Programs & Events FAQs

  • General Questions

    Discover & Go is a partnership between libraries and cultural attractions offering library cardholders from every community, age group, and economic background free and low-cost tickets to world-class museums, theaters, aquariums, zoos, and science centers.

    The program allows cultural attractions to reach out to people who haven't visited them or don't know about them; libraries to bridge the gap between books and hands-on cultural experience; and the public to explore fun cultural opportunities they may have otherwise been unable to access.

    These passes are not available for class field trips or large groups. 

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    Discover & Go offers free or reduced price tickets to Bay Area museums for San José Public Library cardholders who live within the City of San José. These passes are not available for class field trips or large groups. 

    While passes are available you can download them FOR FREE! There are a limited number of passes available on a first come, first served basis. Every month more passes become available.

    Some museums will allow you to use your smart phone to display your downloaded pass. All will accept a pass that you have downloaded and printed.

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    Customers must live within the library's service area (have a San Jose ZIP code) in order to log in and reserve passes. 

    Discover & Go uses the ZIP code in your library record to determine eligibility. If a customer does not qualify to reserve a pass because their ZIP code is not in the library's service area (check here with the United States Postal Service here to determine which city your ZIP is part of), we recommend that they try the public library within their ZIP code. Many local libraries offer Discover & Go. Look at the drop-down list of participating libraries for more information. If you have changed your address or believe that the ZIP code on file is incorrect, take your library card and an ID with your current address to one of our branch libraries. If your ID does not have your current address, bring a piece of mail that does.

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    Log in to Discover & Go with your library card and PIN and look for the "All Attractions" link near the top of the page. You will be taken to an alphabetical link of all of the venues that are available to the San Jose Public Library.

    NOTE: This is a complete list -- many of the venues on the list will not have passes available for all dates.

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    The terms of each venue's offerings are negotiated with that venue individually. That is the reason that there will be different restrictions or requirements. Make sure to read the information provided for the venue you want to visit before reserving your passes.

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    The minimum age to reserve a pass is 14 years old. For some venues, the minimum age will be 16 or 18 and up. Venues that restrict passes to older age groups will not display on the screen when someone younger logs in. For example: the de Young Museum has an age limit of 18 and up. If a 14 year old logs into the D&G site, the de Young Museum passes will not show up on the screen.

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    The Digital Humanities Center is a welcoming space on the ground floor of the King Library where everyone—students, faculty, and the public—can use technology to study and explore topics like history, literature, and art.

    This space offers workshops, expert support, and digital tools to help with research, creative projects, and building digital skills. It’s a space where technology and the humanities work together to make learning more interesting, accessible, and fun.

    This center is a partnership between San José State University Library, the College of Humanities and Arts, and the San José Public Library.

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    You can search by attraction or location. In addition, you can apply the filter that lets you search for three types of passes:

    1. Free Passes
    2. Discounted passes
    3. Mobile passes accepted

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    Many venues will require that users present printed passes, but some will allow a mobile pass. The information will be provided on the venue’s page.

    If an attraction available through Discover & Go requires a printed pass, mobile passes will not be accepted.

    If you don't own a printer, you can come into your local library and ask staff to help you print your Discover & Go pass or print from your mobile device at home. 

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    Yes, it is recommended that you cancel your reservation as soon as you know that you will not use it so that another library customer can use it. You can cancel your pass up until 11:59 p.m. on the date the reservation is good for.

    Unused Passes Count Towards Your Limit: If you reserve a pass and do not use it or cancel the reservation, the unused pass will count toward your limit. Many popular venues allow a limited number of passes per year.

    Printed Passes Cannot be Canceled: Passes that are printed (or for which a printing attempt has been made) cannot be canceled, so do not print your pass until close to the date of the reservation.

    Changing Your Reservation: If you decide to go on a different date, you must cancel your existing reservation, then make a new reservation for any other available date. NOTE: You cannot cancel your reservation if you have already printed/downloaded your pass. Do not print/download your pass until right before you plan to visit the attraction, in case your plans change.

    More information: Discover & Go Cancel and Print Options Video

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    New passes at Discover & Go are visible on the 1st day of the current month. Available passes for the next three months can then be seen.

    For example, on October 1, available passes for the months of October, November, and December are visible. Although the passes for October and November may have already been reserved, new passes will appear for December.

    If passes for the current month are not available you can still check for those periodically too, as other users sometimes cancel their Discover & Go reservation, thus making a pass available again.

