Information for Newcomers


	Job Resources Transportation/ Travel Immigration Resources Government Resources English as a Second Language (ESL) Health Education Legal Information Media Additional Information		Job Resources:

			Books Yate, Martin John Knock ’em Dead: The Ultimate Job Search Guide Avon, MA: Adams Media Call no.: 650.14 Y31 Bolles, Richard What Color is your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters & Career Changers Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press Call no.: 650.14 B69 NOTE: The Library has a wide variety of books dealing with careers, job hunting, resumes and related topics, many of which are located on the shelves around the call number 650.14. For further assistance, please ask at the Reference Desk or call (408) 615-2900. Career Centers CONNECT! Job Seeker Center http://www.novaworks.org/job_seekers/service_center.html A one-stop resource center for individuals looking for jobs, hoping to better their skills, or switching career fields. The center is for job seekers, 18 years and older. Center membership is free. It is located at 420 S. Pastoria Ave., Sunnyvale; telephone: (408) 774-2365. NOVA http://www.novaworks.org/ A nonprofit, federally funded employment and training agency. NOVA offers a resource center for job seekers, job search workshops, and additional services. Two of its services are the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center and ProMatch. It is located at 505 W. Olive Ave., Suite 550, Sunnyvale; telephone: (408) 730-7232. ProMatch http://www.promatch.org ProMatch is an interactive career resource center for professionals who are seeking work in Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. ProMatch is sponsored by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the NOVA Workforce Investment Board. There are no fees associated with ProMatch. It is located at 420 S. Pastoria Ave., Sunnyvale; telephone: (408) 736-2391. Websites BAJobs.com: Bay Area Jobs http://www.bajobs.com This is a commercial site specializing in connecting Bay Area employees with potential employers. JobStar: Job Search Guide http://jobstar.org/ This very useful Website helps with all facets of a job search. Use their JobStar San Francisco page, http://jobstar.org/nocal/, to find Bay Area job listings and career assistance. Librarians' Internet Index: Web Sites You Can Trust http://lii.org/ This site is a subject guide to the Internet created by librarians. Search the subject guide under the phrase job listings or browse the Jobs and Work subtopic of the Business section to locate job hunting Web sites. LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com A social networking Website for business professionals. It contains job postings and tools for job hunting. Newspapers (Local) http://MercuryNews.com Several local newspapers have employment classified ads on their Websites. The example above, The San Jose Mercury News, is one of the major newspapers of the Silicon Valley. The Riley Guide http://www.rileyguide.com This excellent Website provides help with using the Internet to find a job; it contains tips on all aspects of job hunting. Santa Clara City http://www.ci.santa-clara.ca.us/hu_resources/hr_employ_opportunities.html This website provides a current list of jobs available with the City of Santa Clara. Information also can be obtained by calling the City’s Employment Hotline at (408) 615-5627. Santa Clara City Information Network (CIN) Database http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/community.html To locate organizations which assist job seekers search the Library’s CIN database. Search under phrases or terms (subject and/or keyword) such as: job hunting or job postings. Return to top


			Transportation/Travel:

