I haven't been to the Alum Rock Branch Library since my middle school days- many many many moons ago. Since my last visit, there has been a massive renovation done in the early 2000s and has more recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. The look is quite modern and comes off as very high tech. Definitely a welcomed upgrade to the area. However, the book return area isn't automated like Berryessa's library. Here you will use an external book drop and staff will manually scan each item. The new kind of play area layout is always welcomed by my kid. Seating is plentiful and I enjoy the tiny nooks and crannies that the library has to make reading a bit more fun for the younger kids. 5/5 stars. I find the book selection being great! The Berryessa offerings were starting to get a little repetitive so it's nice to have options. read more

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A big and nicely designed library in the San Jose neighborhood of Alum Rock which is in East San Jose. It's in the eastern part of the city near the Diablo Range foothills, and it's famous for its diverse community, Mexican-American heritage, and it's close to the historic Alum Rock Park where everyone who's into hiking in the South Bay goes hiking at least once, it's apparently pretty famous locally. This library is also named after a local educator, Dr. Roberto Cruz. According to San Jose Public Library's website, "Dr. "Bobby" Roberto Cruz was a leader in education, a proponent of bilingual education, and believer of Latino excellence in the Bay Area and across the nation." This library's pretty impressive in how big it is and it's also very airy and bright inside. It looks like a good quiet place to nap too. Chairs are nice and padded and conducive for sleeping, although I'm not sure you're actually allowed to sleep in the library, haha... But seriously, there's a lot offered here. Besides a huge kids section, there's a tech room, an internet cafe, tons of book stacks, DVDs, and an area with community resources posted that also have lots of seating for quiet reading and workspace for adults. All in all, this is a nicer library in a diverse and down to earth neighborhood in East San Jose and is a great resource for the community. read more

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Alum Rock Branch Library is my go to when I needs a pile of books for study themes we are learning about in our classroom. Librarians are always very helpful in helping me get what I need while I'm there. I hand them the list and they do their magic. Don't forget to check out the book sale on your way out, lots of great deals to add to your personal library collection. Great news NO more LATE FEES yay read more

Alum Rock Branch Library - Book caught my eye - Libraries Near Me - San Jose, California

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For my daughters first time to a library she loved it. As an adult aware of my surroundings not my favorite library. I appreciate the security guard for being there but not really sure what he is watching for. His head was down the entire time I was in there. The staff was okay. I stood in line to get a physical card and the employee either ignored or just wasn't paying attention that I was standing in front until the security guard who was not at his post said "hey you have a customer" The bathrooms were filthy. I understand we as humans expect each other to clean up after ourselves but when people don't and you work at this facility please have an employee clean the bathroom. Book options in the children section very impressive. They had computers for kids and for toddlers. Comfy sitting areas including a tiny castle. Perfect for a hot afternoon to relax and read. Sadly this is a close library for me so I might go back. Just hoping they can improve. read more

Alum Rock Branch Library - Libraries Near Me - San Jose, California

I love going to libraries. This place however was not as enjoyable as I want it to be. The place is small with a confusing parking lot. I didn't know where to park and so I had to go to the parking lot on a different establishment and walked my way over there. When I finally found their actual parking lot which was on the left side of the building, there were grocery carts and vehicles parked over there which were clearly used by homeless people. Me and the kiddo came here because we saw an event for teens held in this library that involved drawing and manga. She had invited her friends to meet up in here and spent two hours in the community center. When we initially inquired about such event, the guy by the counter doesn't have the faintest idea of what I was asking about and had to flag someone else to give me answers. When we came to the community center it was toasty hot inside, mainly because they just finished off with the free lunch program for kids (they turned off the a/c during this time - idk?!?!?!) Now the library itself was well ventilated with a/c, I am just curious why they don't provide it to the community center which is part of the library. Anyhoo.... While waiting for the kiddo and her friends to finish with the teen event, I had a mini project that I decided to do in the library - making those flower pens for the office which I make every summer... I found myself what I thought would be a quiet and cozy table by the corner and started doing my thing ...until a guy came and gave this weird vibe. I tried to ignore him while he was mumbling to himself, then he stood up and struck and loud heated/irrational conversation with some other person regarding some newspaper which is when I was mentally red flagging him. He came back after sometime and then minutes later was trying to strike a conversation with me. I was congenial enough to answer his curiosity about my project which I finished in time and then packed up my stuff to leave. Talk about an unusual encounter. Since there is still more time to kill, I went to Orchard supply which is next door and spent the time there by the nursery instead. read more

Alum Rock Branch Library - Libraries Near Me - San Jose, California

Lauren went above and beyond talking with my son Mateo that was having a hard time choosing a book he wanted. Thank you Lauren I appreciate your patience. I also want to say Victoria is awesome, she is super helpful and nice. She helped with information regarding the scavenger hunt. Very pleased with the wonderful and delightful staff. If would give them 100 stars if it would be possible. I have been coming to this library for the past 13 years and Lauren and Victoria have been the nicest, everyone is so helpful and ready to help anyone. read more

