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Central Library

Central Library Exterior
Address:
630 W. 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone:
213-228-7000
Email:
Contact form
Librarian:
Kren Malone, Director

Hours of Service

Mon: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Tues: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Weds: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Thurs: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sat: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sun: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Upcoming Events at Central Library
William Rubel in front of an ancient Egyptian artwork depicting a feast
December 13, 2025 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Two Neolithic breads were excavated in a gated community along with their apparent social context. Nuances must have been different, but...

Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Saturdays at 11 a.m.
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...

A volunteer walk-in tutor working with a learner.
Saturdays at 11 a.m.
Walk-in Tutors assist adult patrons with reading, writing, English conversation, basic technology assistance, job applications, and...

Classroom of adults looking at instructor
Every Saturday from 11:30 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Do you want to practice your English pronunciation and communication skills? This class is for you! Learners will also have the opportunity...

Image of 3 hands reaching from various points across a table with a board game set up. Turquoise and orange tiles are organized on different parts of the table and game board.
Second Saturday of the month, 12 - 3 p.m.
Bring your favorite board game and connect with community members at Central Library's monthly Board Game Day! This is a free event for...

Instructor in a classroom with a diverse group of students using laptops.
Every Saturday from 1- 2:20 p.m.
This class is for adults who want to learn about current events using a newspaper called News for You and other materials. Adults will...

two people hugging each other
December 13, 2025 1:00 PM
In this surreal comedy of disorientation, characters drift between Tehran and Winnipeg: Negin and Nazgol dig for frozen money, Massoud...

Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Saturdays at 2 p.m.
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...

Six children sitting on the floor, clapping, with the arm and shoulder of an adult in the foreground.
Saturdays at 2 p.m.
Enjoy stories, songs, and much, much more! Intended for ages 3-8. For more information, please contact children@lapl.org.

Ceiling of the Central Library Rotunda.
Sundays at 2 p.m.
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...



What We're Reading


Recent Blog Posts from LAPL Blog
December 13, 2025
By Multilingual Collections, Librarian
Description: El mejor regalo que puedes ofrecer durante las festividades de invierno es un libro. Si necesitas ideas sobre qué libros regalar (o regalarte a ti mismo), aquí te presentamos los títulos... Continued
December 11, 2025
By Daryl M., Librarian
D.J. Waldie is a historian of Los Angeles, a memoirist, and a translator. He is the author of Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir (1995), Where Are We Now: Notes from Los Angeles (2005), Becoming Los... Continued
December 10, 2025
By Julia G, Young Adult Librarian
The other day, I walked out to my garden to discover a strange sight: two of my California poppy seedlings had leaves that looked completely different. They still looked roughly like the same plant... Continued
December 05, 2025
By Elizabeth Graney, Librarian
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. But if you don't... Continued

Meeting Rooms

The Literature & Fiction (Upper Level 3) and Business Department (Lower Level 1) have glass-enclosed meeting rooms available for use.

Guidelines

  • Meeting Room hours
    Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
    Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
    Sunday: 1 - 4:30 p.m.
  • Sign ups on the hour or half hour
  • Must have a valid library card
  • Reservations must be made in person, day of and up to one day in advance
  • Two hours per floor per patron
  • Water allowed. No food or drink
  • Three or more people required for large (6 chair) rooms
  • Furniture and chairs must not be moved
  • Dry erase markers and erasers available upon request
  • All library rules apply: Patrons in violation of library rules may be refused service.

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