Salinas is wrapping up its drive to get a library card in every student's hand May 19 with an assembly at Washington Middle School. This will bring the Salinas Public Library's distribution of cards to 32,468 students in the Alisal Union, Salinas City Elementary, Santa Rita Union and Salinas Union High school districts, according to a library press release.

Mayor Dennis Donohue orginally made a request to issue a library card to every third grader in February 2008 as part of the city's strategy to increase literacy and reduce gang violence.