All Santa Clara County Residents are Eligible for a Library eCard
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. – As directed by the County of Santa Clara, Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) libraries will remain closed through the end of May as part of the updated Shelter in Place order. Despite the closure, library staff is working to continuously expand online library services and provide even more online programs to all in Santa Clara County residents.
The main page of the new website, sccld.org, has been redesigned to focus on online resources, virtual programs and available services. A Storytime Online page was created to highlight the offerings dedicated to kids. Some of the online services include Family Storytimes (Monday-Saturday), bilingual storytimes in Spanish and Mandarin, and School Age Storytime on Tuesday, all of which are streamed on Facebook Live (@SCCLD).
For those who may be in need of employment help and resources, JobNow offers free online live personal assistance for resume and cover letter review and skill matching to help identify different career options based on skill sets. This is one of many online resources available from the Library for job, career and professional development. SCCLD is also hosting a series of virtual events with SCORE on How to Start your own Business. Each weekly session will be held in May on Thursdays from 6:00-7:30 pm. Online registration is required. Sessions are free and open to the public to participate online.
SCCLD also offers free resources for students who are distance learning from home. Brainfuse HelpNow provides homework and writing assistance and live one-on-one tutoring in a wide variety of subjects. The Library has study resources for students of all ages, including adult learners.
The Library encourages engagement, entertainment, and conversation through Virtual Film Clubs for adults, Virtual Book Clubs for all ages, Online ESL Conversation Clubs, and more. As part of Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, SCCLD is hosting several programs to commemorate the event, including a presentation about Chinese migrant laborers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad.
“Our patrons miss coming to the library and we miss being able to serve them in person,” Acting County Librarian Jennifer Weeks said. “With the safety of our staff and patrons as our number one priority, the library can most successfully provide services and programs online from our website, social media, Zoom, text and chat, as well as by phone. We continue to deliver important services and resources to our communities, now virtually.”
To ensure that everyone has access to these free resources, SCCLD is offering temporary eCard registration access to all Santa Clara County residents. That means free access to enjoy eBooks, Audiobooks, eMagazines and digital newspapers, streaming movies and music, and dozens of online resources for students, job seekers, and people of all ages. There are also video tutorials to help patrons navigate these resources.
Staff is available seven days a week from 10 am - 6 pm to answer questions via email, text, and chat and phone. Live support is available to help patrons with their research, collection-related inquiries and account questions.
Account Questions: (408) 540-3945
Ask a Librarian: (408) 540-3947
“It’s evident by all of the new resources, programs and virtual services offered, the Santa Clara County Library District is dedicated to providing patrons and residents with access to valuable content and services,” said Mike Wasserman, County Supervisor and Library Joint Powers Authority Board Chair. “During this unprecedented time, the library continues to provide entire communities with much needed free entertainment, education, and assistance.”
As a reminder, SCCLD asks patrons to please keep their physical materials until the libraries reopen. They will not be charged a late fee on items returned. All updates about SCCLD and any plans to reopen will be available on the website at SCCLD.org/.
