CENTRAL Library

The Central Branch is the largest of the Santa Cruz Public Library Branches. It is located across the street from the Santa Cruz City Hall and is one block off Pacific Avenue.

Central houses a collection of more than 233,000 items, including books, videos, compact discs, and books on tape. The branch receives more than 400 different magazines and subscribes to 30 newspapers--a dozen from out-of-town. As the largest branch, it includes several special collections which are unique among the SCPL branches: genealogy collection, sheet music collection, back files of many magazines, and newspapers on microfilm.

On the second floor is a fully-staffed young people's room with a separate collection of books and media for children and teens. The reference collection, on the main floor, is the largest among the branches with reference librarians available whenever the branch is open.

The online catalog lists everything in the library system. Materials not currently available at Central may be requested from any branch and picked up at Central. Magazine articles, many of them full-text, can also be searched online. Internet access is available.

The branch has microfilm reader/printers, photocopiers, and special equipment for the blind and visually handicapped to use in the library. It also has a meeting room which may be booked by nonprofit organizations.

The Friends of the Library maintain a gift shop within the library and have a monthly book sale here.

Other Information:

Photo credit: Heidi Jaeger-Smith

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