Be a Friend.
Provide Learning opportunities that invite creativity, human connection, and new skills.
Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries introduces Recover & Thrive, funding a new library initiative for enhancing learning for Santa Cruz Pre-K through Grade 12 students in 2023.
We’re aiming to raise $50,000 to enhance learning in 2023. Here’s why:
Santa Cruz County’s students, educators, parents, and caregivers experienced new and unexpected challenges from 2020-2022. School closures and shelter-in-place orders had us all adjusting to new ways of learning and socializing. The Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries sees a unique opportunity to support learning opportunities for students. 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!
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.
