Known as "the Jewel of Central Avenue," the Dunbar Hotel holds a special place in Los Angeles history as the first hotel built expressly by and for Black people. While the hotel is most famous for housing greats such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, W.E.B. DuBois, and Duke Ellington, the Angelenos behind its construction, John A. Somerville and Vada Watson Somerville, have a...
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What Halloween Looked Like in Vintage Los Angeles
I'll be the first to admit it, Halloween is my favorite holiday! I love everything about it from the spooky atmosphere and dressing up in a costume, to—I confess—all the candy! As an adult and a parent, it's also been a joy to create costumes for my family and take my little ghosties trick or treating.
Halloween Fun and Folklore
Jack-o’-lanterns, trick-or-treaters, clever costumes and spooky decorations—Halloween is one of the most beloved holidays in the United States. But where exactly did Halloween come from? What customs and folklore evolved into the festive holiday we celebrate today?
Interview With an Author: V.E. Schwab
Victoria "V.E." Schwab V.E.
Monsignor Romero: A Symbol Against Repression and Poverty
Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, better known as Monsignor Romero or San Romero has represented a symbol of social justice against repression and poverty in El Salvador and throughout Latin America for more than 38 years.
Great Cinema With Kanopy
Kanopy offers Los Angeles Public Library cardholders 24/7 online streaming access to the most acclaimed movies and documentaries from award-winning filmmakers. These films are often difficult or impossible to access elsewhere.
Representation Matters: An Interview With Erin Entrada Kelly
Erin Entrada Kelly, the author of the Newbery Award-winning book Hello Universe, spoke at the Central Library a few months ago as part of our Summer Author Series. Audience members wrote questions for Kelly on index cards.
Interview With an Author: Rebecca Serle
Rebecca Serle is a full-time writer, which means she gets to wear pajamas to work. She went to the University of Southern California, then got her MFA from the New School in NYC.
What a Library Means to Me: Save the Books Essay Contest Winner Now a Librarian
It was a typical day in my 11th grade English class, except my teacher offered a rare extra credit opportunity—to write a 100-word essay on the topic, "What a Library Means to Me." She explained that our essays would be submitted to the "Save the Books" essay contest, part of an effort to raise funds for t
Video: Firsthand Accounts of the Central Library Fire and Recovery
October 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the LA Central Library reopening seven years after a catastrophic fire in 1986. In this short film, three people who were at the fire share their memories of the fire and the effort to recover and rebuild.
History of Central Library's Grand Reopening in 1993
A month after the first of two fires burned through the Central Library in 1986, a collective effort by the City of Los Angeles raised $3.2 million. This was yet another plus in a major reconstructive campaign lasting 7 and a half years.