			511, Your Bay Area Travel Guide http://www.511.org/ Dial 511 via phone 511 is a free phone and Web service that consolidates Bay Area transportation information into a one-stop resource. 511 provides up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions, incidents and driving times, schedule, route, and fare information for the Bay Area’s public transportation services, instant carpool and vanpool referrals, bicycling information, and more. Airports Oakland International Airport http://www.flyoakland.com/ (510) 563-3300 San Francisco International Airport http://www.flysfo.com/ (650) 821-8211 Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport http://www.sjc.org/ (408) 501-7600 Bus, Train, and Paratransit Services (a selective list) Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) http://www.acerail.com/ (800) 411-7245 Train service from San Jose to Stockton with stops in Santa Clara Amtrak California http://www.amtrakcalifornia.com/ (800) 872-7245 Train service from San Jose to Auburn and from Richmond or Sacramento to Bakersfield; schedules, maps, and fares are provided BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) http://www.bart.gov/ (510) 441-2278 Train service of northern peninsula/San Francisco and East Bay Area Caltrain http://www.caltrain.com/ (800) 660-4287 Train service from San Francisco to Gilroy; schedules, maps, and fares are provided OUTREACH http://www.outreach1.org/ (408) 436-2865 A private non-profit agency, operating as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Broker for the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to provide public paratransit service; door-to-door service to frail, elderly, and disabled persons who are unable to use a bus or light rail Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority http://www.vta.org/ (408) 321-2300 Light rail, bus, and paratransit services for Santa Clara Valley Santa Clara City Library, Community Information Network (CIN) http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/community.html Search under the following subject headings: Local transit Local transit – California – San Francisco Bay Area. Drivers license information, automobile registration, etc.: California Department of Motor Vehicles http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/department-motor-vehicles.php Use Adobe's free Reader software to download your own copy of the California Drivers Handbook, or view in HTML format—no download necessary. The California Drivers Handbook is available in seven languages: English Spanish Chinese Korean Vietnamese Tagalog Russian You also may receive any of the California DMV handbooks by mail. Just contact your local DMV office or call (800) 777-0133 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Road/Travel Conditions National Traffic and Road Closure Information http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/index.htm Traffic, weather, and road conditions and regional information by state (clickable map) Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration State and Local Public Transportation Links http://www.apta.com/links/state_local/ http://www.publictransportation.org/systems/ Links to American Public Transit Association's local and state transit information Source: American Public Transportation Association Weather Conditions from National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov/ Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Publications within the Library Community Information Directory of Santa Clara County, JC Publications Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 362.84 C73 The directory has a “Basic Needs: Transportation” section, which lists organizations offering low-cost or free transportation services for people who qualify. The listings give a brief description of each organization’s services. Contact information is provided for each organization. Bay Area Metro Street Guide: metro areas of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara counties [by Thomas Bros. Maps], Skokie, IL: Rand McNally Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 912.7946 T454 Road Atlas, Skokie, IL: Rand McNally Includes index, mileage chart, and driving times map; covers the U.S., Canada, and Mexico Location: Central Reference and Mission Reference Call no.: Ref 912.7 R62 Santa Clara County Street Guide [by Thomas Bros. Maps], Skokie, IL: Rand McNally Location: Central Desk Reference and Mission Reference Call no.: Ref 912.79473 T45 Additional road maps and atlases can be found under the call number 912.7 and in the Pamphlet File. If you need assistance in locating transportation-related publications, please ask at the Reference Desk. Return to top

			Immigration Resources:

			Books Bray, Ilona U.S. Immigration Made Easy Berkeley, CA: Nolo (2006) Call no.: 342.082 B82 2006 Immigrant Rights, Responsibilities & Resources in Santa Clara County: A Guidebook to Health & Well-Being for Immigrants and their Families in Santa Clara County San Jose: Language Access & Community Education Services (2002). Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 362.84 Im33 Shpigler, Debra How to Become a U.S. Citizen Lawrenceville, NJ: Thomson/Arco (2002) Call no.: 323.6 S55 2002 NOTE: The Library has a wide variety of books and videos covering the INS interview, the citizenship examination, and related topics. Browse the shelves around the call number 323.6. Please ask at the Reference Desk for assistance, or call (408) 615-2900. Websites LearningExpress Library – U.S. Citizenship Practice Tests http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov The Santa Clara City Library offers a handy way to practice for the Citizenship Test right on its own Website. Go to the Library’s homepage (above), click on Research Databases, and then on Learning Express Library. Two different practice exams are offered; they can be accessed online at the Library or from home. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services homepage http://uscis.gov This is the official government Website of the BCIS (formerly known as the Immigration and Naturalization Service), which provides general information, forms, and laws related to the immigration process. In addition, information can be obtained by calling 1 (800) 375-5283 or 870-3676 (for forms). INS Citizenship Examination http://www.geocities.com/citizenshiptest/ All applicants for citizenship must pass an examination on U.S. history and government. This Website will provide much of the information which applicants will need to know in order to pass this exam. Immigrantinfo.org http://immigrantinfo.org ImmigrantInfo.org is sponsored by the Santa Clara County Office of Human Relations and IRIS (Immigrant Relations and Integration Services). This site not only provides listings of ESL classes at more than 120 sites in Santa Clara County, it also provides links to other local, state, and national resources for immigrants. Useful immigrant-related texts also are available for online viewing in various languages, such as Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog. Other Useful Resources Korean-American Community Services Members of the Korean-American community will find many services and other forms of aid available through this organization, which can be reached at (408) 920-9733. Asian Law Alliance Located at 184 E. Jackson St. in San Jose, this organization can assist with questions regarding immigration and naturalization, citizenship, public services, and legal issues. The staff can handle questions in Laotian, Vietnamese and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese). The ALA office can be reached by telephone at (408) 287-9710 or by email: ALAAlliance@aol.com. International Rescue Committee The IRC provides services related to refugees, immigration, and citizenship, including assistance with family reunification. IRC staff speak Arabic, Assyrian, Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian, Farsi, Laotian, French, Vietnamese, Somali, and Spanish languages. Contact IRC at 1450 Koll Circle, Suite 107, San Jose, CA 95112; by telephone at (408) 453-3536; or online at www.theIRC.org. Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services This agency will supply legal advice to low income immigrants for a nominal fee in the following languages: Arabic, Bosnian, Farsi, French, German, Ilocano, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. It is located at 2625 Zanker Rd., #201, San Jose, and can be reached by telephone at (408) 944-0691. Return to top

			Government Resources:

			Books Congressional Quarterly’s Guide to Congress Washington, DC : Congressional Quarterly Inc. Location: Central Reference Call no.: Ref 328.73 C74 Foreign Consular Offices in the United States Washington, DC: U.S. Department of State Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 327.2 U58 United States Government Manual Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 353 U58 Washington Information Directory Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 353 C74 NOTE: The Santa Clara City Library has a wide variety of books and other materials dealing with all levels of government. Many of these are located around the call number 353, both in the circulating and reference collections. For further assistance, please go to the Reference Desk or call (408) 615-2900. Websites The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Homepage of the President of the United States The United States Senate http://www.senate.gov/ The Senate is one of the two houses of the U.S. Congress; site includes information on senators, bills currently being considered, and much more. The U.S. House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/ The House of Representatives is the other half of the U.S. Congress. Through this site you can locate and contact your Representative, learn about laws being discussed, and more. California State Government http://www.ca.gov/ General homepage for the State of California; contains links to every level of state government, as well as to a great deal of other general information County of Santa Clara http://www.sccgov.org/ The Santa Clara County government homepage; contains descriptions of county government agencies, departments, and programs. City of Santa Clara http://www.ci.santa-clara.ca.us Homepage for the City of Santa Clara; contact the City Council, the Mayor’s office, and any other City departments; (408) 615-2200 Guide to Government (LWV) http://www.smartvoter.org/gtg/index.html A guide created by the non-partisan group League of Women Voters of California. The "Find Your Districts and Government Officials" lookup feature provides fast access to a list of officials that represent a person at a particular address. The "About Governments" area explains levels of government in easy-to-understand language. Smart Voter: Nonpartisan Election Information http://www.smartvoter.org The League of Women Voters created this Web site to help voters find out more about the candidates and legislation which will be voted upon in the next election. Its goal is to fairly present both sides of every issue, so that citizens can decide how to best cast their votes. Voter Registration http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm Website of the California Secretary of State; information is provided to assist new citizens and others in registering to vote in elections. Return to top

			English as a Second Language (ESL):

