SAN JOSE — San Jose’s newest library branch is the beginning of a new chapter for the city.
At only 2,200 square feet, the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood library may be small, but the San Jose Public Library hopes its impact on the community will be big. The library, which opened Monday, is the system’s first “bridge branch,” a smaller location meant to offer vital services to otherwise underserved neighborhoods.
Library spokeswoman Elizabeth Castañeda said the branch offers the same services as a larger location and is meant to target pockets of San Jose that are “high need communities that could really benefit from the services of a public library.”
Services like access to books, information and technology. “A lot of families still don’t have internet at home,” said Castañeda, “so we have Wi-Fi available at these locations, we have technology, we have laptops that people can check out so they can do their research, students can complete their homework assignments.”
The Mt. Pleasant branch is adjacent to the Robert Sanders Elementary School, making it all the more convenient for students. “It looks like they have a lot of kid’s books here. Since there’s school right across you can just come over and do stuff,” said 11-year-old Suraj, who doesn’t mind the branch’s small size either. “It’s really cozy and quite warm.”
The city plans to open more bridge branch libraries in the future.
Reported by Mike Colgan. Written by Jessica Yi.
Related
