California Room Collections
The California Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library collects materials on California history with emphasis on the history of San José and Santa Clara Valley. Some topics covered are California ethnic groups, Gold Rush, indigenous people, missions, railroads, earthquakes of 1906 and 1989, famous Californians, overland journeys, and Spanish and Mexican California. Books and journals can be found by searching the San José Library Catalog. Please keep in mind that the California Room collection is non-circulating.
Our Digital Collections Database is available 24/7 and allows you to search and view historic images.
Please observe our Use & Handling Rules when visiting the California Room.
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Art, Music, Ephemera
Edith Harvey Heron
This collection includes watercolors by local artist and art therapist, Edith Harvey Heron.
Edmonia Lewis
The California Room features three marble sculptures created by Edmonia Lewis: Asleep, Awake and a bust of Abraham Lincoln.
Ephemera
This collection includes printed paper materials including brochures, handbills, memorabilia, pamphlets, tickets, and timetables.
Music Collections
The California Room houses a choral music, sheet music, and stock music collection including the work of many local musicians.
Books, Journals, Yearbooks
Books and Journals Collection
This collection contains rare books and journals dating from 1767 to 1910. Some are available in digitized format.
Ernestina Garcia Collection
Organizational materials related to Mexican American political activity in San Jose from the 1960s-1980s.
School Yearbooks
This collection includes yearbooks from high schools, middle schools and universities within Santa Clara County.
Government Records
Building Permits
San Jose building permits in print, digitized, and on microfilm.
Caltrans Right of Way Assessments 1960-1970
This collection includes Right of Way Assessments for the County of Santa Clara from 1938 through 1979.
San José City Records, 1850-1950
City of San José Council Minutes, Ordinance and Resolution Records, and photographs and records from the Office of the City Clerk.
San José Planning Division & Code Enforcement
This collection includes records from the City of San José's Planning Division and Code Enforcement Departments (PCBE).
Maps & Photographs
Map and Atlas Collection
Over 1,000 maps of various kinds from the 1860s - 1980s for San Jose, Santa Clara County and other areas throughout California.
Photographs
The Historic Photograph Collection includes over 2,500 historical images focused on San Jose and Santa Clara County.
San José Redevelopment Agency Photograph Collection
This collection includes research materials and photographs from sundry projects undertaken by the San José Redevelopment Agency (SJRA).
News & Directories
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.
Newspapers and Clippings
This collection includes clipping files, scrapbooks and microfilm of area newspapers.
Private Organization Records
Los Lupeños de San José Records
Administrative records, correspondence, clippings, ephemera, and photographs related to the Mexican dance and culture performance group.
Silicon Valley Company Archive (1986-1993)
700+ boxes of materials donated by over 600 early Silicon Valley tech companies, documenting the evolution of the Valley’s tech industry.
Willows Reading and Study Club Records
This collection includes membership rosters, agendas, and other materials pertaining to the Willows Reading and Study Club.
Research Collections
Anita Campos Collection
Materials relating to the San Jose chapter of the American GI Forum, a Hispanic veterans organization, compiled by Daniel and Anita Campos.
Bernal Research Files
Materials on the history of Rancho Santa Teresa and Santa Clara County pioneers, with an emphasis on the Bernal family.
Clyde Arbuckle Research Collection
Materials collected in the research for Arbuckle's "History of San José" covering the regional history of San José and Santa Clara County.
Ernestina Garcia Collection
Organizational materials related to Mexican American political activity in San Jose from the 1960s-1980s.