			Organizations Offering ESL Classes Mission College 3000 Mission College Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (408) 988-2200 http://www.missioncollege.org/ San José City College 2100 Moorpark Ave. San José, CA 95128 (408) 298-2181 http://www.sjcc.edu/ Santa Clara Adult Education Program 1840 Benton St. Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 423-3500 http://www.scae.org/ Community Information Network (CIN), Santa Clara City Library http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/community.html The Community Information Network database lists additional organizations offering ESL classes. Search the database under the subject heading: English Language – Study and Teaching – Foreign Speakers. Publications and Resources at the Library Community Information Directory of Santa Clara County San Jose, CA: JC Publications Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 362.84 C73 The directory has an “Education: ESL/Citizenship” section. The section lists local organizations offering ESL and Citizenship classes. The listings give a brief description of each organization’s ESL classes. Addresses and phone numbers are provided for each organization. LearningExpress Library A collection of online practice exams and skill improvement courses The product includes several ESL skill improvement courses for native Spanish speakers. LearningExpress can be accessed through computers within the Library and remotely from home or office. To access LearningExpress, go to the Research Databases page of the Library’s Web site at http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/research.html. Additional publications can be found in the language learning area of the Languages Pavilion under the call numbers 428.24 and 428.6. Audio learning material can be found in the language audio area of the Languages Pavilion. Publications also can be found by searching the library catalog using the following subject headings: English language – Conversation and phrase books English language – Pronunciation by foreign speakers English language – Self-instruction English language – Sound recordings for foreign speakers English language – Study and teaching – Audio-visual aids English language – Study and teaching – Foreign speakers. Return to top

			Health:

			Dewey numbers for this subject are in the following area: 610-619. Reference Books and newsletters are in the Kaiser Permanente Health and Wellness Collection area, second floor. Magazines and journals are in the Periodicals Pavilion. Local Hospitals Community Hospital of Los Gatos 815 Pollard Rd. Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 378-6131 http://www.communityhospitallg.com/ El Camino Hospital 2500 Grant Rd. Mountain View, CA 94040 (650) 940-7000 http://www.elcaminohospital.org/ Good Samaritan Hospital 2425 Samaritan Dr. Los Gatos, CA 95124 (408) 559-2011 http://www.goodsamsj.org/ Kaiser Permanente California 700 Lawrence Exp. Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 236-6400 http://www.kaiserpermanente.org/ Regional Medical Center of San Jose 225 N. Jackson Ave. San Jose, CA 95116 (408) 259-5000 http://www.regionalmedicalsanjose.com/ Stanford Hospital & Clinics 300 Pasteur Dr. Stanford, CA 94305 (650) 723-4000 http://www.stanfordhospital.com/. Health Libraries Stanford Health Library 2-B Standford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA 94304 (650) 725-8400, (800) 295-5177 (from outside the 650 area code) http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu/ Community Health Library of Los Gatos 815 Pollard Rd. Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 866-4044 http://www.healthlib.org/ Health Library and Resource Center El Camino Hospital Main Building, First Floor 2500 Grant Road Mountain View, CA 94040 (650) 940-7210 http://www.elcaminohospital.org/body.cfm?id=18&oTopID=18 PlaneTree Health Library 15891 Los Gatos-Almaden Rd. Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 358-5667 http://www.planetreesanjose.org/ Free Clinics Arbor Free Clinic – Menlo Park VA Facility 795 Willow Rd. Menlo Park, CA 94025 Weekday phone:(650) 724-1332 Sunday phone: (650) 493-5000 x22222 http://arbor.stanford.edu/ Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic 558 Clayton St. San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 487-5632 http://www.sfccc.org/sfcccclinics/hafmc.htm Pacific Free Clinic - Overfelt High School Location 1835 Cunningham Ave. San Jose, CA 95122 (408) 705-0119 http://pacific.stanford.edu/ Saint Anthony Free Medical Clinic 105-107 Golden Gate Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 241-8320 http://www.sfccc.org/sfcccclinics/safmc.htm San Francisco Free Clinic 4900 California St. San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 750-9894 http://www.sfccc.org/clinics/sffc.htm Useful Web Links Immigrant rights, responsibilities & resources in Santa Clara County http://www.immigrantrights.org/ Santa Clara County Public Health Department http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/phd/ Learn the basics about Medicare in California http://www.calmedicare.org/ Have a problem with your HMO? http://www.hmohelp.ca.gov/dmhc_consumer/pc/pc_default.asp Healthcare Quality Report Card - Rating California HMOs and medical group http://www.opa.ca.gov/report_card/ Assess your health risks http://www.yourdiseaserisk.com Health Information from the American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org/ California Office of the patient advocate http://www.opa.ca.gov/ California Medical Association http://www.cmanet.org/ National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine http://nccam.nih.gov National Library of Medicine, Consumer Health Library Directory http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ PubMed: a service of the National Library of Medicine; includes over 15 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's http://pubmed.gov/ Healthfinder: a service of the National Health Information Center, US Dept. of Health & Human Services http://www.healthfinder.gov/ Just the facts – FDA information sheets (in English and Spanish) http://www.fda.gov/opacom/factsheets/justthefacts/default.htm Information about Clinical Trials done by the NIH http://clinicaltrials.gov RXList, information on drugs http://www.rxlist.com Links for Ethnic Groups The 24 Languages Project: provides electronic access to over 200 health education brochures in 24 different languages http://medlib.med.utah.edu/library/refdesk/24lang.html Asian American Health http://asianamericanhealth.nlm.nih.gov HICUP health information in Chinese uniting patients, physicians, and the public http://library.med.nyu.edu/patient/hicup/index.html Eurasia Health Knowledge Network Multilingual Library http://www.eurasiahealth.org/index.jsp Selected Patient Information Resources in Asian Languages (SPIRAL) http://spiral.tufts.edu Return to top

