Santa Ynez Valley Libraries:
As part of our efforts to Protect Our Valley, we have recently become aware that the small libraries in Santa Ynez and Los Olivos are in danger of being closed completely. WE Watch Board Member Teresa McNeil MacLean wrote the following letter as a private citizen: Although the letter is out of date, the concerns are still current.
Library Director Jessica Cadiente and Supervisor Farr: [Now Supervisor Joan Hartmann]
[Out of date paragraph removed.]
Santa Ynez and Los Olivos libraries serve citizens of those two townships,
especially those without transportation, local children, classes from local
schools. Both have been symbols in the two small, rural “downtown” areas of the
importance of literacy, since 1910 (Los Olivos) and 1912 (Santa Ynez, Historic
Landmark #11, the first branch library in California). They are also visited by
tourists, seeking information or curious about local history. Of five distinct
historic communities in the Santa Ynez Valley, tiny Ballard is the only one
without the two symbols representing a sense of community pride: post office
and dedicated space for a library.
Employed by the Santa Barbara Public Library System, 1976 to 2000, I spent my
last 14 years of Library employment running Santa Ynez and Los Olivos Branches.
Books should be available in every community, to everyone. Santa Ynez is my
neighborhood, my community. I support its right to continue to have a
functioning public library with reasonable hours to accommodate those it
serves.
Thank you,
Teresa McNeil MacLean,
Santa Ynez
P.O. Box 1091
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
805-688-8781
To contact Jessica Cadiente and Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, email addresses are: jcadiente@santabarbaraca.gov and jhartmann@countyofsb.org
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