The East Side Dreams exhibit and program series were designed to address inequities of perspective contained within the California Room local history archive of the San José Public Library. Accounts of major events and important figures in East San José’s social and political history were often limited to those of the dominant populations. This exhibit endeavored to work with community members to gather the other sides of the story, present them as an exhibit, and make them a permanent fixture of the archives.

Staff of the San José Public Library searched San José’s historical institutions to gather available information on the East Side. From that they identified areas where coverage and representation were lacking, and where stories were incomplete or told only from the dominant viewpoint. Staff then reached out to the community to learn more, gather materials, and make new connections. Staff selected materials and people who could best speak to East Side history and culture to create an exhibit and speaker panels.

The library has dramatically increased the size of its local history archival collections and strengthened bonds with the community. Through an opening reception, two speaker panel events, and a library card design contest, the library demonstrated its commitment to the diverse voices of the community. Various news outlets covered East Side Dreams, the library received commendations from state political leaders, 608 people attended three events, and more than 2000 people visited the exhibit of 1500 artifacts and images.