43-year-old Brian Natonski of Los Angeles was arrested on Thursday in a sting operation at the Central Library for allegedly stealing a laptop left intentionally unattended by detectives, according to LA Now. more ›

To celebrate the re-opening of all 73 Los Angeles Public Library locations for Monday hours today, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made some time to read a story to some kids following a press conference at Central Library. Villaraigosa's Sr. Press Secretary, Sarah Hamilton, whose imminent departure made headlines today, posted this photo to her Twitter. more ›

"On April 29, 1986, a major emergency fire at the Los Angeles Central Library was so challenging, it required more than 350 firefighters and nearly every facet of the department before it was knocked down," explains the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society. "The tough firefight used 60 fire fighting companies, 1 arson unit, 9 paramedic rescue ambulances, 3 helicopters, 4 salvage companies, 1 squad, 2 emergency air units, a heavy utility company, and more than 40 staff and support personnel." more ›

Downtown LA's Central Library was just included on Flavorpill's list of the Ten Most Beautiful Public Libraries in the U.S. While we didn't need a list to remind us that the Richard Riordan Central Library, designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, is a gem to treasure, we'll take this chance to celebrate it anew. Not only does the library house over 6 million volumes making it one of the largest publicly funded libraries in the world, it's an architectural stunner. more ›

SCI-Arc is conducting a series of Monday discussions throughout November with new media artists in conjuction with the current exhibition Blow x Blow. Hosted by Joe Day, principal of deegan day design, the talks explore current practice and the challenges of new media installation. The series begins tonight at 7:30 pm with a discussion between artist/architect An Te Liu and ForYourArt founder Bettina Korek. more ›

Steve Martin’s playing the banjo tonight at 8 pm to raise money for the Los Angeles Public Library. The comedian-bluegrass musician will be in conversation with Dave Barry to launch the ALOUD at L. A. LIVE series. Held at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia, Martin will be performing songs from his musical debut CD, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. The Steep Canyon Rangers band will appear with Martin and the CD’s producer, John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder) will join the group on stage during the performance. Tickets are $25-$250. more ›

ALOUD at Central Library hosts a conversation with Reza Aslan, cofounder and creative director of BoomGen Studios as well as the Editorial Executive of Mecca.com and journalist Amy Wilentz for Young Literati Members tonight at 7 pm. They’ll talk about “launching a revolution in the way we understand - and confront - radical Islam.” After the program, join both authors and Young Literati members for an intimate gathering, including cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at Café Pinot. (ALOUD Program is open to the public, the post-program cocktails are limited to current Young Literati members.) more ›

Author Gayle Greene will discuss her book An Insomniac’s Slant on Sleep with Alice Wexler, research scholar at the UCLA Center for the Study of Women. Greene weaves memoir and investigation on the science of sleep -- from the perspective of a life-long insomniac. She’ll guide the audience through the “hidden terrain of a devastating and little understood condition.” The free event begins at 7 pm tonight at the Central Library as part of its ALOUD series. Reservations are recommended. more ›

Just because it is February and freezing cold rain has been pouring down on us doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little bit of the tropics in L.A. Domingosiete plays its uniquely L.A. brand of Cuban son at La Cita tonight. Show starts at 10 and don't forget your dancing shoes. more ›

Throughout the world, in major cities, there are legends of strange humanoids and elusive creatures living beneath the streets. In New York there were once many rumors of alligators occupying the sewer systems, and such creatures have been dredged up from below. In London there was once lore pertaining to subterranean folk inhabiting the gloomy, unused tunnels, but such whispers were never proven. Los Angeles is no exempt from the weirdness... more ›

FESTIVAL*: The first ever Downtown Film Festival – Los Angeles began yesterday and continues through the weekend with 23 feature and 180 short films at venues throughout Downtown L.A., from the historic movie palaces on Broadway Avenue to Barker Block and SCI-Arc in Downtown’s Arts District. Featured tonight are A Beautiful Life at the Laemmle Grand and Audie & the Wolf at the Los Angeles Theatre. more ›

Donald Welch presents and signs The Bachelorette Party 7pm @ Book Soup more ›

Alan Furst discusses and signs The Spies of Warsaw 7pm @ Vroman's more ›

Ongoing until June 8th, one of LA's most well known aspects of its deep rooted car culture is showcased in La Vida Lowrider: Cruising The City Of Angels. A collection of cars, motorcycles and bicycles summarize decades of low riding history from its roots in East LA to present day. more ›

Valerie Mendenhall Cohen presents Woman on the Rocks 7pm @ Vroman's more ›

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John Richardson signs A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years 7pm @ LACMA more ›

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Ray Bradbury, Forrest J. Ackerman and Ray Harryhausen discuss their work 7:30pm @ Mystery & Imagination Bookstore more ›

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Get Your Lit On: The Week in Bookish LA includes some outstanding readings this week from some fine, fine writers including Maggie Nelson, Anne Enright, Colm Toibin, Toby Barlow, Amy Hempel, Peter Carey, John Rechy, Martha Grimes and Russell Banks. more ›

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Cindy Pierce and Edie Thys Morgan presents Finding the Doorbell 7pm @ Book Soup more ›

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If you see folks walking around with some dirt on their foreheads today, they proabably did it on purpose. It is Ash Wednesday, where Christians are supposed to fast, pray, repent after the debauchery of Mardi Gras and (Super Tuesday). So here' are a few debauch-free events for tonight: more ›

Natalie Angier, New York Times reporter and author of Woman: An Intimate Geography, has written foreword to Full Body Project, the recently published book of photographs by Leonard Nimoy (yes Trekkies, Spock). The two will focus their Hammer Conversation on the concepts of beauty and sexuality. more ›

LA readings and book signings around town for January 28th - Februar 3rd including Judith Freeman, Ron Jeremy, Tamara Jenkins, Mary McNamara, Sam Jones and Tom Dolby. more ›

Yes, we know that rainy days and Mondays can get you down. And doubly so today. But you can turn that mood around by stepping out tonight to one of these great events. Just watch for puddles. more ›

What’s up with all the development in Downtown LA? What’s it going to look like in 5, 10 or 20 years? Moderated by Christopher Hawthorne, Los Angeles Times architecture critic, ALOUD at the Central Library features panelists Lauren Bon, Tom Gilmore, Martha Welborne and James Von Klemperer, AIA to discuss all things Downtown and development. more ›