Politics & Government

How to Get a Library Card After July 1

Library cards held by non-residents of the Santa Clara Library District won't work on July 1. There are ways of getting a card, including paying the $80 fee, but first of all, don't rush, if you don't need to check out anything right away.

Things will be changing big-time, today, for patrons of the seven libraries in the Santa Clara County Library district.

An $80 library card fee—with certain exceptions—goes into effect Friday for non-residents of the district who want to check out materials from the county library district.

The library board voted April 28 to charge a fee for the first time in the district's history, and the county librarian cited dwindling state contributions.

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"It's a whole new ballgame," said Jane Cronkhite, the community librarian at Los Altos Library, where usage by non-residents from Palo Alto and Mountain View is high.

Anyone can continue to enter the libraries, use their study rooms and look at books and materials, Cronkhite emphasized. But they cannot check out books or use their Internet database without purchasing an annual library card.

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Residents of the district, who live or own property in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill or Saratoga, will not be affected. Residents of unincorporated areas of the county are also not affected.

The library has set up a page on its website of Frequently Asked Questions about navigating the new fee.

Here are some highlights:

  • Determining if you're in the district. Your postal mailing address may not be a reliable indicator of your qualifying residence, the library advises. The district encompasses the above mentioned cities, and unincorporated county land, but if you're uncertain, check the searchable Assessor's website. If the Tax Rate Area listing for a property listing includes “Area No. 01 (Library Services),” that property is part of the Santa Clara County Library District.  Questions about that can be addressed to the Assessor’s Office at 408-299-5500.
  • Property owners. Property owners (and members of their household) within the library district are eligible for free library cards because their taxes support those district libraries. See above regarding the Assessors records.
  • Student cards. Students who attend schools whose districts overlap with the member cities are eligible for a free, limited-use card on an annual basis. This covers preschool through grade 12. The library has published a list of eligible schools or school districts. The list contains mostly public schools, but students of private schools and charter schools may be eligible. They are advised to ask a librarian.
  • "Household cards." Non-residents who want to stretch their budget to pay for a card, may consider one card for the entire household. One card can borrow up to 100 items at a time. Consideration should be paid to who will be using the card, however. "If they want to use the children's computers for example, they would need to put it in the child's name," Cronkhite said.

District librarians understand that with the new availability there may be a rash of new in-district library card sign-ups, too.

When applying for Santa Clara County Library card, people should bring in any of the following to prove eligibility for a free card:

  • Drivers license
  • Utility bill
  • Any kind of phone bill
  • Property tax bill

Students should bring in proof of school attended:

  • Student ID
  • Mailed envelope from the school
  • Report card

"We actually take a lot more than that," Cronkhite said. "This is just a basic list. For people who do not have a verified address, the library offers to send a post card to the home address specified. Once it is received they bring that in for verification," she said.

"We really want to put library cards in people's hands," she said.

Tomorrow: Does your student attend a qualifying school or school district to get a free-limited use card?


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