Literature & Fiction Department
Located on Level Three (L3) of the Central Library Tom Bradley Wing
Contact
Phone: 213-228-7325 | Email: fiction@lapl.org
Department Staff
- Tina Princenthal, Department Manager | 213-228-7009
- David Kelly, Senior Librarian | 213-228-7333
Materials & Collections
The Literature and Fiction Department collects English-language adult and young adult books and periodicals in the following subject areas:
- Biographies of Actors and Writers
- Creative and Report Writing
- Drama
- English Grammar and Etymology
- Essays
- Fiction
- Humor
- Library Science
- Literary Criticism and Theory
- Poetry
- Radio and Television Programming
- Speech
- Theatre
- Typography and Publishing
We also have books on CD of literature and fiction, and DVDs of classic plays, documentaries concerning literature, and television programs.
The Central Library's entire collection of large type books for the visual impaired, in all subjects, is also located in the Literature and Fiction Department.
The Department's drama and fiction holdings are particularly strong. Our collection includes most recent plays published in the United States, as well as many published in other English-speaking countries. All fiction set in California is purchased for the collection, and the Department also focuses on translations from foreign languages, novels made into or based upon motion pictures, short story collections and popular genre fiction (mysteries, science fiction, and westerns). The Department has a special section of classic fiction assigned by local schools, as well as a browsing collection of popular paperback titles.
Special Collections
The Literature and Fiction Department maintains several unique collections of material other than books.
Information Files & Indexes
An index of fiction for adults set in California. Unique to the Los Angeles Public Library, this file can be searched by the title, the author's name, by city or county, and even by the decade in which the story takes place. The post-1986 portion of the file is available in digital form
Lists the authors of mystery series, indexed by the names of their fictional detectives.
Indexes reviews of Los Angeles theatre and drama from local periodicals, dating back to 1937. The actual reviews are contained in scrapbooks maintained by the Department.
Contains brief reviews and plot synopses, published in library periodicals or written by our staff, of most of the Department's fiction, beginning around 1920. We also have a file on material rejected by the Department in the early period.
An index, arranged by subject, to fiction owned by the Los Angeles Public Library. The index covers the period from about 1900 until 1986, after which most fiction is subject-indexed in our online catalogue. The thousands of subject headings include geographic locales, occupations, and historical eras and events, and each entry also contains a brief plot description. There are also index entries for historical figures who appear as characters in novels.
Began around 1965 and includes novels, plays, stories, poems, and nonfiction books that were made into motion pictures and television. Also included are novelizations made from motion pictures and television.
A digitized subject index to information on a variety of frequently requested topics, located by Department staff in response to patron questions and kept at our Reference desk. We've included popular poems, familiar and unfamiliar quotations, and data on language and vocabulary.
A digitized index to obituary information on notable actors, authors, journalists, and librarians. The index is searchable by name, occupation, date, cause of death, and place of death. Burial information is also included when available.
Contains bibliographic citations to theatre reviews published in general and theatrical periodicals dating back to the 1920s. Most of the citations are for New York and London productions, but many reviews of regional theatre are also included.
Lists sequels and fiction series in chronological order. You can search by the author, series (i.e., Star Wars), or character (i.e., Philip Marlowe). Also included are modern sequels to classic novels, such as sequels to Gone With the Wind.
Is an index to short stories in collections and anthologies in the library. Only stories which are not listed individually in our online catalog are included in this file, so please check our catalog first.
Indexes articles about local theatres and theatre companies dating from 1975 to 1996. The articles are contained in scrapbooks stored by the Department.
Indexes reviews of television programs which appeared in local newspapers between 1971 and 1994. The index includes program titles and names of the principal actors. The reviews are contained in scrapbooks maintained by the Department.
Provides information on the literary sources for titles of novels owned by the Department.
Index of plays that have had major productions but have never been published. Included are citations to production reviews and contact names for additional information.
Research Guides
These guides have been prepared by the Literature and Fiction staff to assist you in beginning your research on popular topics. A reference librarian can give you more detailed directions.
Meeting Rooms
The Literature & Fiction has glass-enclosed meeting rooms available for use.
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.
Guidelines
- Sign-ups on the hour or half-hour
- Must have a valid library card
- Reservations must be made in person, on the 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 are required for large (6 chair) rooms
- Furniture and chairs must not be moved
- Dry-erase markers and erasers are available upon request
- All library rules apply: Patrons in violation of library rules may be refused service.