Santa Cruz Libraries Expand Hours at Felton and Scotts Valley Branches

New Sunday hours and later weeknight service aim to better serve busy schedules.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Santa Cruz Public Library system is rolling out expanded hours at several branches, including Sunday service at the Felton and Capitola locations and later weeknight hours at the Aptos and Scotts Valley branches. The changes, effective February 1, are designed to make the libraries more accessible to the community.

Why it matters

The new hours reflect the library system's efforts to adapt to the changing needs of Santa Cruz residents, providing more opportunities for people to visit their local branches on weekends and evenings. This expansion of services aims to increase access to the libraries' resources and programming.

The details

The Felton and Capitola branches will now be open on Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., joining the Downtown branch in offering weekend service. The Aptos and Scotts Valley branches will have longer weeknight hours, staying open until 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Additionally, all 10 library branches will now open at 11:00 a.m. on Fridays to allow staff time for training and system-wide meetings.

  • The new hours went into effect on February 1, 2026.
  • The Felton and Capitola branches will now be open on Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The players

Santa Cruz Public Library

The public library system serving the Santa Cruz, California area, with 10 branches throughout the county.

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The takeaway

The expanded hours at the Felton and Scotts Valley library branches demonstrate the Santa Cruz Public Library's commitment to improving access and convenience for its patrons, ensuring the community has ample opportunities to utilize the libraries' resources and services.