Home2024-02-21T01:43:27+00:00

Be a Friend.

Reach out to the incarcerated in our County and their families.

Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries supports an expansion of library services to incarcerated persons through a new initiative, Boundless Minds: Jail Library Outreach.


We’re aiming to raise $50,000 to
Establish library space in Juvenile Hall, support bilingual education and workshops in jail facilities, provide books and materials for students enrolled in Cabrillo College’s Rising Scholars program.
Here’s why:

70% of the county’s incarcerated read at the 3 rd grade level or below. The Boundless Minds program will increase access to books, materials, and programming to people who are in the Santa Cruz County jail system. Continue reading.

Creativity * Connection * Life Skills

The Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries support the Santa Cruz City-County Library System through fundraising, volunteer services, and advocacy. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization since 1979, FSCPL has supported the libraries’ role in serving underserved communities, county residents, students, families, and lifelong learners. We support the library through fundraising, advocacy, and promoting volunteerism. Our priorities are fundraising for the library system, support for our chapters, fostering local involvement for branches without Chapters, and accessible and diverse library programs.

The Friends is sustained with the support of donors like you, including primarily public contributions, book sales, and foundation grants. View our list of donors to see who is making a difference in Santa Cruz County!

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Some examples of Friends’ support:

  • Early literacy programs available five days out of the week to families system-wide
  • Beautiful, interactive outdoor spaces for environmental education, such as the Nature Discovery Park at the brand new Felton Library
  • Summer Reading Program, including free school backpacks with supplies for low-income children enrolled
  • STEAM programs like Build-a-Robot where youth learn to code, create, and make friends along the way
  • Book sale operations and volunteer management
  • Bookmobile programs throughout the county
  • On-site and off-site author talks and panel discussions, free to the public
  • Advocacy that includes the $67 million bond passed by our community to renovate or replace every neighborhood branch library (72% voter approval in 2016) thanks to robust outreach from the Friends.
Click To Learn About “Our Community Reads”

We have a lot in store for the next few years. Read our three year plan and annual report from 2020 to see what the exciting next steps for our organization are.

READ OUR THREE YEAR PLAN : 2020-2022
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