Cesar Chavez Central Library

Reference Librarian

Gretchen Louden

605 N. El Dorado St
Stockton, CA 95202-1907 Map

Upcoming Events

About the library

The Cesar Chavez Library offers a circulating collection of library materials in English. Other circulating materials are available in Spanish, Chinese, Hmong, Khmer, Vietnamese, Japanese, Hindi and Filipino. 

The Library has over 20 computer workstations with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and Internet use, and additional computers reserved for teens and children. We also provide wireless internet access, along with printing, scanning and fax services (fee charged for printing and faxing).

Newspapers and magazines are available for browsing.

The library also has a reference collection, five self-service express checkout machines, a book magnifier, and four microfilm reader/printers.

There are typewriters available on a first come-first served basis.

Our new MakerSpace has 3-D printers, cutting machines, watercolor bot, sewing machines and VR game system, with more to come.

Special and Historical Collections

A number of special collections are available at the Chavez Central Library, including our Local History Collection.  

Newspapers have been printed in Stockton since 1850 and the Library has just about all of them on microfilm.  You can view, print, email or save images on a USB drive. The Library has a subject index that covers many (but not all) years of local newspapers.

For more information about our Genealogy Collection, see our Genealogy pages. To request copies  of obituaries or other vital records from newspapers, please use this form.

Our Programs

 For more information on these and other programs please visit our Events Calendar.

After-Hours Bookdrop

There is one bookdrop that is open when the library is closed. It is located near the downstairs library entrance on Oak Street, underneath the stairs. 

Parking

Free parking is available all day in the Civic lot west of the Library (across Center Street). Parking is available on the streets surrounding the Library (except El Dorado), some spots free for a limited time, some metered.

Displays

If you have a personal collection or your club has a special display to show, the Cesar Chavez Library has a space where you can share them. 

There are three display spaces for reserve at the library for public use. 

Children's Area: locked case

Adult Area (downstairs): locked case

Adult Area (downstairs): open wall display

To reserve any of the above displays, contact Kendra at reference@stocktonca.gov or call 937-8221 and press 3 for Reference.

Permanent Displays 

Sister Cities Exhibit

Donating Books to the Library

You may donate materials to the library by going to the Friends of the Library bookstore located at 1724 W. Hammer Lane in Stockton during their regular business hours: 

Monday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Wednesday, Friday & Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Thursday & Sunday: CLOSED

Library News

Digital Media Download Site Launched
more

About Stockton

City web site: www.stocktonca.gov
Tourism: www.visitstockton.org