Print this page

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
Book Covers Pride of a Nation: A Celebration of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team foreword by Julie Foudy; essays by Gwendolyn Oxenham; edited by David Hirshey, Roger Director, and Rob Fleder, and The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai edited by Taylor Cole Miller and Alfred L. Martin, Jr.
March 19, 2026 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Do you like sports? Does literature speak to you? Would you like to go for a walk? Then join us on the first and third Thursdays of the...

Baby sits on a colorful floor in front of an equally colorful parachute.
Thursdays at 11 a.m.
Activities and play to help babies 0-18 months and their parents/caregivers bond. For more information, please contact children@lapl.org.

Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...

globe with rainbow stack of language books
Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.
Russian for Beginners.

closeup pile of books
Every Thursday from 1 - 2:20 p.m.
Are you an English language learner and interested in practicing your reading? This book club is for ESL/ELL adults who want to work on...

Mature students learning computer skills in a classroom.
March 19, 2026 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Learn crucial facts and practical steps to keep your personal online information private, safe, and secure.No advance registration required...

skateboarder with text "Thrasher Thursday'
Thursdays at 4:30 p.m.
Join us as we watch the latest skateboard videos from Thrasher Magazine as well as skateboarding classics from the 80s, 90s, and...

An instructor and a student review a workbook.
Fridays at 11:00 a.m.
Walk-in Tutors assist adult patrons with reading, writing, English conversation, basic technology assistance, job applications, and...

Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Fridays at 12:30 p.m.
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...

Fridays from 1 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.
This class will teach adult learners writing strategies using journal prompts and other materials. The class will also help adults improve...



What We're Reading


Recent Blog Posts from LAPL Blog
March 18, 2026
By Tiffney Sanford, Librarian
One of the Los Angeles Public Library's largest pieces of outdoor art can only be appreciated in photos now, after becoming a victim of Southern California's weather. Bison Hunt, a 50-foot-by-26-foot... Continued
March 12, 2026
By Daryl M., Librarian
Anna Kovatcheva was born in Bulgaria and now lives in Brooklyn. She holds an MFA in fiction from New York University. Her chapbook, The White Swallow, was selected by Aimee Bender as the winner of... Continued
March 11, 2026
By David B , Librarian
On March 13, 2000, the new, expanded Teen’Scape Department at the Central Library opened with great fanfare. (This replaced the smaller Teen’Scape Department that existed at Central from 1998-2000.)... Continued
March 09, 2026
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.

Top