			Education:

			Dewey numbers for this subject are in the following area: 370-379. Reference Books—available at the Reference Desk: California Private School Directory Call no: Ref 371.02 C15 California Public School Directory Ref 371.01 C15 Federal School Code List Ref 378.3 F29 Private High Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area Ref 373.222 V87 Private Schools of the San Francisco Peninsula & Silicon Valley Ref 371.02 L97 Santa Clara County Multicultural Community Information Directory Ref 362.84 C73 Santa Clara Unified School District Profile and School Accountability Report Cards Ref 371.2 S23 Public Schools Santa Clara Unified School District 1889 Lawrence Rd. Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 423-2000 http://www.scu.k12.ca.us/ Campbell Union School District 155 North Third St. Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 364-4200 http://www.campbellusd.k12.ca.us/ Cupertino Union School District 10301 Vista Dr. Cupertino, CA 95014-2091 (408) 252-3000 http://cupertino.ca.campusgrid.net/home/About+our+District Community Colleges De Anza College 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 864-5678 http://www.deanza.edu/ Evergreen Valley College 3095 Yerba Buena Rd. San Jose, CA 95135 (408) 274-7900 http://www.evc.edu/ Foothill College 12345 El Monte Rd. Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 (650) 949-7777 http://www.foothill.fhda.edu/ Mission College 3000 Mission College Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (408) 988-2200 http://www.missioncollege.org/ West Valley College 14000 Fruitvale Ave. Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 741-2000 http://www.westvalley.edu/wvc/ Universities California State University: system information http://www.calstate.edu/ Santa Clara University 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053 (408) 554-4000 http://www.scu.edu/ San Jose State University One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192 (408) 924-1000 http://www.sjsu.edu/ Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305 (650) 723-2300 http://www.stanford.edu/ University of California: online undergraduate admission information and application network http://www.ucop.edu/pathways Adult Education Fremont Union High School District, Sunnyvale-Cupertino – Adult Education 591 W. Fremont Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408) 522-2700 http://www.ace.fuhsd.org/ Institute of Computer Technology (ICT) 589 W. Fremont Ave. Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408) 736-4291 http://www.ict.org/ Metropolitan Education Center 760 Hillsdale Ave., Bldg. 400 San Jose, CA 95136 (408) 723-6400 http://www.metroed.net/ Read Santa Clara (Santa Clara City Library's adult literacy program) Mission Library Family Reading Center 1098 Lexington St. Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 615-2956 http://207.88.213.16/about-the-library/services.html#reading Santa Clara Adult Education 1840 Benton St. Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 423-3500 http://www.scae.org/ Financial Aid Free Application for Federal Student Aid http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ Scholarship and Financial Aid Information http://www.college-scholarships.com/ Scholarships, Fellowships & Grants http://www.free-4u.com/ The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid http://finaid.org/ The Student guide: a Comprehensive Resource on Student Financial Aid from the U.S. Department of Education http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html FastWeb: free scholarship and college searches; financial aid tools http://fastweb.com/ Return to top

