The Library will be closed on Sunday, March 31, 2024, in observance of Easter

LAPL Blog

Latest Posts

The east lawn and the eastern exterior of Central Library
The east lawn and the eastern exterior of Central Library, [1977]. William Reagh Collection
Guest Blogger, March 29, 2024

Sometimes it feels as though public libraries—free, government-supported, circulating libraries—have always been part of American life, but public libraries were rare before the last quarter of the nineteenth century. It wasn't until 1878 that California cities were allowed to levy a tax to pay for libraries, and the Los Angeles Public Library, founded in 1872, could become the library we know...

Pages

Author Joe R. Lansdale and his latest book, Things Get Ugly

Interview With an Author: Joe R. Lansdale

Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library, Thursday, August 24, 2023

Author and mental health therapist Cindy Montenegro and her book My Mind is a Mountain/Mi mente es una montaña

Meditate & Reflect With Author and Therapist Cindy Montenegro

Salvadora Sosa Prieto, Administrative Clerk, Multilingual Collections, Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Cindy Montenegro is not only the author of My Mind is a Mountain/Mi mente es una montaña but is also a dedicated mental health therapist.


Illustrators Mirelle Ortega, Leo Espinosa and Loris Lora

"Draw Off" With Illustrators Loris Lora, Mirelle Ortega, and Leo Espinosa

Eva Mitnick, Director, Youth Services, Monday, August 21, 2023

Children's books and stories can serve as bridges to connect people from different backgrounds and cultures.


Christina Rice looking at our photo archives

Video: The Carol Westwood Photo Collection

Christina Rice, Senior Librarian, Photo Collection, Saturday, August 19, 2023

For a look at Los Angeles in the 80s and 90s, the Carol Westwood collection is an indispensable resource.


Author Joss Rountree and his debut novel, The Legend of Charlie Fish

Interview With an Author: Josh Rountree

Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library, Thursday, August 17, 2023

Josh Rountree has published more than sixty stories in a wide variety of magazines and anthologies, including Beneath Ceaseless Skies,


Author Ari Tison and her books, Saints of the Household and Our Shadows Have Claws

Get to Know Ari Tison

Llyr Heller, Librarian, Teen'Scape, Monday, August 14, 2023

Ari Tison is an amazing Bribri (Indigenous Costa Rican) poet and author who has won several awards for her incredible work.


Photo collage of past invention ideas and creative art ideas

No Failure of the Imagination: Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones on the Road to Invention

Guest Blogger, Friday, August 11, 2023

Next year, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and the L.A. Public Library will unveil a new project titled No Prior Art.


Author Chuck Tingle and his latest novel, Camp Damascus

Interview With an Author: Chuck Tingle

Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library, Thursday, August 10, 2023

Chuck Tingle is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy.


Collage of books about Black musicians

Black Music Highlights at the Library

Diedre Johnson, Office Services Assistant, Library Department, Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Music legends don’t start out that way. First, they are children with a love for music and the motivation to learn, even if they face seemingly impossible odds along the way. Below are seven superstars that harnessed their creativity and accomplished their dreams.


Collage of films and their adapted books

Read It First! Movie Adaptations in Theaters This Month

Elizabeth Graney, Librarian, Literature & Fiction Department, Monday, August 7, 2023

If you've heard it once, you've heard it a million times—the book was better! There's nothing like debating the differences between a favorite book and its translation to the screen.


Pages

Top