California Room – Local History Collection

California Room - Local History Collection

Welcome to the California Room! The California Room collects materials on California history with an emphasis on San Jose and Santa Clara Valley.

Our collections are non-circulating and may be visited at the King Library.

California Room logo: silhouette of the state animal, a grizzly bear

Address

150 E San Fernando, San José, CA 95112

Contact

408-808-2167

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Ask Us a Question

Manager

Kyle Burkett
kyle.burkett@sjlibrary.org

Hours

Monday 1 PM - 6 PM
Tuesday 11 AM - 6 PM
Wednesday 11 AM - 6 PM
Thursday 11 AM - 6 PM
Friday 11 AM - 6 PM
Saturday 1 PM - 6 PM
Sunday Closed


Holiday Closures

Top Collections

School Yearbooks

This collection includes yearbooks from high schools, middle schools and universities within Santa Clara County.

Photographs

The Historic Photograph Collection includes over 2,500 historical images focused on San Jose and Santa Clara County.

Newspapers and Clippings

This collection includes clipping files, scrapbooks and microfilm of area newspapers.

Directories, City of San Jose and Vicinity

City directories for San José, San Francisco, and others in print, on microfilm, or online, Haines Criss Cross directories, and phone books.

California Room Index

The California Room Index contains citations that are not found in the Library Catalog, opens a new window, including Maps, Newspaper Clipping Files, Primary Resources, Scrapbooks, Vault Items and more!

For assistance with the California Room Index, visit us in-person at the California Room or give us a call 408-808-2167.

New & Featured Resources

Newsbank: San José Mercury Historical & Current Collection

(1884-2024) Digital access to archived issues; full-page scans include articles, obituaries, classifieds, and other advertising.

Hidden Heritages: San José’s Vietnamese Legacy Exhibit

Explore the latest exhibit, hosted by the California Room, on display until October 26th, 2025.

Historic Media & Text Archive on Internet Archive

Browse our audiovisual and text collection, including documentaries, radio spots, TV news features, local publications, and more.

Research Guides & Resources

Latest Blogs

Hidden Heritages: Di Sản Người Việt Tại San José

Hãy đến tham quan triển lãm nghệ thuật về di sản người Việt định cư tại San José. Buỗi khai mạc vào 6 Tháng Chín, 4 pm.

Từ Sài Gòn Đến San José

Tóm lược lịch sử người Việt tị nạn tại San José và cuộc triển lãm đặc biệt tại Phòng California, Thư Viện King.

Looking Back: From Saigon to San Jose

Ralph explores the history and contributions of San Jose's Vietnamese American community.
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