This is one of the newer libraries. Yes, it is true that their collection of books is not nearly as extensive as some of the libraries and definitely the main library. The only complaint that I have is that the restroom is not as clean. Also, there are no towels. read more

This is a small library branch,across the street from shopping centers and with a view of the East Hills from the front.The tech center is good because there is only 1 computer per table,so you don't have to worry about someone next to you being practically in your lap when using the computer.It can get noisy because of kids blurting everything that pops into their head,and parents not reminding them they are in a library.However,the kids area is a decent distance from the tech room,so the noise is not as apparent when they have the story time.They do have kid compuetrs with speakers,which is totally irrespnsible in a library and doesn't help them learn etiquette in a library.The computers in the front room face the windows!I guess some people like that sort of thing--maybe there's a lot of weirdos in this side of town---,but not practical for us ordinary people,LOL.There are some big upholstered chairs but are often occupied by people who sit around doing nothing all day. read more

Alum Rock Branch Library - Rules are rules.Don't be a jerk. - Libraries Near Me - San Jose, California

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This library is so LOUD between 3:30 and 5:00pm during the week. Loud conversations on the phone, screaming children wildly playing tag or hide and go seek. Despite my effort to muffle noises with music on my headphones, I found myself being distracted by all the NOISE! The library is nice, but unfortunately the people who come here are not respectful of noise levels. Will be looking for a new study spot... I really wish the employees would make more of an effort to keep the noise down. Oh.. and the Internet is incredibly slow.. boo read more

This version of the library trumps the old one, which used to be part of the county library system and looked really shoddy, now it is part of the city system. The building is cute, and projects an upscale vibe, you wouldn't necessarily think library on first glance. the corner of the building is the cafe, I don't know if it is particularly busy. My friend who works for the library system says that this type of library, based on bookstore layouts, is the new trend in libraries: lots of space on the shelves in between the books, subtle lighting, couches and food areas to browse. This branch caters to a lot of immigrants, and thus is the first library experience for a lot of people. apparently they have a big problem with damaged and missing books here. There are a number of ESL and citizenship classes taught here for free, which is great. A lot of kids come here, and I have been tempted more than once to shush a kid, or push them off of a table that they have crawled on, while their parent is looking somewhere else. The noise level is not conducive to studying. They have some great dvd options, and self checkout is a breeze. the women who run the book sales are aggravating. they are old, and think they can add numbers in their head, but they can't. get a calculator, sheesh! read more

i hate leaving bad reviews, but no logical person can rate this library a 4-star establishment. I came here on Thursday and this is just a snippet of what i observed: - countless "patrons" talking on their phones - high schoolers running inside, playing tag - countless elementary school kids running & screaming - students having making out sessions - kids riding their scooters indoors - high schoolers drinking 40oz. (near the teen center) - another smoking weed from only a bong stem (right outside the main entrance) - a gang assembled outside on the corner, throwing up gang signs at passing traffic The 2 hours that I was here, I only saw ONE library employee. She walked around nonchalantly, as if all the aforementioned behavior was typical. oh East San Jose........ =\ read more

Pros: _The library is nice and okay. _ Wifi is free and 1 click easy access. _ No library card required if you use your own laptop. _ Some restaurants and a bakery nearby so you can take some snacks and come back to the library. Cons _ Working hour is a little weird. Start at 11am and no working on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. _ Some tables are directly below the AC flows so these seats are very cold. _ Wifi is TOO SLOW. _ Restroom is dirty. read more

I was in the area so I stopped by today around noon. They have their own parking lot and there was ample parking. Even saw a solar panel- go green. When i walked in, there was a little lobby that kind of threw me off. Walk further and you are in the library. The first thing I noticed is that it was kinda dim. I really liked that their movie selection is only 3 shelves high unlike other libraries. Got my books, checked out & left. This is a very short people friendly library LOL. Even the checkout counters were fairly low. read more

This is a decent small-ish branch of the San Jose Public Library. The staff is really helpful - one staffer showed me how to reserve a group study room for tutoring a group of high school students for the SAT. He got me a library card, including s keychain version, even though I don't live in Santa Clara County (anyone can get a card- even non residents). I use the place from 10 to noon on Saturdays, when it's not too crowded and there aren't too many people with young loud kids, etc. They have displays and local celebrations - I got some free food at one. I've been there as a book sale took place in the attached community room. One nice thing about getting there early is I can park my car under the solar-cell-covered car port thing, which keeps my car shady and cool on sunny San Jose Saturday mornings, as solar cells stack power from the sizzling sun. There is also a neat little Latin American supermarket around the corner, and other fast food nearby. read more

