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 ›

Book borrowers, rejoice: Your favorite Los Angeles Public Library Branch will resume its hours of operation on Mondays, starting July 18th. Thank Measure L, the ballot initiative L.A. voters passed back in March: That's where the funds are coming from. more ›

The Los Angeles Public Library’s Silver Lake Branch is one of--if not the--innovative of the system's branches, and now they are getting ready to launch a mobile app that will allow patrons to use their own smartphone to check out materials from anywhere within the library. more ›

The end of the Oprah Era means more than the loss of a national anticipation for 4:00 p.m., heart-wrenching exposés, couch-jumping shenanigans and free cars; it also marks the departure of one of the largest book clubs in history. Swaying millions of viewers to read the kinds of books that put Cliff’s Notes in business proves that there is power in community reading. 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 ›

At a City Council meeting today, the city's head librarian stated that he was against putting software filters on public library computers to block users from accessing porn, reports Fox News. Arguing that the filters would prevent patrons from accessing legitimate information -- such as a search for "breast cancer" -- City Librarian Martin Gomez added that he also feels it's parent's responsibility to monitor what their kids do online. more ›

If you thought the only Intelligentsia in LA was a hipster coffeehouse, think again. Meet the Young Literati. They’re a group of public library supporters on a cultural crusade to establish Los Angeles as the intellectual and literary city it deserves to be. Comprised of young professionals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, the Young Literati are convinced that fostering a community dedicated to culture and the arts lies entirely in the fate of the Los Angeles Public Library. more ›

What better day is there than the Tuesday than during National Library Week for the Los Angeles City Council's Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee to take up the vital discussion of the permissibility of internet porn in our libraries? more ›

Today would've been the 107th birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), best known for his words of wisdom inked under the nom de plume Dr. Seuss. Creator of the Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Oh, the Places You'll Go and so many more, it's refreshing if not just for sentimental purposes to celebrate Seuss' birthday by recalling his great one-liners. more ›

World-renowned writer Jorge Luis Borges famously said, “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” In LA, Paradise is closed twice a week, in need of new books, and hard up for hired help. In the wake of City Council’s 2010 decision to cut library resources and employees, while simultaneously enforcing LAPL to pay for their own water and power, the city is experiencing a library crisis. more ›

It's been a rough year for libraries in L.A., thanks to budget cuts, but patrons still used the Los Angeles Public Library's 72 branch locations to check out books. I asked the LAPL what the most checked-out book was in 2010: Book borrowing Angelenos spent last year following Robert Langdon as he worked to untangle the mysteries of Freemasonary in Dan Brown's novel The Lost Symbol. 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 ›

When library hours were shortened by two days this summer, thanks to budget cuts, there was a movement to save them via the ballot. The prospect of that is nearing reality. Today the L.A. City Council voted to have language drawn up to put such a measure before voters on March 8th, 2011. more ›

It may be election day, but the Los Angeles City Council has their work cut out for them as this week is the last to approve items for the March 8th, 2011 ballot. That's the municipal election where half of the City Council is up for grabs along with a number of measures. A couple ballot items are already approved -- like pension reform -- but at this morning's meeting, several more will be considered. more ›

LA Public Libraries are closed on Sundays and Mondays due to unruly budget cuts. This includes the historic Central Library - a downtown landmark and one of the largest libraries in the country - in addition to all 70+ LAPL branches. Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Burbank patrons can access their library's resources 7 days a week. How can we fix this? more ›

Sunday marks a big day of transition for Los Angeles, thanks to the city's budget shortfall. Both the Library and the city's 24-hour operator service shorten hours. more ›

Voters in the City of Los Angeles will not get to have a say on the November ballot in regards to a parcel tax whose revenue would in turn help fund the cash-strapped Los Angeles Public Library system. more ›

When the year began, Los Angeles' stock of 83 libraries were open seven days a week. Then budget cuts forced shorter hours, leaving them open six days a week. This week -- once again, thanks to budget cuts -- hours will be shortened to five days a week. more ›

Los Angeles voters may see a parcel tax measure that would help fund libraries on a ballot next year instead of this November if city budget officials have their way. The Board of Library Commissioners earlier this month approved a $39/year parcel tax for the November ballot that would fund libraries enough to open them six days a week, restore jobs and enhance other programs. more ›

A recommendation to place a parcel tax measure that would help fund libraries on the November ballot was approved by the board that oversees Los Angeles' system of 83 libraries last week. If approved by the L.A. City Council, a ballot measure would ask voters to place a $39/year parcel tax to re-expand library hours after cuts earlier this year, hopefully to six days a week, and beef up other programs. more ›

A proposal to shut Los Angeles libraries down another day of the week was reluctantly approved yesterday by the board that oversees them. Starting July 6th, libraries will be open five days a week, a move to keep the system of 83 libraries solvent during budget cuts and workforce reductions. This comes after the Board of Library Commissioners voted to shorten hours earlier this year from seven days a week to six due to budget cuts. More details of the proposal can be found on LAist's post from before the meeting. more ›

Budget cuts already forced the hands of Los Angeles' system of 83 libraries earlier this year by shortening hours, slashing staff and offering one less day of service. Now, facing even more cuts within the upcoming budget cycle that begins in July, the Board of Library Commissioners are scheduled to vote (.pdf) on a proposal today that would mean libraries would be closed yet another day, bringing them to be open a total of five days a week. more ›

In Monday's marathon-length budget meeting of the L.A. City Council, a horde of motions were submitted and passed. Although one will reduce library hours even more, another could bring a litlte relief to library users. more ›

Citing solutions to the city's budget crisis, such as the early retirement program and a hiring freeze, the Los Angeles Public Library this morning formally announced new hours which being immediately. Citywide, all libraries will be closed on Sundays. The other six days, Central Library will be open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. every other day, except on Fridays when it will close at 5:30 p.m. (hours for all facilities--Central, Regional and Branch libraries--are listed below) more ›

Well, perhaps a thousand pictures would be a bit overwhelming to look at in our context here, but over time there have been thousands upon thousands of photos taken of and inside our many Los Angeles Public Libraries, particularly the splendid Central Library in Downtown that rose from the ashes of the devastating 1986 fire. more ›

Proposed cuts to services and other departments in the City in the face of a serious budget crunch means that many of our cherished, under-appreciated, and already under-served resources stand to lose a great deal. The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is no exception, and in order to gather public support they have launched a "Save the Library" campaign. more ›

The Los Angeles Public Library's latest art exhibit is an examination of itself. ”Tomorrow’s Libraries Today: Rebuilding the Los Angeles Public Library" takes a cue from Walt Whitman by celebrating itself. On display at the City Hall Bridge Gallery are artist renderings of libraries built in the 20-year branch re-construction program, which included nine new libraries in neighborhoods formally without them. more ›

Many small libraries use web resource LibraryThing to help sort their inventory, as do readers all over the world who want to keep track of their tomes. The site is now urging users to form FlashMobs to catalog complete library inventories. They explain that the event usually entails a gathering where "LibraryThing members descend on some small library with laptops and CueCat barcode scanners, catalog their books in LibraryThing, eat some pizza, talk some talk and leave them with a gleaming new LibraryThing catalog." more ›