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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
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...
Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Saturdays at 11 a.m.
Docent-led 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...
Close up of a hand holding a pen ready to write in a journal
Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Poetry Workshop
Join this inclusive, in-person poetry workshop where poets of all levels can come together, share their work, and foster a vibrant poetry...
A volunteer walk-in tutor working with a learner.
Every Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
Walk-in Tutoring With Marley
Would you like to improve your reading, writing, or conversation skills? Adults can work with a tutor for 20 minutes. Walk-in tutoring is...
Volunteer teacher helping learners in the classroom.
Every Saturday from 11:30 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Pronunciation and Idioms Class (High Intermediate/Advanced Level) With Linda and Lea
Do you want to practice your English pronunciation and better understand those unusual expressions called idioms? This class is for you!...
women at a desk wearing headphones looking at a laptop
May 11, 2024 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Paying for College / Cómo Pagar la Universidad

Equip yourself with essential knowledge about scholarships and financial aid in this crucial workshop. Explore the intricacies of...
Globe chandelier located in the Central Library rotunda
Saturdays at 2 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...
More Events at Central Library


What We're Reading

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

Recent Blog Posts from LAPL Blog
May 10, 2024
Read It First! Movie Adaptations in Theaters This Month
By Elizabeth Graney, Librarian
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a million times—the book was better! There's nothing like debating the differences between a favorite book and its translation to the screen. But if you don't... 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 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 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

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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