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Changing Face of Southern California

Public library, City of Los Angeles, California

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Public library, City of Los Angeles, California

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Identifier	post_00129
Title	Public library, City of Los Angeles, California
Creator	unknown
Date Published	circa 1960
Subject (Topic)	Public libraries--California--Los Angeles;
Subject (Name)	Los Angeles Public Library;
Subject (Place)	Los Angeles (Calif.)--Buildings & structures;
Type	image
Form/Genre	postcards
Physical Description	1 postcard : Color ; 9 x 14 cm.
Institution	Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University
Country of Creation	US
Copyright Status	public domain
Copyright Statement	http://library.lmu.edu/generalinformation/departments/digitallibraryprogram/copyrightandreproductionpolicy/#d.en.3004
Publisher	Alfred S. Johnson Printing Co.
Place of Publication	Alhambra, Calif.
Language	eng
Description	Courtyard and lawn outside Central Library; people going in and out of building, sitting on lawn and benches; trees; shrubbery; walking paths.
Historical Background	The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) began as a subscription based reading room located in Downey Block at Main, Spring and Temple Streets. The 6,000-plus book collection was moved to the second City Hall building in 1889 where it was cataloged for the first time using the then new Dewey Decimal system. In 1891, the city began to fully fund the library and the subscription fee was dropped, making access free. From the 1890s on, the library had outgrown its allotted space and library supporters lobbied continuously for a separate building. Finally, in 1926, the Central Library building opened at the site of the old State Normal School, between Fifth and Sixth, Grand and Flower. It was designed by Bertram Goodhue in an Ancient Egyptian style with an arch, a mosaic pyramid decorated with suns, sphinxes, and snakes, topped by a hand holding a torch to represent the Light of Learning." Two arson fires in 1986 damaged part of the building and 20% of its collection. Rebuilding began in 1988, and when it opened in 1993, the renovated structure featured a Neo-Mission style with an additional east wing and a high atrium. In funding the rebuilding, air rights were sold to developers who added a tower that exceeded city height restrictions. Library Tower, now the U.S. Bank Tower, remains the tallest building in Los Angeles. The name of the library was changed to the Richard Riordan Central Library to honor former Mayor Riordon for his strong support of the library.
Additional Printed Matter	On back:"One of the world's busiest library buildings, the Central Library at Fifth and Grand Streets in downtown Los Angeles is heart of a system of fifty-two branches and four bookmobiles. Over 7,000 people enter its doors daily to use the services of its ten subject departments."
Source	Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection