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King Library Celebrates One Millionth Visitor

Milestone Reached Four Months Earlier Than Originally Projected

SJPL Assistant Director Ned Himmel and SJSU Library Dean Patricia Senn Breivik honor the King Library's One-Millionth visitors.

December 5, 2003 -

San José’s joint city/university Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library recorded its "millionth" visitor(s) just hours after opening on Monday, December 1, 2003, four months to the day after its initial opening and four months earlier than anticipated. Library managers marked the occasion by honoring two visitors - university freshmen Sonia Azevedo and Maria Bueltron, who arrived simultaneously at the city and campus entrances. The students, who were each given a gift pack and a balloon bouquet, are residents of San José, appropriately illustrating the dual nature of many King Library users.

San José State University Library Dean Patricia Senn Breivik is more than pleased at this early indication of the library’s successful launch. “It was clear from day one that people embraced this library with enthusiasm and, though the reasons might vary from person to person, each has found something that keeps them coming back."

Jane Light, director of San José Public Library, concurs. “There’s no doubt that we’re off to a promising start. The university community is enjoying the convenience of being able to take care of research and leisure needs at one location and the public has no trouble finding us. Class visits and youth program attendance are definitely up and the public collections are seeing some of the highest use in the building."

Visits have been further stimulated by docent led tours that highlight various aspects of the building including the 33-piece public art collection, whose development mirrored the collaborative process of the joint library project.

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