SWOCC Board in 2024.

Jeremy's goal as a SWOCC board member is to continue to serve the youth of the south coast, by providing top-tier educational opportunities that will lead to quality jobs, and fulfilling lives on the south coast.