Chinese Book Library
We are piloting a Chinese children’s book library in San Jose, so good books move between families instead of sitting unread on a shelf.
Sunday story sessions stay free
Story sessions are free and open to every family, member or not. The founding membership fee applies only to borrowing at the library.
The 1,000-book drive
Our first goal is 1,000 Chinese children’s books. Around 400–600 go on the shelves first; the rest become rotation stock and replacements for copies that wear out.
- Donate booksChinese children’s books, roughly ages 0–7, in condition a child can still read comfortably.
- Give to the book fundRestricted to buying new or good secondhand Chinese children’s books. Not venue, administration, or anything else.Donate
- Share this pagePass it to families who might want in. Whether the library works depends on how many families put books into it.
Dropping books off
Ongoing — there is no closing date. Bring books during the hours below, or to any Sunday reading club.
- Tuesday – Friday
- 3:00 – 7:00 PM
- Saturday
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday
- Bring them to the reading club
Where
1072 S De Anza Blvd B101San Jose, CA 95129Please get in touch before you come so someone is there to meet you — WeChat, or info@brightupkids.org.
How borrowing works
We are keeping the rules deliberately thin. Getting the first family borrowing matters more than having a complete system on day one.
- MembershipFounding members borrow by giving their member number.
- Honour systemTake and return freely; we do not log individual titles at this stage.
- Five books at a timeOne month is the suggested loan period.
- Built out graduallyA proper circulation system comes once the collection and the membership are big enough to need one.
Founding membership
This covers book upkeep, labelling, replacing worn copies, and day-to-day administration. It is not a fee for attending our programs, and it is not a donation.
$10 per family per year
What members get
- Borrowing at the library, five books at a time
- Priority registration for special events
- Member newsletter: new arrivals and library news
- Recorded as a founding member of the collection
How to join
- Complete the application form below.
- Pay the $10 annual membership fee on our payment page. PayPal and Zelle are both accepted.
- Once we have matched the payment, your membership is activated and your card is emailed to you — with your member ID and the date it runs to.
No card goes out before the fee arrives, and borrowing starts with the card. Sunday story sessions are free either way.
Apply for founding membership
One form per family.
Questions
- Is the $10 tax-deductible?
- No. You get borrowing privileges in return, so it is not a charitable gift. Book fund donations and donated books are different — those are generally deductible, and we acknowledge them separately.
- Our books are not new. Can we still donate them?
- Yes, as long as they are readable. We turn down books that are heavily drawn on, missing pages, or falling apart — not out of fussiness, but because they will not survive two rounds of lending.
- Can we donate English books?
- This collection is Chinese only. For English books we suggest the Friends of the Library at your local public library.
- What if someone forgets to bring a book back?
- We do not chase anyone. But a family that keeps books indefinitely affects its membership the following year, because it means another child cannot read that book.
- Is this a place to sit and read?
- No. It exists for picking books up and bringing them back, not for staying.