1872, Jul. 12: San José Library Association begins a membership library in an upstairs room of the Knox Block (corner of First and Santa Clara streets). Collection built from donations
1880, Apr. 30: Library supporters persuade City Council to pass a resolution creating a tax-supported library system
1880: Library located on south side of Santa Clara Street (between Market and First), William Redding becomes first City Librarian (1880-1887)
1889, May: Library moves to second floor of new City Hall
1901: Andrew Carnegie gives the City $50,000 for a new library building
1903: Library moves to the new Carnegie Library at Fourth & San Fernando (future site of the King Library)
1907: Carnegie Library constructed on East Santa Clara St. (the future "East San José Carnegie Branch")
1911: First branch, East San José Carnegie, acquired when San José annexes the City of East San José
1937, July: Main Library moves from Carnegie location to the old Post Office building on the corner of Market and San Fernando streets (currently the San José Museum of Art)
1937: San José annexes the town of Willow Glen, acquiring the Willow Glen Branch
1949: Willow Glen Branch moves to current location on Minnesota Ave.
1959: Bookmobile service begins with 60 stops every two weeks
1960: Rosegarden Branch opens
1961: Cambrian Branch opens
1964, Mar. 8: West Valley Branch opens
1965: A federal grant, along with a bond issue from 1961, provide $4,470,000 for construction of a new Main Library building
1965, Aug.: Hillview Branch opens
1966: Calabazas Branch opens
1967: Seventrees Branch opens
1968: Berryessa Branch opens
1968: San José annexes city of Alviso. Its City Hall (built 1934) becomes the Alviso Branch
1970, Apr.: Main Library opens on W. San Carlos St.
1971: Almaden and Edenvale (December) branches open
1974: Willow Glen Branch damaged in fire
1974: Edenvale Branch renamed "Pearl Avenue Branch"
1975, Apr.: Rebuilt Willow Glen Branch opens
1976, Mar.: Evergreen Branch opens
1976, Apr.: Biblioteca Latinoamericana becomes affiliated with San José Public Library and opens in a facility provided by Sacred Heart Church as a result of a grant from the California State Library
1976, Dec.: Educational Park Branch opens in partnership with East Side Union High School District
1976: Dewey Decimal System arrangement of collection adopted
1977, Fall: Empire Branch Library opens
1978, Dec.: Biblioteca Latinoamericana moves to a new facility in the former Woodrow Wilson, Jr. High School cafeteria
1983: Flood destroys Alviso Branch collections
1984, Mar.: Alviso Branch reopens
1984, Nov.: Santa Teresa Branch opens
1990, Jan. 15: Main Library rededicated as the "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Main Library"
1993: City grapples with issue of the Main Library being at 100% capacity
1994, Nov.: Voters approve formation of the Library Benefit Assessment District
1997, Feb.: SJSU President Robert Caret and Mayor Susan Hammer announced intent to collaborate and build a new library that will serve both communities
1998, May: Memorandum of Understanding between the City and University approved
1998, Dec.: Separate Operating and Development agreements approved by the City and University
• Download the Operating Agreement (183K PDF, Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
1999, Mar.: Architectural design drawings completed for the new King Library
1999, Sep.: Expanded Alviso Branch opens
1999, Nov. 20: Biblioteca Latinoamericana Branch moves to its current location on South First St.
1999, Dec.: Construction documents completed for the new King Library
2000, Jul.?: Construction begins on the new King Library
2000, Oct. 20?: Groundbreaking for the new King Library
2000, Nov.: Voters approve Branch Library Bond Measure providing $212 million for 6 new and 14 expanded branches
2001, Sep.: Empire Branch renamed "Joyce Ellington"
2003: Expanded West Valley Branch opens
2003, Aug.: The new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library opens at Fourth & San Fernando
2004, Jan. 17: Vineland Branch opens, the first of 6 new facilities funded by the 2000 Branch Library Bond Measure
2005, Jan. 22: Tully Community Branch opens
2005, Mar. 12: Expanded Berryessa Branch opens at its current location
2005, Jul. 9: Dr. Roberto Cruz – Alum Rock Branch opens, replacing the county-operated facility from 1978
2006, Feb. 11: Expanded Rose Garden Branch opens
2006, May 13: Expanded Almaden Branch and Community center open
2006, Sep. 16: Expanded Evergreen Branch opens
2006, Nov. 18: Expanded Cambrian Branch opens
2007, Jan. 20: Expanded Hillview Branch opens in its new location
2007, Nov. 3: Edenvale Branch Library opens
2008, Jun. 28: Expanded Joyce Ellington Branch opens
2008, Aug. 9: Expanded Pearl Avenue Branch opens
2008, Aug. 23: Expanded Willow Glen Branch opens
2009, Aug. 29: Expanded East San José Carnegie Branch opens
2010, Feb. 6: Expanded Santa Teresa Branch opens
2013, Jan. 26: Expanded Seven Trees Branch opens
2013, Feb. 23: Bascom Branch opens
2013, May 18: Expanded Educational Park Branch opens
2013, Jun. 8: Expanded Calabazas Branch opens
2016, Apr. 16: Village Square Branch opens
San José Public Library
