Want to save energy, but don't know how to track your usage?  We have tools to help you do that. Find out how much it costs to run your refrigerator, identify ground fault interrupter (GFI) circuits, reduce drafts and more.

The tools in our Tool Lending Library are available for check out through the Santa Clara Central Park Library.  All you need is a City of Santa Clara library card to check out the tools below. Click on the tool's name to see if it is available or place a request on it through our catalog.

TOOLS AVAILABLE

Tool Image	Tool Description
	Etcon GFI Tester A quick, easy and safe way to test and identify faults in 3-wire, 120VAC outlets without the need to use probes or meters. Model CT102 tests for correct wiring, open ground, reverse polarity, open hot, open neutral, hot and ground reversed, hot on neutral with hot open. Model CT101 also checks GFI-protected outlets against trip at minimal leakage current of 2mA, and tests their mechanical operation (with the push of a button) by intentionally overloading the GFI breaker with a 6.8mA current through the ground blade. Both testers are constructed of tough, impact-resistant plastic and feature super-bright colored lamps, easy-to-read test chart, and convenient “push-pull” shape.
	Kill A Watt Electric Meter Connect your appliances into the Kill A Watt and assess how efficient they are. A large LCD display counts consumption by the Kilowatt-hour just like utility companies. You can figure out your electrical expenses by the hour, day, week, month, even an entire year. Monitor the quality of your power by displaying Volts, Amps, Watts, Watthours, VA, Line Frequency, and Power Factor.
	Triplett Breaker Sniff-It The Triplett Breaker Sniff-It is a digital circuit breaker identifier. It's easy to use. All you have to do is plug the transmitter into the target 120V outlet, turn on the receiver, hold the probe tip parallel to the circuit breakers, then just run the probe down the panel. The correct breaker is located when the highest LED is lit and the loudest “chirp” is heard. Includes receiver and 120VAC transmitter. Requires one 9-volt battery, not included.
	Erickhill EMF Meter The Model 4190 is designed to make accurate spot field measurements in the ELF power frequency band. After the unit is switched ON, the field strength is accurately displayed in milligauss on a digital LCD. The reading is unaffected by directional sense or orientation of the meter. The unit will automatically adjust to the proper scale yielding a wide dynamic measurement range of 0.1 to 1999 mG. True 3 Axis (Vector Magnitude) Display of Magnetic Field Level.   Easy to Read Digital Display Autoranging Provides 0.1 to 1999 mG Measurement Range Measures Emissions from Common Magnetic Field Sources Typical Accuracy of 1%
	Stud Locator If you are trying to hang a picture this tool will help save time and frustration in finding that elusive stud. It can detect if you are going to nail or drill into hidden electrical wiring.   Detects studs and joists LED display and audio horn Automatic calibration AC Voltage Finder - Locates unshielded wire and those in plastic conduit
	Lascar EL USB 2 Data Logger Save yourself the time and hassle of manually recording the air temperature and humidity levels in your coolers or storage rooms by using the reusable Lascar Data Logger. Reviewing the data is simple and easy. Record and archive the temperature data of your perishable products as they are shipped on your internal fleets from the DC to the retail facility, to gain additional control of temperature information and logistics issues during distribution.
	Multimeter These multimeters measure AC/DC volts, DC current and resistance, and include a continuity beeper and diode test. Common features include easy-to-read, 2000-count, 0.67”-high LCD display, input warning beeper, and low-battery indicator. Four models to choose from. Model 5XL has 0.8% basic accuracy. Model 10XL has 0.7% basic accuracy and a 6-range voltage safety tester that detects and displays (through a series of front-panel LEDs) any AC/DC line voltage up to 220V. Model 15XL has 0.5% basic accuracy, measures both AC and DC current, and comes with a 20MHz TTL logic test. EN61010-1 CAT III safety rated Model 16XL has 0.5% basic accuracy, AC/DC current function, 20MHz TTL logic test, NPN and PNP transistor tests, and can measure capacitance and frequency. All models have fully fused current jacks and an input warning tone that protects you when test leads are incorrectly plugged into the current jack.
	Caulking Gun We have an assortment of general purpose caulking guns useful in applying silicon caulk to weatherize around leaky window and doors. Warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of your home during the winter can waste a substantial portion of your energy dollars. One of the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can do is caulk, seal, and weather-strip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside. Areas that leak air into and out of your home cost you lots of money.
	Thermal Leak Detector This infrared thermometer detects wall surface temperature to spot hidden energy leaks. You can easily set the reference temperature to show deviations. As you aim the detector at walls around your home, the LED changes color at hot or cold spots. It displays surface temperature of walls, windows, etc. on an LCD screen in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
	Regin Smoke Pen The Regin Smoke Pen is truly an innovation for anyone that needs just the right amount of test smoke when and where it is needed. A patented smoke-emitting wick is inserted into the convenient to use pen, adjust the wick to provide a continuous trail of smoke. The Smoke Pen can be easily extinguished by simply replacing the protective cover.
	SEEK Thermal Camera Turn your smartphone into a thermal imager to detect energy loss in your home or business due to air leaks, missing or damaged insulation, inefficient HVAC systems and poor construction. Using this thermal camera allows you to detect the leaks without having to crawl through your attic or crawl space and you can save the images to your smartphone. The camera is available for both android and iOS.
	The Energy Detective (TED) Have you ever wanted to reduce your energy consumption but did not know which devices or appliances use the most energy in your home? Now you can with The Energy Detective (TED)! TED is an energy monitoring solution that is installed in your electrical panel and allows you to view your energy usage data in real-time or hourly, daily or monthly intervals. TED creates charts and graphs of your energy usage, allowing you to see energy use trends which can be used to make informed decisions about your energy consumption. You can access your data through an in-home display via your computer with a wireless router or Ethernet connection (Ethernet cable not included). Installation is performed by the customer and requires some basic electrical knowledge in order to clamp onto wires in your home’s electrical panel. NOTE: TED is not available through the library due to the electrical knowledge required. It may be checked out directly from Silicon Valley Power by contacting us at 408-244-SAVE (7283) or email cutcosts@siliconvalleypower.com.

