Central 100 Celebration

Dedicated in July 1926, the Los Angeles Central Library became an instant architectural icon and guiding light of learning for the City. For this significant milestone, the Los Angeles Public Library is pleased to present Central 100, a year-long celebration that brings together residents from all corners of Los Angeles.

Join us for centennial events befitting a crown jewel of the City of Angels: Central Library, the anchor of the Los Angeles Public Library system!

Central 100 - Stories from Beyond: Film Screening and Panel Discussion

Join us as we celebrate our historic library’s centennial anniversary by attempting to converse with wayward spirits that are long past due.

Date: 11/17/2026
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: Central Library

Lighting the Stacks - A Central Library Historical Drama & Living History Museum

LAPL meets LAUSD in a crossover to end Central 100 celebrations with a glimpse of the past from the voices of the future.

Date: 12/12/2026
Time: 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Location: Central Library

Podcast: Past Due: 100 Years of Central Library

Listen to Past Due: 100 Years of Central Library, a podcast series that delves into Central Library's history, controversies, and hidden lore.

Listen to the latest episodes

Card Catalog Stamp Collection

Pick up a set of historic card catalog cards at any Library location. Carry them with you. Stamp them at our branches. Make them your own.

Beanstack Challenge

Pick up a coloring page at any Library location to participate in this special color-by-number challenge!

Print and Play

Celebrate the Central Library Centennial with active and passive programming, including coloring pages and zine templates!

2 women holding an old fashioned microphone

Community Oral History

Share your stories and memories of Central Library via a short video recording that will become part of the LAPL Archives.

Library Card

Celebrate 100 years of Central Library with a limited-edition library card, available at all Los Angeles Public Library locations while supplies last.

Exhibitions

Stroll through Central Library's history and how it continues to serve the City through several exhibitions and displays, including a featured partnership with Historiart and Gallery 1988.

Central Library staff photo taken from Flower Street with a view of the East side of the Library 1926

Articles

Discover Central Library's history, art, and architecture through informative and well-researched articles

Gajin Fujita Artwork

Created by internationally acclaimed artist Gajin Fujita to commemorate Central 100, this artwork blends traditional Japanese mythology with the vibrant energy of Los Angeles graffiti culture.

Wizard Celebrates Central Library Puppet Show

Join Wizard and Librarian as they share what makes Central Library so special in the original puppet show "" written by Mara Alpert and presented by Mara Alpert and Linda Israelson.

Watch on YouTube

Opening the Central Library Time Capsule

On January 29, 2026, to kick off the Library's centennial year, a time capsule that was placed in the building's cornerstone during the original construction was unveiled to the public for the first time!