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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
Map for Central Library Branch

Click map for detailed view, directions, and transit info.

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
Baby sits on a colorful floor in front of an equally colorful parachute.
Thursday mornings at 11 a.m.
Baby & Me
Activities and play to help babies 0-18 months and their parents/caregivers bond. For more information, please contact children@lapl.org.
A volunteer walk-in tutor working with a learner.
Every Thursday at 11 a.m.
Walk-in Tutoring With Kathleen
Would you like to improve your reading, writing, or conversation skills? Adults can work with a tutor for 15-20 minutes. Walk-in tutoring...
globe with rainbow stack of language books
Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.
Russian for Beginners
Russian for Beginners.
globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.
Docent-led L.A. Central Library Art & Architecture Tour
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...
Four people singing
Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Sing
An interactive program of conscious breathing, vocal exercises, improvisation, and music, Neighborhood Sing promotes self-expression...
Alumnos maduros aprendiendo informática en un aula.
May 9, 2024 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Ayuda con Computación
Si usted es un principiante en el uso de una computadora y tiene preguntas sobre cómo hacer una búsqueda en el Internet o como utilizar...
A volunteer tutor working with a learner.
Every Friday at 11 a.m.
Walk-in Tutor With Patrick
Would you like to improve your reading, writing, or conversation skills? Adults can work with a tutor for 15-20 minutes. Walk-in tutoring...
Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Fridays at 12:30 p.m.
Docent-led L.A. Central Library Art & Architecture Tour
Take an hour-long tour through the Los Angeles Central Library. Your docent guide will share stories about the history, art, and...
a flagbook of various colors
May 11, 2024 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Create A Flag Book With Teaching Artist Rachel Curry
Learn basic bookbinding skills and create your own decorative flag book with Teaching Artist Rachel Curry. A flag book is a sculptural...
Portrait of Richard Foss in Chinatown
May 11, 2024 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Imbibing LA: Boozing It Up In The City of Angels (Culinary Historians of Southern California)
From the wine-loving Spaniards who first settled in Los Angeles to the cocktail quaffers of the jet age, Los Angeles tastes have shifted...
More Events at Central Library


What We're Reading

LAPL Reads: Recommendations | Book Lists | New Books | Catalog

Recent Blog Posts from LAPL Blog
May 09, 2024
The Amazing Legacy of Pierre Boulle’s Planet of the Apes
By John Tommasino, Cybernaut
In the farthest reaches of space, a group of star travelers finds a message in a bottle that contains the record of another spaceship’s doomed voyage to a planet where apes are masters and humans are... Continued
May 09, 2024
Not a Dragon, Not a Dog: A Guardian Lion
By Jennifer Siron, Senior Librarian
Curious about the guardian lion? The guardian lion, also known as Komainu, Shishi, or Fu Lion, symbolizes prosperity, success, and guardianship. These mythical guardian lions have special protective... Continued
May 08, 2024
Looking at Art: Finely Printed Artists’ Works / Livres d’Artistes
By Art Department
In continuing the exploration of the history of the book through the holdings of Los Angeles Public Library’s Special Collections, this installment will cover the fine printing in paper form of... Continued
May 07, 2024
Jewish American Heritage Month: Industry Trailblazers
By Wendy Horowitz, Librarian
The history of the Jewish community of Los Angeles began before California became a state: Jewish settler Jacob Frankfort arrived in 1841 while the region was still a Spanish colony. A decade later,... Continued

All Posts from LAPL Blog

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.

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