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Author Brad Meltzer and his latest novel, The Viper
Photo of author: Donna Newman
Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library, January 22, 2026

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of...

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part of Maguire Gardens’ SPINE sculptor

Sculptor Jud Fine Reflects on the Maguire Gardens’ SPINE

Central Docents, Central Library, Monday, January 4, 2016

The incised metal steps that lead from Flower Street to the Central Library are part of an “art plan integrated with an architectural plan” now known as “Spine,” and the highlight of The Maguire Gardens. It is “not an installation or a sole art project,” says primary artist, Jud Fine.


Senior Librarian Mary McCoy at the Teen'Scape Desk

Teen’Scape Revisited: YA Library after Nearly Two Decades

Central Docents, Central Library, Monday, November 23, 2015

When you take our free docent-led art and architecture tours of the Los Angeles Central Library, we always point out Teen’Scape, one of the nation’s first libraries within a library designed by and exclusively for teens. Architect Robert Coffee created the unique space, which opened in 1998.


illustration of the teen'scape space in Central Library

Teen’Scape: The Origin Story

Central Docents, Central Library, Thursday, November 12, 2015

When you take our free docent-led art and architecture tours of the Los Angeles Central Library, we always point out Teen’Scape, one of the nation’s first libraries within a library designed by and exclusively for teens.


4 covers of old city directories

A Powerful Genealogical Resource: City Directories

Julie Huffman, Librarian, History & Genealogy Department, Thursday, October 1, 2015

These annual precursors-to-telephone directories display a person’s home address, but also often a spouse name, occupation, and work address. And since they were largely published every year, they can be powerful tools used to find where your ancestors lived and worked between the decennial U.S.


tour group looking at the library's rotunda

Being a Central Library Docent

Central Docents, Central Library, Tuesday, September 29, 2015

If you love the historic Central Library’s art and architecture, why not share that passion with others?


Luis J. Rodriguez. Photo by Kevin Scanlon

What Latinx Heritage Month Means to Me

Luis J. Rodriguez, Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, Thursday, September 17, 2015

In the United States, “Latinx Heritage Month” is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. This is a time to recognize and honor Latinx peoples, cultures, issues, contributions, and histories.


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A History of Latino Activism in Los Angeles

Christina Rice, Senior Librarian, Photo Collection, Tuesday, September 15, 2015

The influence of Latino heritage and culture has long been prevalent in the city of Los Angeles. This includes a history of activism relating to causes at the local, state, national, and international levels.


Pictorial Map of Mexico, Fischgrind Publishing, Cartographer Miguel Gomez Medina, 1931

Pictorial Map of Mexico

Glen Creason, Librarian III, History & Genealogy Department, Tuesday, September 15, 2015

This masterpiece of pictorial mapping is an original from the earliest printings of the famed Fischgrind Publishing house and one of the mysterious Miguel Gomez Medina’s greatest works.


View of Central Library and the Maguire Gardens

Fountains Add History, Peace to Library’s Gardens

Central Docents, Central Library, Thursday, August 27, 2015

Our free art and architecture tours of L.A.'s Central Library begin by taking a look at the exterior of the historic 1926 Goodhue Building.


Entry from Bernice Kimball's "Streets of Los Angeles"

The Long and Winding Story of the Streets of Los Angeles

Kelly Wallace, Librarian, History Department, Tuesday, August 4, 2015

What’s in a name?  The stories behind the names of the streets, avenues, roads, and boulevards of Los Angeles reveal much about the history of our city, from its beginning as a tiny pueblo to today's sprawling metropolis of 3.8 million.  A list of L.A.


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