Elizabeth Castañeda, (408) 458-0662
elizabeth.castaneda@sjlibrary.org
Nancy Macías, (408) 712-2150
nancy.macias@sjlibrary.org
Friday, July 8, 2022
Explore and Celebrate the History of East San José with SJ Library’s New Exhibit
The exhibit features an extensive collection of photos and artifacts that document local history
San José, Calif., July 8, 2022 - The San José Public Library (SJPL) is pleased to present East Side Dreams: The Untold Story of East San José, an exhibition inspired by stories, both remembered and forgotten, from those who helped shape the East Side from the 1950s to present time.
East Side Dreams chronicles a comprehensive historical picture through hundreds of photos, videos, and artifacts, some of which were donated and some of which are loaned to the Library by over one-hundred community members. With this exhibit, SJPL seeks to fill a gap in the library’s collection and documentation of local history.
“I am extremely proud of the work and research our staff has done to help elevate and expand our collection of local history. I’m also grateful for our supporters and partners, especially San José State University Library’s Africana, Asian American, Chicano, & Native American Studies Center, who obtained a grant to support the digitization and housing of a new collection of over 200 videos, provided by the Castellano Family Foundation. These videos capture the community work of the American GI Forum San José chapter from 1985 to 2000 and highlight East Side San José culture and history,” said Jill Bourne, City Librarian.
The East Side Dreams exhibit is on view at SJPL’s California Room (fifth floor) and Jennifer & Philip DiNapoli Gallery (second floor) of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library from July 1 through September 24, 2022 and is open to the public to enjoy at no cost. In addition, community members, activists, and scholars will share their insights into East San José history at the two speaker panel events:
- East Side Stories: Community Members & Activists Saturday, August 13, 2022, 1– 4 PM, King Library, 2nd Floor, Room 225
- The East Side's Impact in San José: A Conversation With Scholars Saturday, September 3, 2022, 1–3 PM, King Library, 2nd Floor, Room 225
East Side Dreams: The Untold Story of East San José is hosted by the San José Public Library in collaboration with SJSU Library’s Africana, Asian American, Chicano, & Native American Studies Center.
For more information, please visit: sjpl.org/EastSideDreams
About the San José Public Library
The award-winning San José Public Library (SJPL) has 24 branch libraries, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, jointly operated through a unique partnership with San José State University. SJPL serves more than one-million residents and has over 700,000 library members. The library has worked to cultivate and establish a 21st century library experience dedicated to public service and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion at the core of its efforts. In addition to providing free library services to the community, SJPL proudly leads two citywide initiatives - the City’s Education and Digital Literacy Strategy and the City’s SJ Access digital equity initiative, which has become the #1 provider of free public access to Wi-Fi, tech device lending, and multi-lingual digital literacy programs and support in the city.
For more information about SJPL, visit www.sjpl.org. For updates, follow @sanjoselibrary on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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