About The Library

THEN:

Welcome to the Patagonia Library – a library founded in 1957 by members of the Patagonia Woman’s Club, who opened for business in a single room – the Cady Hall historic building on Duquesne Avenue.

A campaign for expansion in the 1990s more than doubled the available space, and made it possible for us to have not only one but two children’s rooms, a meeting room, a spacious reading room, as well as a sunlit corridor where computers are constantly humming with action.

On November 5th, 2009, ground was broken for a new library addition, The Mary Rebecca Cady Reading Room. The project was completed in April, 2010, with a grand dedication ceremony. The new room houses the library’s non-fiction book collection, is furnished with comfortable seating, and also has a movie screen. This project doubled our reading room and stack space! It was graciously funded by John Henry Kendall, the grandson of early Arizona pioneer, soldier and builder of the Patagonia Hotel John Henry Cady. Mary Rebecca was John Henry Cady’s daughter and our donor’s mother.

AND NOW:

The Patagonia Public Library, an independent Town library, offers more than just books. It is a true community center, where children’s programs, meetings, workshops, classes and discussions involve the widest range of residents and visitors.

Our collection includes print, audio, video and digital items, and a stellar southwest and local history selection. The library works closely with the Patagonia Museum to maintain a local history archive. Our Legacy Garden honors early Patagonia area residents.

Partnerships with community organizations enhance our abilities to be community-responsive. We promote childhood literacy with Brain Boxes, the Collaborative Summer Reading Program, and A Voice for Young Authors. When school is out, the library serves Summer Lunches and offers a vast array of activities for children. To balance out our diverse offerings, the Friends of the Patagonia Library support programs for all ages including author events, music jams, discussion groups, scholarly presentations and film screenings.

The Patagonia Public Library is funded by the Town of Patagonia, donations from the Friends of the Library and Santa Cruz County. Additionally, grants are written to enhance the library’s collection and programming.