Letter: Library still survives

EDITOR,
In spite of the cynical prediction that appeared in the Feb. 11 Press-Banner (“Library decision could be hard to swallow,” Editorial), reports of the death of the Felton library have been greatly exaggerated! As of this writing, the Library Joint Powers Board has unanimously voted to postpone the vote that determines the fate of the Felton, Branciforte, Garfield Park and La Selva Beach branches. I commend them for doing so, and I fully agree with board member David Terrazas that “We need to look for a way to find a solution that protects the value of neighborhood services.” Surely there must be a way to address fiscal needs while continuing to serve all library patrons in their communities.
I was quite disappointed with the general tone of your editorial regarding this issue and also take issue with some of the logic you apparently used to arrive at your conclusion that “Felton no longer needs its own public library branch.” For example, of course fewer people visit the Felton branch on a daily basis; it is only open three days a week (only two days, at one point)! Additionally, the new SLV library will indeed benefit its students, but, to my knowledge, that library will not be open to the public.
You continue to characterize public anger at this proposal as “pointing fingers at government officials for eliminating services while we all pay the Measure R sales tax.” Rather than pointing fingers, the public simply expects the promises of Measure R to be fulfilled — specifically, the promise that all branches would remain open. (Of course, Measure R also promised to lay the groundwork for a new Felton library, but let’s deal with one promise at a time, shall we?) Wouldn’t it be ironic if notoriously tax-averse Scotts Valley, the citizens of which voted against Measure R, ends up as a significant beneficiary of Measure R’s proceeds, while we in Felton are left with no local branch?
I have loved libraries my entire life and continue to be a frequent patron of the Felton branch. My hope is that the newly formed LJPB subcommittee is committed to finding a real solution for Santa Cruz County without having to resort to the drastic step of closing branches.
Toni Jeffrey, Felton