The Los Angeles Central Library, an architectural gem that opened in 1926, celebrated its 100th anniversary this week with an estimated 12,000 visitors flooding its corridors, rotunda, and gardens. The event underscored the library's enduring relevance as a civic space and cultural landmark.
A Century of History and Pop Culture
The library has served as a backdrop for numerous films and television shows, including the epic street battle in 'Heat' starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, and the first ghost encounter in the original 'Ghostbusters' movie. Television series such as 'Moonlighting', 'Murder, She Wrote', and 'LA Law' also filmed scenes there. However, it has also witnessed darker moments: in 1985, serial killer Richard Ramirez, known as the 'Night Stalker', visited the library to request books on astrology and torture, and a still-unsolved arson in 1986 destroyed 400,000 volumes, forcing a seven-year closure.
Architectural Marvel and Iconic Features
Designed by architect Bertram Goodhue, the library was financed through a $2.5 million municipal bond measure approved in 1921. According to Stephen Gee, author of 'Los Angeles Central Library: A History of Its Art and Architecture', Goodhue promised a Spanish-style library but created 'a remarkable fusion of Spanish, Egyptian, Byzantine and Islamic influences.' This is evident in the colored mosaic pyramid on the roof, topped by a torch symbolizing the light of learning, and two black-gold sphinxes guarding a staircase. The central rotunda features Dean Cornwell's murals of California history and a Zodiac chandelier with stained glass.
The library houses nearly 3 million books and 89 miles of shelves, as noted in 'L Is for Librarian: The ABCs of Los Angeles Central Library'. Christina Rice, senior librarian and Central 100 co-chair, highlighted the library's modern services: 'We have a program for adults to earn their high school diploma, loads of resources to get teens prepared for college and literacy assistance for patrons of all ages.' The Octavia lab, named after science fiction author Octavia Butler, offers 3D printing, digitizers, vinyl cutters, and sewing machines.
Centennial Celebrations and Community Engagement
During the centennial festival, a vintage injection-mold vending machine, dubbed 'Mold-A-Central' by Rice, produced small replica wax models of the library's sphinxes. Rice said, 'About a dozen years ago, we received an inquiry in the photo collection from a patron looking for images of these machines,' and after tracking one down, it will become a permanent fixture with periodically changing molds. Visitors also used vintage typewriters to type poems on former catalogue cards, and the history department's family names cabinet saw eager browsing. Kelly Wallace, California history specialist, noted, 'People do love card catalogues. I find that Los Angeles has come of age in terms of taking an interest in its own history.'
The most popular attraction was 'Luceros y Penumbras' by Daniel González, a 31-by-20-foot pop-up book weighing 1,800 pounds, displayed in the rotunda. Additionally, 588 people were issued new library cards during the event. Stephen Gee remarked, 'It remains one of the city's great civic spaces, a place that's used, loved and valued every single day. It's one of the few places in modern Los Angeles where everyone is welcome, regardless of their background or circumstances.'
