SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARY

What SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARY does

Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL) is a public library system serving residents of Santa Cruz County, California, through a network of 10 branch libraries, the Live Oak Library Annex (LOLA) co-located at the Simpkins Family Swim Center, and a bookmobile outreach service. The system originated in 1868 and is currently governed by the Library Joint Powers Authority (LJPA), a joint powers agreement among the City of Santa Cruz, City of Capitola, City of Scotts Valley, and Santa Cruz County, with Christopher Platt serving as Library Director. SCPL serves all county demographics, with explicit programming for persons with disabilities, veterans, Spanish-speaking residents, and workforce development seekers, and offers dedicated services such as Veterans Connect @ the Library and the Santa Cruz County Workforce Collaborative.

SCPL's core technology platform is the SCPL Catalog, powered by the Polaris integrated library system, which provides patrons with search, reservation, and account management for physical and digital collections. The system is supplemented by a mobile app, the Library of Things lending program (including a Felton Seed Library), a Library Speakers Consortium partnership for Virtual Author Talks, Discover & Go museum and attraction passes, PrinterOn wireless printing, lendable technology, the LINK+ interlibrary loan consortium, and the Connected California Digital Navigators Program for digital literacy. In 2024 SCPL completed the grand opening of a newly rebuilt Aptos Branch Library, and in 2026 the LJPA Board adopted a Three-Year Strategic Plan for FY 2027-2029 with quarterly implementation reporting.

SCPL operates as a non-profit public entity with no user fees; all services are free to Santa Cruz County residents. Revenue (operating budget) is funded through a combination of public tax revenue, Measure S sales tax appropriations allocated by member jurisdictions, competitive grants (E-rate, Carnegie Corporation, California State Library, Dorothy A. Hale Trust), and charitable donations processed through the SCPL Friends nonprofit support organization. Disclosed grant inflows across FY 25 and FY 26 totaled approximately $160,896 from external funders, with the bulk of operating revenue derived from public appropriations. Recent board actions include approval of the Fifth Amendment to the Library Joint Powers Agreement in December 2025 and an expanded branch hours and outreach pilot for FY 26.

Name

SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARY

Legal name

Santa Cruz Public Libraries

Website

https://santacruzpl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL) is a public library system serving Santa Cruz County, California, through 10 branch libraries, a bookmobile, and the Live Oak Library Annex, funded by Measure S sales tax, member-jurisdiction appropriations, grants, and donations, with all services provided free to residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community library programs
• Digital literacy training
• Interlibrary loan services
• Library branch network

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Santa Cruz Public Libraries provides free public library services to Santa Cruz County residents through 10+ branch locations, a bookmobile, and an online digital platform. Core services include lending of physical and digital library materials (books, media, e-books, audiobooks), public internet and computer access, wireless printing, meeting room reservations, test proctoring, and a wide range of community programs such as Summer Reading, Virtual Author Talks, workforce development, and digital literacy training.

