The Youth Services librarians want to help you and your mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and children to discover what the library has that you want:

Books, magazines, videos, CDs, tapes, & CD-ROMs!
The information you need — for school, your hobbies, or just because you're curious!

Get a free library card (anyone of any age is eligible for a card) and pay us a visit.

Enjoy story hours, puppeteers, music concerts, presentations on popular subjects (e.g. wild animals, cartooning, sports) by experts and enthusiasts. Check out our monthly Calendar of Events for times and locations.

Participate in our children's Summer Reading Program and TeenRead.

Visit our KidsPage & TeenNet Webpages and connect with the library's selected Websites for homework, fun, places to go, and more.

Our Parents & Teachers page will give you information about SCCL services for children, teachers, and families; suggestions for great books to read; and links to parenting and education Websites.

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Workstations with Internet access are available at Central Library and the Mission Library Family Reading Center. A Santa Clara City Library card is required. Time limits have been established to provide equitable use of this popular resource. Reference librarians are available at the Central Library to recommend Web sites and provide brief instruction. Free Internet classes are offered frequently to provide instruction in beginning and more advanced Web searching.

Please read the library's Computer Use Guidelines. Call the Reference Desk at 408 615-2900 for more information or to register for an Internet class.

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The Santa Clara City Library offers a variety of programs and classes for adults, families and children. These include "The Writer Speaks" series, genealogy workshops, Internet classes, parenting programs, storytimes, the Summer Reading Program, Family Nights, and more. Watch the Calendar of Events for current offerings.

Click here for a list of our programs and classes (with descriptions).

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The Central Library has a large Genealogy collection. Volunteer consultants from the Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society are available to provide assistance during some open hours. Call 408 615-2900 for a current schedule. Click here to visit our Genealogy page.

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Read Santa Clara offers free one-on-one or small group tutoring to English-speaking adults who want to improve their reading, writing and/or math skills. Trained community volunteers meet with learners once or twice a week for a minimum of two hours at the Mission Library Family Reading Center, Central Library, or other Santa Clara locations.

Learners and tutors are from diverse educational, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

To qualify as a learner you must:

• be 16 years or older (and not attending high school)
• speak conversational English
• read or write at or below 8th grade level
• make a minimum 6-month commitment

To volunteer as a tutor, you must:

• be 18 years or older
• tutor a minimum of 2 hours per week
• make a minimum 6-month commitment
• complete 12½ hours of tutor training (no previous teaching experience required)

Volunteer tutors and learners work in partnership using methods and materials that are relevant to the learners' needs. Learners work on goals related to their family, work, community and personal lives. "Real-life" materials such as employment applications, maps, product labels, children's books and other materials chosen by learners are used in lessons as well as free instructional resources provided by the program. Learners can use computer literacy software at the Mission Library Family Reading Center and check out adult "new reader" recreational books at both SCCL locations.

For more information, please contact the Literacy Program Supervisor at 408 615-2956.

Family Literacy Program

For adult learners with at least one child or grandchild under the age of five, Read Santa Clara offers a family literacy program. In addition to meeting in individual or small group tutoring sessions, family literacy learners participate in monthly family learning nights that include dinner, storytimes, discussions and reading and writing activities that encourage families to read and learn together. Participants also learn about community services and how to access them, parenting information and other skills that enable them to take an active role in their children's or grandchildren's education. Family literacy tutors are encouraged to attend family learning nights and can enjoy seeing the love of reading crossing generations.

For more information, please contact the Family Literacy Coordinator at 408 615-2976.

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You are invited to participate in the library's programs for seniors, such as bookchats, Internet training, and author presentations. Check our calendar of events for this month's schedule.

Use our links to navigate the World Wide Web to find the best information on health, retirement, shopping, travel, grandparenting, and more. The library's Community Information Network can guide you to local organizations of particular interest to Seniors.

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Our Outreach delivery service provides library materials to Santa Clara City residents who are either temporarily or permanently homebound. Volunteers provide free once-a-month delivery of books (including large print), books-on-tape, and other materials to those for whom the library is inaccessible. If you are interested in this service, or would like to volunteer to make Outreach deliveries, please phone Marlene Goldman at 408 615-2916.

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We invite members of the community to be part of the Santa Clara City Library community by becoming a library volunteer. There are a variety of possible volunteer positions with different responsibilities, qualifications, and time commitments.

A Volunteer Information binder, with complete descriptions of each position, is available at all Santa Clara City Library locations. Charity Trajico, the library's Volunteer Coordinator, welcomes your interest and can answer your questions. She can be reached at 408 615-2919.

Click here for a list of available volunteer positions.

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