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When Gertrude Darlow joined the Los Angeles Public Library in October 1893, there were less than twenty employees. During her thirty-plus years with the library, she worked under seven City Librarians, including legends such as Tessa Kelso, Mary L.
As African American Heritage Month ends and Women’s Heritage Month begins, I’d like to draw attention to Miriam Matthews, the trailblazing librarian whose lifetime of achievements are worthy of celebration in any month.
While it's true that information on the 2.8 million items in the Central Library is on computer servers that take up a tiny space compared to the hundreds of drawers of catalog cards once used, one can still view some of our collections the old-fashioned way, complete with Dewey decimal number, title, auth
Since 1872 the Los Angeles Public Library has been home to some very interesting librarians. This is the first of an occasional series highlighting these fascinating people, many of whom are little known but had a role in the history of the city, connecting people with ideas, information, and resources.
As the Los Angeles Public Library celebrates Women’s History Month, it’s appropriate to remember Tessa Kelso, sixth city librarian for Los Angeles (1889-1895).
In retrospect, it is ironic that the fire took place when it did: April 29, 1986. On that day, progress was quietly continuing with plans for a renovation of the original Central Library and a new multi-level addition.
The day my own dear Central Library reopened I got my name in the L.A. Times which elicited ragging from pals around the city.
Memorial Day is officially observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military. It was originally known as Decoration Day because families would decorate the graves of those who had fallen in the Civil War.
"It happened in New York, April 10th, nineteen years ago. Even my hand balks at the date. I had to push to write it down, just to keep the pen moving on the paper.
Today is National Bookmobile Day, a day to celebrate the contributions bookmobiles make to their communities. From 1949 to 2004, Los Angeles Public Library’s bookmobiles made a significant impact in the community by visiting lots of neighborhood schools, parks, and housing developments around the city.