INFO 266

Unit One Graded Assignment - Walkabout

For my community observation, I chose the area around the Boulder Creek Public Library. I live in Boulder Creek but am very new to the area and have not visited this library before. Boulder Creek is a town north of Santa Cruz off of HWY 9. The roads are often dirt, hard to maneuver and stretch off HWY 9 like river passages.

From my observations, the Boulder Creek community, itself is a small, tight-knit group of mountain people. They enjoy the quiet serenity that is the forest. The shops off of HWY 9 are small and simple. There are no name-brand shops this far into the mountains as if they would even be allowed. While the town feels sleepy, I can see cars and people frequenting the streets and stores. The local sandwich shops and breakfast stops always seem busy. Here among the shops I notice an old brewery that had gone out of business years ago and other store fronts that seem to be taking on cobwebs. These empty shops make me think that the town is lacking in funds and it’s people the means to have prosperous businesses. Then I notice a brand new shoe store at the end of the street. This seems a bit niche for the Boulder Creek area and I wonder how long it will last. Like most older communities I have seen, this one is full of family owned businesses that have become staples of the area and a few new establishments that may or may not flourish. During the day Boulder Creek seems less lively, as most people work out of the area and children are in school. Later in the day and on weekends I have observed packs of elementary students walking around and families buying groceries. The Boulder Creek Public Library is off HWY 9, closer to residential properties. I noted a few highschool aged children go inside. The residential areas seem to be a mix of newer, nicer homes and ancient dwellings that have withstood the test of time. There are homes that are well kept and some that seem to be held together with ducktape and a prayer. The main ethnic or cultural group seems to be caucasian, however, Santa Cruz County as a whole is pretty diverse. Lastly, the main thing I have noticed about Boulder Creek is the fragrance of fir and redwood trees. It is a bit musty, but fresh and invigorating. It reminds me of camping. Around certain streets jasmine bushes are giving off a sweet sent, along with wisteria and other flowers.

The Boulder Creek Public Library is a medium-sized building with dark wood shingles. I was surprised that the building looked new or updated. I expected it to be in an older more victorian home or a much smaller building. I saw that there is ample parking, which I didn’t expect as well. This is significant because it shows me that this community cares about its library and supports its staff and contents. I noticed that the area is full of trees and shaded, feeling like a tucked away sanctuary for reading. The library could be missed, if it wasnt for the big Public Library sign outside and a large metal sculpture of a women reading to two children. On Wednesday I saw a sign out front for toddler/baby story time and witnessed numerous parents and children taking part. Good thing there is parking. Something worth mentioning is that I also saw a few rainbow graphics which made me happy. I am glad that our community or at least the library supports LGBTQ+ rights. This will definitely help bring in a more diverse group of people and help children and community members feel more welcome. I expect that the library has a pride section and maybe even small events. Over all my perception of the library was that it would be outdated and small. I was gladly mistaken. I can see, even from the outside, how much the community values its library.

Boulder Creek is a lovely community that keeps surprising me. From the people jogging or walking their dogs down the shaded streets to the quaint businesses, it is still full of life.