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Everett Robbins Perry: Librarian with a Vision
Our free art and architecture tour of L.A.'s Central Library begins in the 1926 Goodhue Building, famous for its sculpture, murals, painted ceilings, and wonderful architecture. The building has another great feature, something which seems ordinary to modern eyes, but which wasn't ordinary at all in 1926.
Take a Trip Down Memory Lane
Recently, we found a folder tucked away at the back of a file cabinet in the Social Science, Philosophy & Religion Department.
The Literate Fence: Championing Books, Reading & L.A.'s Diversity
The elegant Literate Fence, on the Fifth Street side of the library, was designed by Washington state industrial metal artist Ries Niemi (b.1955). The Deco design, completed in 1993, echoes the design of the original library building.
A Pictorial Map of West Hollywood
To honor LGBT Heritage Month at the library we present this pictorial map of West Hollywood, one of America’s most enlightened cities. Street maps from as recently as the 1970’s ignored the growing power of the gay community in the little city between Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
Pride in the Face of Adversity: How the Herald Examiner Covered the LGBTQIA Community in Los Angeles
As a mainstream news outlet in the 20th Century, it's probably not surprising that the Los Angeles Herald Express (later Herald Examiner) newspaper gave little coverage to the LGBTQIA community.
Jewish American Heritage Month
On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush declared that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month after resolutions passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. President Barack Obama further supported this resolution with his own proclamation issued on April 30, 2013, in which he stated:
Julian Garnsey: Artist and Architectural Collaborator
Our free docent-led art and architecture tour of the Los Angeles Central Library always includes a stop in the International Languages Department, through which visitors can find the library's original 1926 Children's Department, with its decorated ceiling and Ivanhoe-themed murals.
America, We Thank You
One hundred years ago, on April 24th, 1915, the Ottoman Turkish government enacted a systematic policy to annihilate its Armenian population. From 1915-1930, over a million and a half souls perished.
Horsetrading and Angry Feminists: Central’s Backstory
As you learn on our daily docent-led tours, The Richard J Riordan Central Library has almost 90 years of fascinating history. But some of most intriguing chapters in the building’s story occurred before the library even opened its doors for the first time in 1926.
Vacation Without Humiliation
As African American Heritage Month draws to a close, I would like to bring your attention to a largely unknown chapter of American history.