			Legal Information:

			General Findlaw http://www.findlaw.com/ A major subject index to nationwide and international legal resources on the Internet Your Public Law Library http://www.publiclawlibrary.org Lists of public law libraries and self-help centers in California California Courts: Self-Help Center http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/ Help in locating legal assistance and learning about California law Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/espanol/ California Courts: Self-Help Center in Spanish Official California Legislative Information http://www.leginfo.ca.gov California legislative information including the California Code Ask Now Law Librarian Service http://www.asknow.org/ Legal information from California law librarians EZLegalfile http://www.ezlegalfile.org An interactive program for filling out selected legal forms Law Help California http://www.lawhelpca.org Legal information, referrals, and links to court services for low-income Californians Santa Clara Superior Court’s – Self Service Center http://www.scselfservice.org/ Information and forms for people representing themselves in court Legal Assistance Asian Law Alliance http://www.asianlawalliance.org/ 184 E. Jackson St. San Jose, CA 95112 Telephone: (408) 287-9710 Fax: (408) 287-0864 Asian Law Alliance exists to provide the Asian and Pacific Islander and low-income population in Santa Clara County with equal access to the legal system so they can develop self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and a better quality of life. Bay Area Legal Aid http://www.baylegal.org/ 2 West Santa Clara Street, 8th Floor San Jose, CA 95113 Legal Assistance Line (LAL): (408) 850-7066 Telephone: (408) 283-3700 E-mail: Info@baylegal.org Bay Area Legal Aid provides free legal services regarding housing, public benefits, health access, and domestic violence to low-income people regardless of their location, language, or disability. Legal Aid Society of Santa Clara County http://www.legalaidsociety.org/goal.html W. Robert Morgan Legal Services Center 480 North First St. (at Empire St.) San Jose, California 95112 Mailing Address: Legal Aid Society of Santa Clara County P.O. Box 103 San Jose, CA 95103-0103 Main Phone: (408) 998-5200 Voice Mail: (408) 283-1535 FAX: (408) 298-3782 The Legal Aid Society of Santa Clara County (LAS) is a non-profit corporation founded in 1960 to provide free, civil legal services for those low-income persons unable to obtain access to the judicial system through other avenues. Santa Clara Superior Court’s – Self Service Center Office http://www.scselfservice.org/home/selfservice.htm Notre Dame Courthouse 99 Notre Dame San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 882-2900 The Self Service Center Office can help guide you through the court system in Santa Clara County. Senior Adults Legal Assistance (SALA) 160 E. Virginia St., #260 San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 295-5991 SALA provides free legal aid services to seniors in matters of public benefits, housing, advance directives, nursing home difficulties, elderly abuse, consumer problems, and simple wills. State Bar of California http://www.calbar.ca.gov/ San Francisco (Main Office) 180 Howard St. San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 538-2000 The State Bar is an association of attorneys who are licensed to practice law in California. Look under the “Public Services” link for assistance programs. Community Information Network (CIN), Santa Clara City Library http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/community.html The Community Information Network database contains additional organizations that provide legal aid. Search the database under the following subject headings: Legal aid Legal assistance to the aged Legal assistance to the poor Public interest law. Local and Regional Legal Organizations Santa Clara County Bar Association http://www.sccba.com/ 4 North Second St., Suite 400 San Jose, California 95113 Phone: (408) 287-2557 FAX: (408) 287-6083 email: info@sccba.com The Bar Association is a professional association of lawyers serving the Santa Clara County. The site includes a Legal Consumer Resource Center, http://www.sccba.com/legalconsumer/, which contains a Lawyer Referral Service and a Self-Help Law Center. Santa Clara County Law Library http://www.sccll.org/ 360 North First St. San Jose, CA 95113 Library Hotline Line: (408) 299-3567 Library Assistance: (408) 299-3568 San Mateo County Law Library http://www.smcll.org/ Cohn-Sorenson Law Library Building 710 Hamilton St. Redwood City, CA 94063 (650) 363-4913 Santa Clara County Superior Court http://www.sccsuperiorcourt.org/ Mailing address: 191 N. First St. San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 882-2700 The Superior Court is at multiple locations in Santa Clara County. U.S. District Court, Northern District of California http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/ 280 South 1st St. San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 535-5363 Jury: (408) 535-5393 Community Information Network (CIN), Santa Clara City Library http://www.library.santaclaraca.gov/community.html The Community Information Network database contains additional local and regional legal organizations. Search the database under the following subject headings: Courts Law Publications Within the Library Community Information Directory of Santa Clara County, JC Publications Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 362.84 C73 The directory has a “Legal” section, which lists organizations offering legal assistance arranged by type of assistance. Black's law dictionary, St. Paul, MN : Thomson/West. Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 340.03 B62 Santa Clara City Code: a codification of the general ordinances of the City of Santa Clara, California, Seattle, Wash.: Code Publishing Company, 2003- Location: Central Desk Reference Call no.: Ref 348.023 S23 West’s Annotated California Codes, West Publishing Company, St. Paul: West Pub. Co. Location: Central Reference Call no.: Ref 347 W51 Nolo Press series Nolo Press books are written to help the general public with their everyday legal matters. Law and legal publications can be found by browsing the reference and circulating collections in the call number range 340 through 349. Publications also can be found by browsing the library catalog under the subject heading: law. One also can search by subject heading under the type of law (e.g., Adoption – Law and legislation). Return to top

