Angels Camp, CA…The Angels Camp Friends of the Library is releasing its recent letter to the Angels Camp City Council expressing deep disappointment with the Council for its failure to support the branch library. The letter is below..

Dear Mayor and Members of the Angels Camp City Council,

The failure of the City of Angels Camp to support the Angels Camp branch library came as a shock.
We were informed recently by the County that the City had advised it was ending its rental subsidy for the Angels Camp library because “we aren’t doing that anymore.”

From fiscal year 2003/04 through 2009/10, Angels Camp branch library received at least a one-half rental subsidy from the only municipal government in Calaveras County. In 2010/11 the City Council failed to approve a rental subsidy. Since then, for the last nine years (through 2018/19) Angels Camp library has received either a one-half or a full rental subsidy.

Previously, the City Council noted that the only public library in Angels Camp was an ‘essential service.’
We take this opportunity to remind the City Council of what the closure of the Angels Camp library would mean to the children, families, residents and tourists:

Patron visits are up over the last three years – a 14.3% increase
• 6,744 library visits in 2016/17
• 7,347 library visits in 2017/18
• 7,870 library visits in 2018/19

Our weekly Story Time participation for new moms & pre-schoolers (Fridays, from 10:30 to 11:30 am) is up by 24.4% over the last 2 years
• 568 visits in 2017/18
• 752 visits in 2018/19

Since we did not have advance warning of a significant revenue loss, we would like to make the arguments for our local public library that we would have made if given the opportunity to do so.
We have stabilized the operating hours for the Library for both patrons and visitors (Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 am to 5 pm).

We offer free, broadband to everyone – residents and tourists alike – something in short supply throughout Angels Camp. In fact, today, the Angels Camp branch library has 1 gigabyte of connectivity – the fastest in the County.
Angels Camp branch library has full access to all services that every modern library offer: use of computers and printers, downloading free digital books or digital magazines or digital travel maps or audiobooks. You can also get hard copies of those as well at your local library. The consortium with other California libraries gives Angels Camp access to millions of titles – all of which any Angels Camp resident with a library card can access.
We will soon have a free video streaming service as well. We’d like to bring adult literacy classes back to Angels Camp and we’d like to expand local children’s access to the wonderful STEAM kits and projects available at other local libraries.

We’ve held our first special event for children and are planning two more before the end of the year.

We continue to look for affordable opportunities to relocate the library into a better facility to accommodate the growth outlined above. Today, public libraries are the one place without a price tag where anyone can go to use a computer, pick up a book, attend a community meeting, access early childhood materials for the homeschooler, attend Story Time with crafts and play, and much, much more.

This community – taxpayers and visitors alike – deserve a public library that has the support of local elected officials.

Sincerely,
Diane Jarvi
CHAIR
Sue Rivera
TREASURER
Cindy Lavagetto
RECORDING SECRETARY
Connie Bowser
LIBRARY COMMISSIONER
/MEMBER
Jean Seymour
MEMBER
Jacki Menary
MEMBER
Sandy Fox-Hill
MEMBER
Ed Mulrooney
MEMBER
Noel Helmbrecht
MEMBER
Nancy Purkey
MEMBER
Sue Ray
MEMBER

The Hon. Amanda Folendorf, Mayor
The Hon. Joseph Oliveira, Vice-Mayor
The Hon. Linda Hermann, Member
The Hon. Alvin Broglio, Member
The Hon. Veronica Metildi, Member
Angels Camp City Hall
584 S Main St
Angels Camp, CA 95222
cc: City Administrator, Melissa Eads
City Clerk, Mary Kelly

The Angels Camp Friends is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization and a branch affiliate of the Calaveras County Friends of the Library.

Organized more than 15 years ago, the Angels Camp Friends serve as a support organization for the Angels Camp Branch Library (426 Main St, Angels Camp). In addition to acquisition of books and support for modern library services, the ACFOTL assists the library with financial aid for infrastructure and special projects or needs.