Located in Alum Rock, obviously, this library is pretty good. It has a children sections, teen section, and such. If you want to do some intensive study however, go the the library downtown (King Library). It's located across James Lick High School. So you'll most likely find loud and obnoxious kids there. read more

They have plentiful parking and I love its location- Across the street from Starbucks. I feel as if I am new to technology but I found it greatly convenient that nearly all the tables have outlets. I cannot yet speak on thier library selection but I will update the post accordingly when I can. read more

I did not enjoy the environment, walking through people just stare at you made me feel uncomfortable. I usually go to other libraries but since one if my clients relocated now I have to come to this one. Also quiet room is small and has odor. People in there were eating making it hard to concentrate. So much for a quite room. Wi-fi is horrible. read more

Parking is horrible but sometimes you'll get lucky. Its such a great resource in the neighborhood

It's more like 2 and a half. Ghetto is the word for this place. The last time I came here there was a kid using the computer in the children's section, listening to something on his headphones, & singing profane things so loud! I had to tell a worker to check him. Everything is easy to find in an unorganized way. Parking is limited. I used to come here w/my nephew when I lived w/my mom but now I prefer to go to the one close to where I live. read more

It's always nice to have a neighborhood library. It's a great location to get some studying done. It tends to get a bit noisy in the cafe area where people cruise the Internet and mingle, but aside from that it's a great location if you just need to be away from distractions at home. read more

Went here once on a warm summer day cause I was strangely in the area with an old friend. Decided to stop by here while we were waiting, and found it to be quite the little library. The selection of books and media were very good, and they even have enough comfortable chairs to relax and read in. I've really enjoyed the San Jose public libraries since they have revamped all locations, luckily I had the chance to see this unique one. I did also see an internet cafe area and a children's area (but I guess you find that at most locations). And as other reviewers have said, it's probably not the place to study at during the afternoon. And since Alum Rock is kind of a bad area, you may run into some unfriendly library patrons. I can imagine how loud it would get with the children coming in from local schools. Unfortunately there is not way I could give this place 5 stars mainly because of it's specific location. Anyhow, during the summer it was a perfect retreat from the summer heat. read more

OK selection of books, the most expensive fees I've seen about 10 fold, very dirty bathrooms....BUT it's a nice looking library inside. Too bad they only do toddler/baby story time, it is not appropriate for babies unfortunately. Closed all weekend too fyi. I will find another library, even though it will involve more travel. Oh bored staff that seems annoyed by anyone asking for help. read more

Whack library. Maybe its because i so used to the king library that this one just simply sucks. This library is really small sort of like the nobel one. I hate the neighborhood also. theres liek nothing unique about this library. The service isnt all that either. I was disappointed. read more

This is a great place to chill and get away from home. It's also a wonderful place to take your kiddies for storytime and fairytales. They have a quite a different little sections to hang out and read. They have a teen section , which is greeat keep those kiddies out of trouble. They have a little cafe to rehiydrate and read. The quiet study area is needed because it can get a little rowdy in there with high school kids making it there afterschool hang out. I love this place, a decent selection of books and nice and helpful staff. Parkng is a little of a pain and it can get a little loud in there, but who cares when you can have free wifi. read more

I've been going to this library for years! Probably since I was still 8yrs old or younger! (I'm 24 now) I've been going here since their computers were still running from AOL and the computers were all tubes, lol. I'm really glad that some people sponsored and the government gave enough funds to renovate this library though. I love everything about this library (Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock Branch Library) Everything is so hi-tech now. I believe there's about 3 or 4 check-out computers you can use to check out your items, then the front desk has 2 computers so they can easily access the computer if you need help with anything. there's there are a few computers (5 or 6) that is all over the library for people to use to look at catalogs, search for a book, or to reserve a computer. I'm guessing there is a total of 30 available computers. They are broken into rooms.... like for those people that are hardcore studying and don't want any noise they have a room for you to use, they have an tech room, computer area for the kids, and an area where you can hook up your laptops. there are a lot of tables all around the library so it's good, especially for group studies. I like how there is also an area that looks like a livingroom. sofas, coffee table, fireplace, the whole shebang! they have a good selection of books, medias, & other things.... and also in different language. The staffs are pretty friendly. Oh and did I mention they have a Cafe shop inside the library? Yeap they do the whole "Jamba Juice/Starbucks" types of drinks and sells other snacks and drinks too. To sum it up; this library is pretty awesome! I love going here because they have everything and it's always so clean.... plus there's usually a cop that stops by and check the parking lot from time to time so you know that place is pretty safe. ;) read more

Is the best library in San José simply because it is in my community, for me it is the best, the staff do their best work and some of them are volunteers, they help the community, this library is a lot of information, and it's free , We must learn to live together as the community that we are, ignore bad comments because maintaining a library is a great job and is admirable staff and people who teach their courses with free information and teaches. Come and bring something ... God bless you. read more

Great library but Mexicans stay outside and smoke. They go back in and they smell. Staff needs to do something about it!