Santa Cruz has no public library of its own; the nearest is Cesar Chavez Library in Phoenix, 10.1 miles away
Santa Cruz doesn’t have a public library of its own. The closest is Cesar Chavez Library in Phoenix, 10.1 miles away. Many small-town libraries give cards to neighbors, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead.
–Civic lifeNot graded: fewer than 1,000 residentsGetting a library card from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz borrows from the libraries next door
Santa Cruz has no public library of its own, but Cesar Chavez Library is 10 miles away in Phoenix. Many small-town libraries give cards to people from neighboring towns, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead. Nearest libraries ↓
The closest isn’t the one open longest
Cesar Chavez Library is nearest, open about 51 hours a week. South Mountain Community Library, 13 miles away, is open about 69 hours a week, so it may be easier to fit in. Nearest libraries ↓
The nearby libraries are all fine-free
None of the four closest libraries charges late fines. Nearest libraries ↓
This summary is written from the numbers on this page. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What’s behind Santa Cruz’s civic life grade
Santa Cruz isn’t graded on civic life: TownRatings grades towns of 1,000 residents or more.
Civic life counts registered nonprofits, library visits and online volunteering groups, so it can miss civic life that runs through congregations, mutual aid or neighbors looking out for each other.
Library visits: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024. Nonprofits: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, October 2026. Volunteering: Social Capital Atlas (Opportunity Insights), from data by Meta Platforms, Inc.; Chetty et al., Nature 2022. How TownRatings grades civic life →
The closest is 10.1 miles away
Closest first, measured from the center of Santa Cruz. Each one’s hours, and whether it charges late fines.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- The library’s own count. Libraries report their own visits, loans and programs. A library that didn’t respond keeps its address and hours here, with no numbers.
Hours are the survey’s yearly average; libraries are compared with others serving about as many people. How TownRatings uses library figures →
Questions about the library and civic life in Santa Cruz
Does Santa Cruz have a public library?
No. The closest is Cesar Chavez Library in Phoenix, 10.1 miles from the town center. Many libraries give cards to people from neighboring towns, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead.
What is Santa Cruz’s civic life grade?
Santa Cruz isn’t graded on civic life: TownRatings grades towns of 1,000 residents or more. How it works.
Book talk
Reading, story times and the library in Santa Cruz.
Libraries: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024. Each library reports its own numbers. Distances are straight-line from the town center. “What your card is worth” uses typical retail prices and is an estimate, not an official figure.