			Media:

			Reference Books California Media Directory Ref 070.4 C15 2000 Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory Ref 050 U45 San Francisco Bay Area Media Guide Ref 302.23 S22 Bookstores (For books in foreign languages, please check the Multicultural Handbook at the Reference Desk.) Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/ Barnes and Noble: • 1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 (408) 370-0444 • 3600 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, CA 95117 (408) 984-3495 • 1875 S. Bascom Ave., Suite 240, Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 559-8101 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ Borders: • 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 249-1728 • 356 Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 241-9100 • 316 W El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (408) 730-5050 http://www.bordersstores.com Newspapers Available in the Library Newspapers in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese are available in the Language Pavilion. Other newspapers are located in the Periodical Pavilion. Local Newspapers San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/ San Jose Mercury http://www.bayarea.com/ Santa Clara Weekly 3000 Scott Blvd. Suite 106 Santa Clara, CA 95054 (408) 243-2000 International Newspapers http://www.nettizen.com/newspaper/ http://www.ipl.org/div/news/ http://www.refdesk.com/paper.html Radio Stations Radio station locator: http://www.radio-locator.com/ http://www.web-radio.com/ Ethnic radio stations: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?format=eth&s=R&sr=Y Return to top

			Additional Information:

			For additional information which may be of assistance to immigrants and newcomers to the area, please search the Library’s City Information Network (CIN) under such terms (subject and/or keyword) as: Newcomers Naturalization Emigration and immigration law Immigrants Refugees Citizenship Community centers Municipal government County services Human services Counseling Housing Tutors and tutoring Return to top