    Have a question? Contact library staff at discoverandgo@sanjoseca.gov

    Related Page: Discover & Go

    Visit the San José Public Library Events page to find current library events. You can see a calendar of upcoming events at all locations, including King Library, or narrow the results to a particular branch or location.

    Related Page: Events

  • Homework Club

    No, you do not need a library card to take part in Homework Club. We, of course, do encourage you get a library card to have access to our books, eMedia, and more!

    Related Pages:  Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    Homework Club is intended for students in Grades K-8.

    Related Pages:  Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    We aim to have each student paired with a volunteer Homework Club Coach to work one-on-one.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    No, students are not required to attend every Homework Club session.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    Please arrive at the start of the session and no later than 30 minutes before the close of homework club. Volunteer coaches are paired up with students on a first-come, first-served basis. Students may meet with a tutor as long as they need until the end of the program.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    No, they are not. Once a student has completed their homework or no longer needs assistance, they may leave at any time. However, if they find they need more assistance later, they may be paired with a different coach or have to wait if all of the coaches are already engaged. Students may also remain working independently and request one-on-one assistance as they need it.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    We encourage parents or teachers to accompany their children during the program but we do not require it. Parents or teachers of young children in Grades 4 and below are especially invited to stay and assist with technical issues as they arise.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs , Homework Clubs

    Yes, we do have tutors who are bilingual and we will do our best to connect students who need this with the coaches that have that skill.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs, Homework Clubs

    Our Homework Club Coaches are teen or adult volunteers ages 15 and up. Adults ages 18 and up have passed a fingerprint check for safety. All Homework Club Coaches have gone through an online training developed by SJPL.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs, Homework Clubs

    Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the same coach each time. We do love to hear feedback about our volunteers. Please email staff at the branch.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs, Homework Clubs

    Yes - Students will be introduced to a behavior code the first time they attend the Homework Club and periodically thereafter. The behavior code will also be available on the library website as part of the Behavior in the Library Policy.

    Students will be expected to behave in a respectful manner toward coaches and library staff, demonstrate a willingness to work with the coach on their homework, and follow instructions from coaches.

    Students not adhering to the behavior code will be warned. If the behavior continues, students may be removed from the Zoom session for the day. If the behavior persists in future sessions, they may be blocked from attending the Homework Club until they and their parents have met with a librarian.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs, Homework Clubs

    Each Homework Club session will be overseen by Resilience Corps Associates (RCAs) who will monitor volunteers and students and provide assistance when possible. All adults volunteers over 18 years of age are fingerprinted by the City of San Jose. We also invite parents to join students during the program.

    Related Pages: Homework Club FAQs, Homework Clubs

  • Adult Literacy & ESL

    We have closed our Partners in Reading office at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Our adult literacy, ESL, and ELL services are available through our Family Learning Centers. If you have questions, please contact us at (408) 808-2361. If you want to become an adult literacy learner or volunteer, please visit our Adult Literacy & ESL page.

  • SJ Aspires

    SJ Aspires considers anyone whose parents or guardians' highest level of education is high school graduation. You are still considered a first-generation college student, even if your siblings have gone to college.

    Related Page:  SJ Aspires

    San José Aspires funds are intended to support each student’s post-secondary educational needs. This can be tuition, fees, books, technology, and other school-related expenses. You will sign an allocation agreement before receiving your funds that outlines the specific uses for your San José Aspires award.

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    Unclaimed funds are returned to the San José Aspires program.

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    Funds received through San José Aspires will not impact a family’s public benefits. We are working closely with Citibank® to ensure this continues.

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    Funds received through San José Aspires are not taxed as income. We are working closely with Citibank® and schools to ensure this continues.

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    Yes. Parents or guardians may contact aspires@sjlibrary.org for details on how to opt-out.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    Core Awards are those that are critical to being a strong applicant for college. These may include earning or maintaining specific GPA levels, submitting college and financial aid applications, and taking the classes you need to be a competitive candidate for the college you want to attend.

    You can use the award type filter inside your SJ Aspires Community Student Portal to sort awards by core or supplemental.

    You can receive up to $3,000 through Core Awards. One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot replace one Core Award with another or with a Supplemental Award. If you don’t receive a specific Core Award by the due date, you cannot make up those funds elsewhere.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires Awards

    Supplemental Awards are those things that may increase your knowledge about college, make you a stronger applicant for colleges, or help you explore your career goals. Because San José Aspires believes students should explore their interests, you may be able to receive these awards multiple times per year or multiple times while in high school.

    Think of things like joining clubs, being on athletic or academic teams, obtaining work experience, receiving tutoring, and volunteering. You can use the award type filter inside your SJ Aspires Community Student Portal to sort awards by core or supplemental.

