Major hour cutbacks across the Santa Cruz Public Library System take effect next week, including severe reductions in open hours to the Felton and Boulder Creek branches.
Beginning July 1, the Boulder Creek Library will be open for 12 hours each week; Felton will open for eight hours; and Scotts Valley, the busiest of the north county trio, 32 hours.
However, the new hours might only be temporary.
“I don’t believe we are finished with this process,” said Heidi Jaeger-Smith, who as of July 1 will oversee the three libraries as the north county branch manager.
“Either we can coast on this plan or we can revisit it in January and take further action,” Smith said. “We’re hoping for a brighter future in as many ways as possible.”
Last month, the Library Joint Powers Board chose to keep all branches in the county open while severely cutting hours at the small community branches, amounting to $1.2 million in cuts spurred by declining property and sales tax revenue.
“I believe the joint powers board’s intention was to prune back the hours rather than closing branches so that when times got better it would not be difficult to bring back a facility,” Smith said.
After property tax and sales tax revenues come in for the next fiscal quarter, the joint powers board will revisit the library’s financial situation.
In the meantime, the cuts are a significant blow to the Felton and Boulder Creek communities.
“I’m very sad,” said Cheryl Welch of Boulder Creek, who comes with her children every two weeks to pick up a bundle of new books. “It’s going to be really difficult for working moms to make it here.”
Smith agreed: “It’s a very, very hard thing for the folks in Boulder Creek and Felton.”
Nearly all programs at the two branches will be cut, and patrons will have to plan their visits carefully.
“We don’t have any evening or Saturday hours, so if people work 9 (a.m.) to 5 (p.m.), how do they get in?” asked Felton branch manager Eunice LeMay, who will lose her job July 1.
After 13 years in Felton, the weekly children’s story hour with Lauren Suhd will move to the Scotts Valley branch. Story time, crafts programs and other offerings will also be cut in Boulder Creek.
“It’s pretty much bare bones,” said Boulder Creek branch manager Lynette George.
In contrast, the Ben Lomond Community Library continues to operate at full capacity. The library has a completely volunteer staff that keeps the library open five days a week.
And while other libraries are cutting back, Ben Lomond offers a summer reading program — Journey to Adventure Island, led by Debbie Bernick. Children from 3 to 6 years old are invited to attend the program Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. at the library.
Library hours beginning July 1
Boulder Creek: Monday 1 to 5 p.m.; Wednesday 3 to 7 p.m.; Saturday 1 to 5 p.m.
Felton: Tuesday and Thursday: 1 to 5 p.m.
Scotts Valley: Monday and Saturday: 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