The Santa Clara City Libraries offer a variety of lendable devices to meet the community's technology needs. Our current selection includes Chromebook laptops, mobile Wi-Fi hotspot devices, and FitBit Zip™ for fitness activity tracking.

All devices are available for borrowing with a Santa Clara City Library card and valid photo ID. They must be checked out and returned at the Customer Service desk.

Available Lendable Devices

Santa Clara City Library cardholders can check out hiking equipment from the Library! The following items are available to be checked out for three weeks. You can place a hold through our online catalog or ask about these items at any Library location.

1. Hiking backpacks: These backpacks contain fun and important items for an outdoor hike, including binoculars, field guides to wildflowers and birds, a compass, a magnifying glass, and more!

2. Hiking poles: Check out a set of Black Diamond hiking poles to make your next hike more comfortable. These poles are adjustable for hikers who are 5'1" (155 cm) or taller. A signed liability waiver is required at checkout for this item.

3. Bear canisters: Are you camping or hiking somewhere that requires bear-safe containers? Put your scented items (food, toiletries, etc.) in one of these bear canisters to keep you and your belongings safe from curious creatures. We have smaller canisters for trips of 3-4 days and larger canisters for longer trips.

Do you love the outdoors? Learn more about how you can borrow a California State Parks Pass from the Library.

This project was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library. Additional sponsorship from the Santa Clara City Library Foundation & Friends and the Santa Clara County Parks.

In 2018, the Library received a Pacific Library Partnership Grant to purchase 360 Cameras for the community to experiment with. We invited community members to check out cameras, create content and then submit the content to the Library. We gathered all the community content and had a virtual reality viewing party.Now that the contest has ended the 360 Cameras are available for anyone to check out!

Check out a 360 Camera today:

360 camera for IOS

360 camera for Android

 Pase para parques de la biblioteca estatal de California en español.

Santa Clara City Library cardholders can check out a FREE California State Parks day-use vehicle pass to access our beautiful state parks for free! Here's how it works:

1. Plan your adventure! See if a pass is available and/or place one on hold. This is a vehicle day-use pass valid at 200+ participating state park units. A list of ineligible parks is available at CheckOutCAStateParks.com. The pass is valid at all other state parks, including nearby Castle Rock State Park, Henry W. Coe State Park, and more! Passes cannot be used at national, county, city or any other parks besides eligible California State Parks. View the interactive map to explore eligible state parks throughout California. Some parks may require advance reservations; please contact the individual park about restrictions or closures before visiting.

2. Park for free. The California State Library Parks Pass is valid for entry of one passenger vehicle with capacity of nine people or less or one highway licensed motorcycle. It is not valid for any other fees, including camping or group use fees, special events, tours, additional vehicle fees, etc. It is not valid at national, county, city or any other parks. Pass does not guarantee a parking space.

3. Return pass to library. These passes check out for three weeks. They can be renewed one time if no one is waiting. Please return the pass on time so other community members can explore the outdoors. If you finish your adventure before the due date, please consider returning the pass early so another adventure can begin! Report lost passes to the library by calling 408-615-2900 or emailing librarians@santaclaraca.gov.

By using this pass, you agree to abide by the full terms and conditions and any other rules and regulations. Find complete details and answers to frequently asked questions at CheckOutCAStateParks.com.

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Did you know we circulate other items to accompany your state park adventure? Consider checking out a hiking backpack for beginning hikers, hiking poles to support your journey, a bear canister to safely store scented items, a Fitbit to track your adventure, or a 360 camera to capture the fun! Ask for more information at any service desk.