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Free Computer Classes at Santa Cruz Libraries

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Free Computer Classes

The Santa Cruz Public Library system will be offering a series of free computer classes and tutoring at its branches throughout the county, including our own Aptos Public Library.

According to Library Director Susan Nemitz, improving digital literacy in Santa Cruz County is one of the most important goals of the library system. She says, “Without the ability to use computers people are left behind. These days finding a job, applying for government assistance, or even being civically engaged requires you to use a computer. That’s why we aren’t waiting for building projects to make improvements.”

Each and every public computer has been upgraded and the busy Downtown Library has added additional computers to meet the high demand. “Now that we’ve invested in the technology people need,” says Nemitz, “we have to teach those who struggle how to use it.”

The classes cover a range of topics and are presented at multiple branches: Basic MAC and Windows, Basic Internet, Email and Google Suites, Microsoft Office, Resume Formatting Clinics, and Using Social Media. A life skills class for Young Adults and a Coding Club for kids and teens are also in the lineup of classes. For a complete list of locations and times, call 831-427-7717 or visit the library’s online calendar at www.santacruzpl.org/calendar.

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Aptos Library to host Journaling, Writing Workshops

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Patrice Vecchione
Patrice Vecchione

The Aptos Public Library will host several journal making and writing workshops in October, led by local poet, author and artist Patrice Vecchione. Called “Step into Nature,” the journaling workshops will teach participants how to discover and tell their stories by recording thoughts, feelings and observations.

Vecchione will discuss her new book Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life which explains how time in nature can restore imagination and how a personal relationship with a natural place not only deepens our own lives but our ability to care for the earth.
Vecchione will also share details on how to publish journals, how to work with an agent, secure a major publishing house, the process of going from proposal to completed book, and the book tour.

There will be a total of three sessions held at the Aptos Library:

  • Session 1- Book talk, 7-8 p.m. Oct. 8
  • Session 2- Journal making & writing workshop, 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 22
  • Session 3- Journal making & writing workshop, 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 29

Chess Tournament at the Aptos Library

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Chess Tournament
Youth Chess Tournament at the Aptos Library

The annual youth Chess Tournament at the Aptos Library will be held on Saturday, May 16 from 12-4 PM. Children between the ages of 6-18 years old are invited to participate. All participants will receive a certificate, and medals will be awarded to the top three finalists. The tournament is free to enter, but preregistration is required.

Aptos Library resident chess master Dana MacKenzie, who teaches the library’s weekly chess club on Tuesdays, organizes the tournament each year at the library. Participant check-in will take place from 12-12:30 p.m. At 1 p.m., participants will play three games with no eliminations. Light snacks will be provided.

Call the Aptos Branch Library at 831-427-7702 to register for the chess tournament.

This should be a wonderful event for young chess players – even if your child doesn’t (yet) play chess, consider going to this event anyway, as it’s a fun and free event for families in our Aptos community.

Driver Safety Workshops at the Aptos Library

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Driver Safety Workshop
Driver Safety Workshop at the Aptos Public Library

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be holding two free driver safety workshops at the Aptos Library in April. The workshops are designed both for teen drivers and their parents, as well as for mature drivers to teach them how to drive smart as they age. The dates and times for the workshops are:

Start Smart: Driving Smart to Stay Safe
Tuesday April 14 • 6:30-8:30 PM
For teenage drivers and their parents. This workshop focuses on how choices behind the wheel can affect the lives of many. Participants will learn about:

  • Defensive Driving
  • DUI Awareness
  • Traffic Laws
  • Collision Dynamics and how to avoid them

Age Well, Drive Smart
Friday April 17 • 10 AM-12:30 PM
The Age Well, Drive Smart workshop provides the keys to driving safer and driving longer. Topics include:

  • How to tune up driving skills
  • Refreshing knowledge of Rules of the Road
  • Normal age related physical changes and how to adjust for them
  • How to recognize when it’s time to limit or stop driving

To reserve a spot in either class, call Brad Sadek with the CHP at 831-662-0511 or call the Aptos Library at 831-427-7702.

Free Income Tax Help at the Aptos Library

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IRS Logo
Free Tax Prep Help at the Library

It’s tax time! There’s some good news for Aptos tax payers – Project SCOUT (Senior Citizen Outreach) will be offering free income tax help at the Aptos library. Project SCOUT’s IRS-trained volunteers will be available in person for help – at no charge! – at the Aptos Library from 1 to 3 PM on the following Thursdays:

  • March 26
  • April 2
  • April 9

If none of those times work for you, they will also be offering tax preparation assistance at the Santa Cruz Library on the following Tuesdays: March 31, April 7, and April 14th from 3 PM until 6 PM. They’ll also be available on Saturdays: March 28, April 4, and April 11 from 11 AM to 1 PM, and one last time on Tax Day, April 15th, from 3 to 6 PM.

Help will be offered on a drop in basis. Please bring a photo ID, social security number or ITIN for each person on your tax return. Also please bring all your W-2, 1099 and 1098 forms for tax year 2014. Please also bring child care cost and provider info for 2014…and a voided check and last year’s tax forms are helpful, but not required.