    During your time in high school, you may receive up to $2,000 in Supplemental Awards. You do not need to do each award; awards can be mixed-and-matched and you may be able to receive some awards multiple times.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires Awards

    SJ Aspires works directly with schools to select and automatically enroll students. Currently, SJ Aspires serves over 1,150 students at two schools – William C. Overfelt and San José High School. At William C. Overfelt, all first-generation college students from the Class of 2025 and the entire Class of 2024 are enrolled. At San José High School, all first-generation college students from the Class of 2025 and 2024, and the entire Class of 2023 are enrolled.

    If you are part of one of these cohorts but are unsure how to access your account, please reach out to aspires@sjlibrary.org.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    It depends on the award. San José Aspires is building out agreements with each district to make receiving of awards as seamless as possible for students and we will work with each school to make this happen. But sometimes you do things that your school does not know about or does not track. For these awards, you will need to submit document(s) directly to San José Aspires. In your SJ Aspires Community Student Portal you’ll be able to upload any documentation directly from the SJ Aspires Awards tab. There are award templates located in the Knowledge Center tab of your SJ Aspires Community Student Portal that show exactly what document(s) is needed for each award.

    Because of the scope of San José Aspires and the number of students involved, we will double-check a random sample of document(s) submitted by students. For this reason, document(s) will need to be verified by an adult (for instance, a supervisor who oversaw a student’s volunteer experience or an after-school support provider who tutored a student). San José Aspires reserves the right to audit the document(s) submitted by students. Students who are found to be submitting false document(s) may be removed from the program. That decision is at the discretion of San José Aspires.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires Awards

    Students can log in to their SJ Aspires Community Student Portal to see their progress and completed awards. San José Aspires will also send out emails when awards are processed and if there is additional document(s) needed. In order to receive this information in a timely manner, make sure you have your notifications turned on in your user profile.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    You receive your San José Aspires funds when you confirm enrollment at any non-profit, post-secondary institution. San José Aspires understands that each student has different interests and career goals, and San José Aspires wants to support you as you achieve these goals. You can attend a community college, non-profit trade school, or four-year college or university.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    San José Aspires understands that students may take time off after high school graduation for a variety of reasons. You will have up to three years after your projected graduation date to claim your award.

    For example, a student who began 9th grade at Overfelt High School in the Fall of 2020 will be projected to graduate in June 2024. This means, they will have until December 31, 2027 to claim their San José Aspires award.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    You will still have until three years after your projected graduation year to claim your award. For example, a student who is projected to graduate in June of 2024, but doesn’t graduate until 2025, will still have until December 31, 2027 to claim their award.

    However, the student cannot receive additional San José Aspires funds after June 2024, when they were originally projected to graduate. Whatever they have received to that point will be what will be distributed when they enroll in a post-secondary school.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    If you transfer to another high school that is in either San José Unified School District or East Side Union High School District, you are still enrolled in San José Aspires and can continue to access the Students Rising Above Hub and receive awards.

    However, please let us know that you have transferred schools and the name of your new school so we can keep our information accurate. You do need to graduate from a high school that is within the City of San José to receive your final award distribution.

    The goal of San José Aspires is to become a program available to students throughout San José, and San José Aspires may expand eligibility at its own discretion.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    It really depends on the post-secondary school. For four-year colleges and universities, you may submit your enrollment verification – this is sent to the student after they have made the enrollment deposit. Since enrollment is automatic for community colleges, you submit document(s) showing you have registered for classes.

    Usually, this has been in the form of screenshots from the community college’s student information system. San José Aspires will follow-up with each student as needed.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    Active students can check their current earned awards balance on the Scholar Dollars Account tab of their SJ Aspires Community Student Portal. Once you’ve shown that you’re eligible to receive your awards—when you’ve graduated and enrolled in a post-secondary school within the program time frame—you’ll be able to access your funds.

    San José Aspires partners with Citibank® to provide all enrolled students with a SJ Aspires Activity Portal. San José Aspires will confirm that students’ account balance matches their total earned awards before any funds are distributed to their SJ Aspires Activity Portal.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    San José Aspires funds are intended to support each student’s post-secondary educational needs. This can be tuition, fees, books, technology, and other school-related expenses. You will sign an allocation agreement before receiving your funds that outlines the specific uses for your San José Aspires award.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    Unclaimed funds are returned to the San José Aspires program.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires

    Funds received through San José Aspires will not impact a family’s public benefits. We are working closely with Citibank® to ensure this continues.

    Related Page: SJ Aspires