How I See It — My Place
Santa Cruz
Behind the Scenes
The Garfield Park Branch Library is one of the ten Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Garfield Park is located in a residential neighborhood on the west side of Santa Cruz. In an area known as the Circles, the library was built in 1915 and is located five blocks from the ocean. Consequently, the neighborhood is a mixture of old and new; high density housing and multi-million dollar homes. With the world-renowned Steamer Lane and Boardwalk nearby, the area attracts surfers and tourists year round. This cliff area is also a popular walking and biking path for local residents. The heavily traveled scenic Highway 1 coastal route flanks the other side of the neighborhood.
Our explorations extended through residential, commercial, and popular tourist sightseeing areas. There is a drastic difference between the three, which is further emphasized by their close proximity. Within a couple of blocks of the busy tourist cliffs is the quiet residential neighborhood. On the other side of the residential section is the busy Highway 1 commercial corridor with shopping and fast food restaurants. The teens found interesting photo opportunities in each the different areas as demonstrated by their final exhibit selections. After our first full outing through the residential section to the Lighthouse and Surfing Museum, the teens spent an hour sorting through their photos looking for themes or composition similarities. This helped them to focus on their subsequent outings, seeking out different perspectives rather than indiscriminate snapshots.
Longevity, location and weather were our largest challenges. The ten week commitment was difficult for teens. I had numerous inquiries after the press release and local television news story. Of the ten pre-registered, only five attended. Of those five only four completed exhibit displays. The location was selected because of Garfield Park’s teen focus. However, its remote location was a deterrent for teens that were not familiar with the area. All of the completed displays were by regular Garfield Park teens. The teen that dropped out after four weeks was from southern Santa Cruz County. The teen photographers and I discussed the program at its conclusion. We all agreed that a five day program would have attracted more participation and would be a sufficient amount of time to complete an exhibit of equal quality. The unpredictable fall weather presented a challenge for four of the ten days. Rain shortened outings on those days. A five-day summer program would have been ideal. One of the teens has volunteered to assist with a photography program for the 2009 Teen Summer Reading Program.
Because of lack of space at the small Garfield Park Branch, the exhibit was displayed in the meeting room at the Central Branch Library, the system’s largest branch. While the best location for the mounting the displays on the wall, it limited the public exposure. Reception attendance was limited to family and friends. However, the meeting room is heavily used, and the photo exhibit has received numerous compliments.
— Sandi Imperio, Project Director