Cyber Security Workshop at Aptos Library on Wednesday

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Cyber Security should be taken seriously
Cyber Security should be taken seriously

The Santa Cruz Public Library System, in partnership with the Santa Cruz Police Department, the County Office of Education and the District Attorney’s Office is putting a spotlight on the need for cybersecurity. The Libraries are hosting a series of free cyber security workshops in January. The first Cyber Security Workshop is at the Aptos Library on Wednesday, January 7 at 7:00 PM and focuses on parents and educators.

Whether you are a business owner, a parent, a child, a teacher, a student, or a senior, to a large degree it’s up to you to ensure your own cyber security. By practicing strong and safe online habits, you can better protect your identity and the networks you use at home, at work, and anywhere you log on.

Join Library IT Manager, Lynne Sansevero, at one of four cybersecurity workshops designed to help you connect safely. The class will be approximately 45 minutes long, with additional time at the end for questions and answers.

If you can’t make it to the workshop in Aptos on Wednesday, several other workshops are planned for January:

Stop. Think. Connect: Kids 8-15 and their parents
Sunday, January 11, 2015, 2pm
Downtown Branch Library, 224 Church Street in Santa Cruz

Stop. Think. Connect: Older Community Members and Seniors
Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 4pm
Downtown Branch Library, 224 Church Street in Santa Cruz

Stop. Think. Connect: Small Business
Wednesday, January 28, 2015, 7pm
Scotts Valley Branch Library, 251 Kings Village Road in Scotts Valley

Mar Vista Read-a-Thon 2014

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Mar Vista Elementary School is having its first-ever Read-a-Thon this year! This is a new fundraising initiative being organized by the Mar Vista Parent’s Club (the Mar Vista version of a PTA). Funds raised from the Read-a-Thon will go in large part to the Mar Vista Elementary library, which suffers from limited and outdated reading materials for Mar Vista students. The Read-a-Thon will run from November 3rd through the 14th.

As California seeks to reverse years of declines in academic performance, it has adopted the Common Core curriculum. With Common Core, academic basics such as reading and math are heavily emphasized. Mar Vista Elementary is a California Distinguished School, and aims to stay that way. It is hoped that by further encouraging students to read, academic performance will be further enhanced.

The Mar Vista Parents club is seeking local businesses who are willing to sponsor classrooms for $250 each – approximately $1 per student per day of the Read-a-Thon. Sponsoring businesses will receive:

  • Thanks on the Mar Vista Parent’s Club Facebook page
  • Logo placement on one flyer thanking everyone involved with the Read-A-Thon
  • Logo placement and thanks in an all-school email blast
  • Invitation to meet and greet with sponsored class
  • Placement on a banner outside the school thanking them for participation

In addition, the Mar Vista Parent’s Club is seeking “community readers” – members of the community who can come in to the school and read with the children, and perhaps spend some time talking with them about the reading material. The children would be thrilled to read with fire fighters, paramedics, life guards, law enforcement, doctors, lawyers – anyone with a good story to share and discuss!

If you have a local business and are interested in sponsoring the Read-a-Thon, or if you have a suggestion for someone who would be a good guest “community reader,” please contact Sebastian Frey via phone at (831) 704-6873.

Read-a-Thon Logo
Read-a-Thon Logo

Aptos Library is to Receive $8.2 million enhancement

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Under a plan being devised by the Santa Cruz Library trustees, the Aptos branch of the Santa Cruz Public Library system is to receive a $8.2 million enhancement. The enhancement will come in the form of a 25% expansion of size and a renovation. The goal of the project would be to serve a more tech-savvy user, with less emphasis on service desks and more focus on self-checkouts and superior data and power capabilities.

The renovation of the Aptos branch is part of a $63 million plan to renovate the entire Santa Cruz county public library system, with most of the project budget going to extensively renovate the downtown Santa Cruz branch. The renovation work would be paid for by a $49 annual parcel tax, which would last 30 years.

Residents who are opposed or in favor of this parcel tax are encouraged to contact their county Supervisor, which in the case of Aptos is Zach Friend.

See also: Santa Cruz Sentinel article

Aptos Public Library

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The Aptos Public Library is an awesome community resource for the people of Aptos. Any day of the week, you’re likely to find a surprisingly large number of cars in the parking lot and people inside, reading books, newspapers, magazines, or surfing the Internet. The Library does provide free WiFi and electricity to plug in your laptop, or you can use one of their computers to surf the Interwebs.

They also have a great children’s room, with a large selection of books in both English and Spanish. They have a friendly, helpful staff and the place is warm, safe, and inviting. If the Aptos branch doesn’t have a book you’re looking for, they can request it from another branch and if it’s in the catalog, it’ll be brought over. There’s also a public meeting room which can be used by community organizations and non-profits as needed. Also, there’s a Metro bus stop right out in front, so it’s easy to access by those without a car.

The Aptos Public Library is considered by many to be one of best libraries in the Santa Cruz Public Library system, and we consider it an Aptos Gem.

Aptos Public Library
Aptos Public Library