This September, San José State University’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library celebrates its 20-year partnership with the City of San José. Opened in 2003, the King Library is the first library in the United States to integrate the services and collections of a major university and a public library system.
The library, which stands as a natural bridge between San José State and the City of San José on the corner of San Fernando and Fourth Streets, offers nine floors of collections, collaborative work spaces, meeting rooms, exhibition spaces and unique resources dedicated to lifelong learning. The San José State library has had several different homes on campus since 1870, when the Normal School officially relocated from San Francisco to San José. Starting in 1982, the library’s collections were split between the Clark Hall and Walhquist North buildings.
“King Library is a treasure for the city of San José that has been serving the SJSU and public community since 2003 through our partnership with the San José Public Library,” said Michael Meth, SJSU King Library dean.
Members of the public are invited to attend a special 20th anniversary celebration at King Library on Wednesday, September 20, from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Invited speakers include California State Senator Dave Cortese; San José State President Cynthia Teniente-Matson; San José Mayor Matt Mahan; San José City Councilmember Omar Torres, ’11 Political Science; City of San José Public Librarian Jill Bourne; and King Library Dean Michael Meth. Performers include Los Lupeños de San José, the Spartan Marching Band, the SJSU Spirit Team and the SJSU Choraliers.
The library is also home to subject area librarians, acquisitions specialists, faculty members, digital scholarship coordinators, research center directors, administrative staff, a university archivist and countless student staff — some of whom have worked for King Library since before it was built in 2003.
Four of these library pioneers reflect on how they’ve seen the library grow and evolve.
Michael Condon
’85 Radio-Television-Film
User Experience Unit Head
Michael Condon
When did you start working at King Library?
I started working at King Library when it was in Clark Hall in 1987.
What jobs/roles have you held since you were first hired?
Quite a few. I’ve served in the library’s Circulation Department (twice, from 1987-1996, and 2017 to present), Special Collections (twice, from 1997-1999 and 2008-2009) and my longest stint was in Reference for about 17 years (2000-2017). I was hired as a student shelver in Clark Library in 1982, then served at the circulation desk until 1985.
What do you love about the library?
I still feel like I work in a new building. There is always something new to learn or experience, and the change is constant. I am fortunate to work in a roomy, comfortable, vibrant building. But most of all, I feel lucky to have worked with so many wonderful people over the years, and to have interacted with countless students, staff, faculty, administrators and members of the public.
What’s your favorite fun fact about the library?
I’ve always marveled at the square footage of the building, which comes in just at under 500,000 square feet!
What do you wish more people knew about King Library?
How many resources are available to individuals, from books, media, archival collections, artwork, databases, historic newspapers, etc. the list goes on and on.
What are your hopes or dreams for the next 20 years of King Library?
That both institutions [King Library and the San José Public Library] continue to fund the resources and ensure that people are employed to help provide the quality service all of the users deserve.
Patricia Stroh
Curator, The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies
Nestled onto the fifth floor of the King Library, neighbor to SJSU’s Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies and University Special Collections and Archives, is yet another public scholarly resource: the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies.
Patricia Stroh
The Beethoven Center, established in 1985 thanks to the generosity of private collector Ira F. Brilliant, is home to an extensive collection of first and early editions of Beethoven’s work as well as manuscripts, engravings, sculptures and busts, multiple historic instruments and other artifacts. The collection has grown over the last three decades from the support of the center’s nonprofit partner, the American Beethoven Society.
When did you start working at King Library?
I don’t work for the library, but I’ve worked in the library since it opened in 2003 (and earlier was in Wahlquist).
What do you love about King Library?
The feel of the building (open spaces but many options for students to do group or solitary studying), but mostly the wonderful librarians and staff.
What do you wish more people knew about King Library?
Well, this one is a bit self-serving, but I wish more people knew about the Beethoven Center, Steinbeck Center and other special collections!
What are your hopes or dreams for the next 20 years of King Library?
I hope the library will continue to thrive and transform to meet the needs of special collections and other units that serve both the public and the university.
Diane Malmstrom
’09 English, ’13 MLIS
Digitization Coordinator
Diane Malmstrom
When did you start working at King Library?
In 1996, I was hired as a part-time clerk by the San José Public Library at the old King Library on West San Carlos Street. In 2003, we moved into the new joint King Library here on campus. A year later, I was hired for a full-time library position on the SJSU side, and I’ve been here ever since.
What jobs/roles have you held since you were first hired?
Clerk in Circulation/Access, acquisitions specialist in Technical Services and digitization coordinator in SJSU Special Collections & Archives.
What do you love about King Library?
The King Library is such a great place to work and has so much to offer SJSU students and the extended San José community.
What’s your favorite fun fact about the library?
There are 34 pieces of discoverable artwork hidden throughout the library, created by artist Mel Chin.
What do you wish more people knew about King Library?
How much we care about the students and want to support their success.
What are your hopes or dreams for the next 20 years of King Library?
I really hope that funding continues for libraries, because they help so many people.
Elena Seto
’94 Biological Science
Acquisitions and Contracts Analyst
Elena Seto
When did you start working at King Library?
I started working in the Clark Library as a student assistant in 1988 as a freshman student and later returned as a staff member in 1999. We moved into the King Library in 2003.
What jobs/roles have you held since you were first hired?
I’ve worked as an interlibrary loan assistant, periodicals specialist, head of acquisitions, and acquisitions and contracts analyst.
What do you love about King Library?
I love that people of any age can come to King Library to access materials to foster their interests, learning and skills.
What’s your favorite fun fact about the library?
My mother, stepdad, and I have all worked in the King Library, Clark Library and Wahlquist Library. My step-grandfather used to be the head of acquisitions in the Wahlquist Library, which is the unit that I’m working in now for the King Library.
What do you wish more people knew about King Library?
The art exhibits that Mel Chin designed throughout the building are so interesting and worth exploring.
What are your hopes or dreams for the next 20 years of King Library?
I know that the King Library will continue to evolve to support future generations of lifelong learners, researchers, and teachers with their personal and academic growth.
Members of the public are invited to submit their own King Library stories as part of the ongoing 20th anniversary celebration. Share yours today!