Product overview

Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL) operates as a public library system serving Santa Cruz County through a network of 10 branch libraries, a Bookmobile, and the Live Oak Library Annex (LOLA). The core product is the SCPL Catalog (powered by Polaris), providing online access to the library's physical and digital collections. Digital services include the SCPL Mobile App, Virtual Author Talks via Library Speakers Consortium, Discover & Go museum passes, Wireless Printing via PrinterOn, Digital Learning programs, and the Library of Things lending program. The system also offers community services such as meeting room reservations, test proctoring, Summer Reading programs, and accessibility services. SCPL operates under the Library Joint Powers Authority (LJPA) governing body with Christopher Platt serving as Library Director.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SCPL Online Catalog Web-based library catalog system (powered by Polaris ILS) enabling patrons to search, reserve, and manage library materials including books, media, e-books, audiobooks, and other collections. Free for Santa Cruz County residents.
• SCPL Mobile App Mobile application providing patrons with on-the-go access to library services, account management, catalog search, and digital resources. Available on iOS and Android.
• Library of Things Collection of non-traditional lending items including tools, equipment, and other objects available for checkout beyond traditional library materials. Free for library cardholders.
• Discover & Go Digital pass program allowing library patrons to reserve free or discounted passes to local museums, parks, and cultural attractions.
• Virtual Author Talks Virtual author events program powered by the Library Speakers Consortium, bringing authors to the community through online presentations. Free for library patrons.
• Summer Reading Program Annual summer reading program (June 1 - July 31) encouraging community reading and literacy activities for children, teens, and adults. Free for all participants.
• Wireless Printing Mobile printing service via PrinterOn enabling patrons to print from any Internet-connected or Wi-Fi-enabled device to any library branch.
• Lendable Technology Technology lending program providing patrons with access to laptops, hotspots, and other devices for use outside the library. Free for library cardholders.
• Digital Learning Program Digital literacy resources and programs including the Connected California Digital Navigators Program (English and Spanish versions - Navegantes Digitales) for technology training and digital skills development.
• Bookmobile Outreach Service Mobile library service bringing books and library resources to underserved areas and communities throughout Santa Cruz County. Free for all community members.
• Meeting Room Reservations Meeting room reservations available at branch libraries for community groups, study sessions, and events. Free for library cardholders.
• Test Proctoring Exam proctoring services for students and professionals requiring supervised testing environments. Free or low-cost for library cardholders.
• Felton Seed Library Seed lending program at the Felton Branch where patrons can borrow seeds to grow plants, promoting community gardening and agricultural literacy.
• Live Oak Library Annex (LOLA) Program space and quiet study area located at Simpkins Family Swim Center (979 17th Ave), with limited library services including approximately 500 children's and teen books. Staffed limited hours.
• LINK+ Interlibrary Loan Consortium-based interlibrary loan system allowing SCPL patrons to request and borrow materials from partner libraries across California when titles are not available in the local collection.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Library Joint Powers Authority (LJPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernance structure overseeing Santa Cruz City-County Library System. LJPA board consists of representatives from City of Santa Cruz, County of Santa Cruz, City of Capitola, and City of Scotts Valley. Sets policies and exercises responsibilities under Joint Powers Agreement. Christopher Platt serves as Library Director.
• Library Speakers ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring Virtual Author Talks to Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Provides access to author events and literary programming for the community through the library's virtual events platform.
• Santa Cruz County Parks & RecreationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located the Live Oak Library Annex (LOLA) at the Simpkins Family Swim Center. The County Parks department maintains the facility and manages room reservations for the community space used for library programs and study rooms.
• SCPL FriendscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNonprofit support organization that accepts donations, recruits volunteers, and advocates for library funding. Manages the Library Value Calculator and fundraising campaigns.
• City of Santa Cruz Personnel DepartmentsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOversees all library recruitments for the Santa Cruz City-County Library System under the Joint Powers Agreement. Posts all library job openings through governmentjobs.com platform.
• Community TelevisionsupportingOthersLocal broadcast partner for viewing City Council and Board of Supervisors meetings at the library. Provides archived video access.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• San Francisco Public Library: Urban California public library system of comparable scale, offering physical branches, digital collections, and community programming — directly comparable as a fellow municipal-county library serving a California county.
• San José Public Library: Major California public library system with multiple branches, digital lending, and bilingual services, comparable to SCPL in service mix, county-scale footprint, and population served.
• Contra Costa County Library: County-level California public library system operating branches and digital services across a similar geographic scope; directly comparable in governance (county library), branch network, and program offerings.
• Alameda County Library: California county library serving a comparable Bay Area-adjacent population with branch network, digital services, and community programming directly parallel to SCPL's offerings.
• San Mateo County Libraries: Joint-powers governed California county library system offering branches, e-resources, and community programs; directly comparable to SCPL in joint powers governance model and service mix.
• Palo Alto City Library: Municipal public library in the Bay Area offering branches, digital lending, and programming; comparable as a similarly sized California city library serving a comparable demographic base.
• Oakland Public Library: California urban public library with branch network, digital services, and workforce development programs — directly comparable to SCPL in service breadth and community focus.
• Berkeley Public Library: California municipal library with comparable branch count, community programming, and digital lending; a strong peer in scale, mission, and service portfolio.
• Marin County Free Library: California county library system with branch network, digital services, and community programs; comparable to SCPL in scale, California coastal-county context, and service portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Sacramento Public Library: Large California county-wide public library system operating a broader branch network than SCPL; comparable as a same-state, similar-mission library system, but significantly larger in geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/santacruzpl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=6Cer82cZ5Ts&list=PLo9N9AsVOVvRHxhItEBaP3eI7Rmz8ywBT
• Facebookfacebook.com/santacruzpl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-cruz-public-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARY