Greetings! If you were at the Midtown Friday celebration on August 27, you probably saw a table that was staffed by some of our amazing Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries volunteer committee and board members. They were there to share the progress we were making in Realizing the Promise capital campaign we announced here last month (to supplement Measure S funds approved by voters in 2016).
You may see us at more events over the next few months we we continue to shout from the rooftops about the renovations now underway in Aptos, Branciforte, and Garfield Park. If you do see, us please stop by for a visit!
We’d love to hear your stories about what libraries have meant to you in your life.
Our Board President, Janis O’Driscoll, formerly the interim Director of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, loves to tell people about how, as a child, she lived in a town where children were not welcome in the town library, and how this led her to a lifelong vocation as a children’s librarian!
I grew up overseas, in a region that didn’t have libraries at that time. When I returned to the states at the age of eight, it was a revelation to find out there were places where I could read all the books I wanted, for free. That experience helped turn me into a lifelong reader and lover of books. Scroll down to hear Congressional Aide Emmanuel Garcia tell his library story... What's your library story?
You may have noticed that we have added a campaign "thermometer" to our website, fscpl.org so you can see the progress we are making on our campaign -- now at 45% of our goal! Many thanks to our amazing board Treasurer and website wizard Keith Gudger, for doing that work for us. We are excited by our progress, there is still a long way to go.
I hope you will join my wife and me in supporting the campaign and making a generous donation to help ensure that all of Santa Cruz County gets the kind of open and welcoming libraries that all of our community deserves. Our libraries need us now.
Thanks again to all who have donated, and thanks in advance to those of you who will soon! And oh yes, children are welcome in ALL of our libraries!
