Watsonville Public Library Set To Reopen Wednesday

WATSONVILLE, CA — The Watsonville Public Library is reopening to the public again on Wednesday.

The library will open its lobby and offer limited services in-person. Residents can swing by to browse book and media collections, or pick up a book hold or storytime kit.

It's one thing to borrow a book remotely, on a device. But it's another to step in the library and hold the book in your hands, said Alicia Martinez, interim director of the library.

"We're just so happy to open our doors and welcome individuals back into our library," she said. "We definitely have missed everyone."

The library briefly reopened in November, but closed after Santa Cruz County returned to the most-strict purple tier, indicating widespread COVID-19 risk of the state's four-tiered, color-coded COVID-19 risk assessment system.

The reopening comes a week after Santa Cruz County moved into the red tier. The red tier is the second-worst tier and indicates substantial risk.

The library is open weekdays from noon to 6 p.m. at 275 Main St., Suite 100. Indoor seating will not be available.

What To Expect

A librarian and circulation team member will be stationed at opposite corners of the lobby desk, behind a plexiglass divider, Martinez said.

The library will have displays in honor of Women's History Month in March. There will also be displays geared toward children, youth, adults, DVDs and new book releases in English and Spanish, she said.

Patrons will be able to spend up to an hour per day on one of two computers, and use the printer in-house or through the library's mobile printing program.

Guests of all ages can also pick up themed kits.

New storytime kits are available for children every two weeks since so many miss storytime at the library, Martinez said. Children's kits include a craft suggestion, drawing activities, books for parents to read and parenting tips. The current theme is weather.

Teens can check out self-care kits, with a craft and information on local resources, such as mental health or guidance counselors. This month's kit teaches teens to make stress balls, she said. Last month's kit gave teens supplies to create a chocolate mug cake.

Adults aren't left out of the fun. Their "fun on the run" kits include a craft intended to help grown-ups decompress after a week working in front of a computer screen, she said. This month's kit includes supplies for a drawing activity, while last month's included supplies for a watercolor collage.

For those who can't make it in person, the library offers virtual resources, too, through its 24/7 Virtual Library program.

The "Califas: The Ancestral Journey" exhibit spotlights Central Coast Chicano art online, but residents can swing by the windows of the library to check out artwork banners, too.

There's a virtual Dungeons & Dragons game session for those 13 and older starting next week and a Poets' Circle event April 1 for adults.

The library offers free virtual tutoring and homework help, plus resources for job-seekers and veterans.

The library will continue to offer its BiblioVan for patrons who require home visits and disseminate internet hotspots to people 18 years or older.

See what else the library has to offer here.