What Is Discover and Go? 

Discover and Go is new program which allows you to use your Santa Clara Library card to get free or discounted passes to many Bay Area museums and cultural institutions.

How Does It Works?

• Discover and Go page allows you to reserve free or discounted passes for local museums or upcoming events.
• You must live within the City of Santa Clara to use this service
• Choose the date you want to go, confirm your reservation and print out your pass.
• You cannot cancel your reservation once the pass has been printed.
• You must have an active library card that is in good standing in order to place reservations. The library cardholder must be at least 16 years old.
• If the reservation is not used on the date it’s specified for, it will expire.
• The pass may only be used by the patron who placed the reservation. Please have a photo identification with you when you attend your event. You must have a photo ID that shows you live within the City of Santa Clara. 

Issues or Questions? 

Email us at librarians@santaclaraca.gov or call us at (408) 615-2900

Every Tuesday at the Central Park Library's Heritage Pavilion. Starting from May 9 until October 10, 2023 at 4 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

File your taxes in-person or online! Utilize the information on this page to help you find the right option for you. Please review the resources and information below.

Emergency Tax Relief Extension

To find out more information regarding this tax extension, click on the links below:

• State of California Franchise Tax Board
• IRS

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Free Tax Help Bay Area is a coalition of organizations that provide free tax help throughout the Bay Area led by United Way Bay Area in partnership with the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). These services are free to qualifying individuals and families whose income is less than $60,000. IRS-certified volunteers are trained to prepare these forms.

In-Person Tax Assistance

The Central Park Library will host VITA Tax Help Services every Tuesday from May 9 to October 10, 2023 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Appointments are on a first-come-first-served basis.

Email vitaatsantaclaralibrary@gmail.com for more information.

What to Bring for Your Appointment:

• Proof of identification (photo ID)
• Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents 
• An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted for you, your spouse and your dependents if you do not have a Social Security number
• Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
• Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R,1099-Misc) from all employers
• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
• Health Insurance Exemption Certificate, if received
• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available
• Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit such as a blank check
• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms
• Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number
• Forms 1095-A, B and C, Health Coverage Statements
• Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable

Interlibrary Loan services are available to obtain genealogy books and microforms that are not in the Library's collection. A fee of $10 is charged per request. There is a limit of five items per patron at one time.

Please contact illdesk@santaclaraca.gov or 408-615-2943 for more information or to make a request.

What is LINK+ 

LINK+ is a cooperative system between a number of public and academic libraries in California and Nevada.

How Does LINK+ Work 

If a book is unavailable or not owned by the Santa Clara City Library, you can attempt to request it through LINK+ if a partner library has it available.

Requests are generally fulfilled within 4 business days.

LINK+ requests can be picked up from the Customer Service desk.

LINK+ items should be returned to the Customer Service desk.

Limits and Fines

LINK+ books can be checked out for 3 weeks with the possibility for one additional 3-week renewal. To renew, you must do so within 3 days of the due date.

If the book is lost or damaged, it may be $115.

Other Information

At select LINK+ libraries, you may be able to borrow material using your Santa Clara City Library card. Should you want to use this service, please check with that library ahead of your visit to see if they participate in the program and make yourself aware of their rules of conduct.

If you have any questions about LINK+, give us a call at 408-615-2970. You can also visit the help section on the LINK+ website for more information.

Do you have an old shoebox filled with photos, slides or negatives that are in desperate need of preservation? Do you need to save your family movies on VHS or 8 mm reels? The Library has the equipment to help you preserve these materials: Photos, negatives, slides (35 mm), VHS tapes, videocassettes, reel to reel films, audio cassettes and vinyl records.

This program is held on Tuesdays, from 1 pm to 3 pm. Please make only one appointment a week. Duplicates appointments will be deleted. During your appointment, one of our volunteers will be assisting you with digitizing your materials.

Appointment dates only populate 14 days in advance of the event. On the registration form, RetroTech 1 and RetroTech 2 have different lists of available devices.

Registration: Santa Clara City Library (office365.com)

Please see our Guide for Retrotech Users for some useful tips for the day of your appointment.

On the day of your appointment, please check in at the 2nd Floor Reference Desk in Central Park Library.

If you have any questions about this program, please email: librarians@santaclaraca.gov

Your attendance to this program grants permission to the City of Santa Clara to take your photograph and/or your child's photograph for marketing purposes.

What is the Santa Clara Seed Share?

The Santa Clara Seed Share is a collection of vegetable, herb and flower seeds which patrons can take for free and grow in their gardens. If the plants produce well, patrons are encouraged to save some seeds and return them to the collection.

For current seed types in our collection, please visit this supply list.

Santa Clara Seed share is located in Central Park Library - 2635 Homestead Rd. Santa Clara, CA

How the Santa Clara Seed Share Works

• Take a seed envelope and write down the growing information for the seed you want.

• Take as many seeds as you plan to plant and a few extra in case some don’t germinate.

• Write what seeds you have taken in the seed binder so we know what is popular.

• If your plants are successful, return some seeds from those plants so they can be shared with others.

Why Save Seeds?

 Saving seeds helps:

• maintain a diversity of heirloom plants - Each time you save seeds from a plant, you are helping to improve that variety’s unique characteristics. Over time, the plants become ideal for your local environment and feature the qualities which you find most desirable.
  
  
• save money - If you save seed each year from your plants, you won't need to buy as many new seeds the next season. You may also spend less on food seeing as you will be able to eat what you grow.
  
  
• preserve history - Heirloom seeds have been grown and saved by many generations. By cultivating heirloom varieties (or by beginning an heirloom) you become part of this tradition and pass on something positive to the generations who follow.

How to Save Seeds

The library has a many books about seed saving you can check out!

This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. 

Are you unable to visit the Library? The Library can come to you!

Residents living within the City of Santa Clara who are physically unable to visit the Library are invited to join our Special Delivery program.

Once a month, a Library volunteer delivers books and/or audiobooks (selected especially for you based on your reading tastes) to your home for your enjoyment. Deliveries are made on the second Thursday of each month.

If you are interested in receiving this service or would like to volunteer to make deliveries, please contact librarians@santaclaraca.gov or call us at (408) 615-2900.