A Brief Sunland - Tujunga Branch Library History

A new 10,500 square foot branch opened September 30, 1995. Prior to the 1952 opening of the Sunland – Tujunga Branch Library facility -- at 7771 Foothill Boulevard, the communities of Sunland and Tujunga were served by two library stations. The first, established in 1914 on Sunland's Fenwick Street near Floralita Ave., was under the supervision of the Los Angeles County Library. The second was established by the City of Los Angeles in November, 1926, and occupied the same building used by the County.

After two moves, the library stations settled in at 8412 Foothill, Blvd. When the community of Tujunga was annexed to the City of Los Angeles in July, 1932, the Los Angeles Public Library took over the County station.

As the Sunland and Tujunga communities grew, the station became increasingly unable to meet patrons' needs, and in 1947 a citizen's committee was formed to petition for a new facility on city owned property as part a proposed civic unit encompassing a city hall and fire station. The project was approved -- and the new 4,578-square-foot Sunland - Tujunga Branch Library opened to the public on Monday, July 28, 1952.

From the first day of service the branch surpassed expected patronage; by year's end, there were 6,000 registered borrowers and a circulation of 150,000 books and magazines. However, by 1989 the community had again outgrown its space. With funding made possible by the passage of Proposition #1, the 1989 Branch Library Facilities Bond, plans to build a new 10,500-square-foot facility on the present site were set in motion. The old building was closed in November, 1993, and service was reinstated in a bookmobile located at 8040 Foothill Blvd.

The long-awaited $2.2-million Sunland – Tujunga Branch facility opened September 30, 1995, and provides room to increase the book collection from 45,000 to 75,000 volumes, as well as a multi-purpose room for community meetings, children's story hours, and other programs. Fifteen public access computers are available, as well as free public wi-fi.

Photographs from the Los Angeles Public Library Security Pacific National Bank Historic Photograph Collection.

Find A Library

Choose Branch:

Support Your Library

Why support the Library?

The Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest most diverse population of any library in the United States.

Through its Central Library and 72 branches, the Los Angeles Public Library provides free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city's diverse communities.

With more people than ever before using the library—a record 17 million last year alone—your support helps the Library provide people with the resources they need to succeed and thrive.

How to support the Library

You can support the Los Angeles Public Library in several ways:

Join a “Friends” group. There is a “Friends of the Library” group for most branch libraries and departments of the Central Library. Friends groups raise money for improvements to their library through memberships, used book sales and other activities. For more information click here or talk to your local librarian.

Join the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The Library Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises funds for Library enhancement programs such as adult and early literacy, children and teen reading clubs, technology, and cultural programs. Foundation members receive a variety of benefits with their membership. For more information, see http://www.lfla.org.

Make a donation by check to the Los Angeles Public Library and send it to:
Support the Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Los Angeles CA 90071 or call (213) 228-7272.