Member Spotlights

Closing Libraries: How this 4-Her fought to keep her Felton Library open

Katelyn, Felton 4-H Club, Santa Cruz County 

Katelyn, a member of Felton 4-H club, woke up to a phone call one morning. Her friend April told her that the county was closing their library. Upset, the two members mobilized the 4-H community to advocate for keeping the library open. They attended a session dressed in their 4-H uniforms. “It was awkward and I was shy because it was the first time that I had ever been to a meeting like this,” said Katelyn. There were four plans: A,B,C, and D.  The members wanted C because they would get to keep the library. The other plans closed or changed the libraries into resource type centers. The members found out that the Felton branch cost very little to operate compared to how much it would cost to make plans for and run an even bigger library in Scotts Valley.  Katelyn’s mom pointed out that Santa Cruz, and specifically the population in their valley, are both leading pioneer models with one of the largest followings for 4-H and Home Schools.  The local libraries are a natural resource for both groups.

Near the end of the meeting, Katelyn brought the Peter Max American Quilt that the Felton 4-H Club Knits and Purls group made and showed it to David Terrazas, the Library Board representative heading up the meeting. “I was really nervous and hardly talked, but showed off the quilt and told everyone that the 4-H Knits and Purls group wanted to dedicate it to the Felton Library. I wanted to express how important the Library was to me,” said Katelyn.

The next day was Valentine’s Day. The Library Board was due to have an open session at the County Building.  Again, Katelyn got dressed in her Felton 4-H greens and got ready to spend the evening at the County Building’s main chamber. Katelyn was the fifth person to speak. “I was really nervous! There were over two hundred people there!” said Katelyn. Autumn, another Felton 4-Her, was also at the meeting. Autumn and April both signed their names on the roster to speak.  

Katelyn asked the Board to, “Please keep our libraries open.” A couple of other kids talked about the need to keep the library in Felton, and Autumn gave a beautiful speech.  “The whole experience was overwhelming!” expressed Katelyn.

As a result of the community coming together that night, they saved the library! Autumn, Katelyn, and all those who wrote letters or showed up at the meetings to support the local library branch truly made a difference in the community. There are 18,000 people for whom the Felton Library is the closest branch – and at least 2,000 kids. It serves not just Felton, but about five other surrounding communities. When the community comes together to save something really important to its members, it shows remarkable teamwork.  It is important to stand up for something, to be heard, and to have a voice.

This was a great example of the way that the Felton 4-H Club, and 4-H clubs everywhere, can make a difference in their community simply by speaking up for the community’s needs. It’s also a great example of how being organized can make a difference. With just a couple of phone calls, and the membership of the Felton 4-H Club was ready and willing to take action to protect something very important for everyone in their community.