History
The East Los Angeles Library was established on May 1, 1923, with a
small collection of books in the corner of a local store. Three months
later, a small building was constructed to house the collection. In 1924,
another building was constructed at Kern Avenue near Whittier Boulevard
to become the new site of the public library. Then in 1932, the library
moved to 679 Fetterly Avenue, where it was located for 35 years before
being moved to a new building, on the corner of Third and Fetterly in 1967.
Thanks to funding from Gloria Molina, Supervisor of the First District,
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the library moved into its new
location in September 2004. This brand new library building is over
26,000 square feet, nearly double the size of the old building. The
library now offers expanded services and collections and an expanded
Chicano Resource Center in a separate room.
The library is proud of its history of excellent service to the residents
in the surrounding neighborhoods. With a bilingual staff, bilingual
signage and one of the largest Spanish language adult and children's
collections in the County Library, the East Los Angeles Library sets
high standards for service to its clientele, which is predominantly
Latino. The library is also host to the Chicano
Resource Center, established in 1976, which is a multimedia
collection, primarily in English, of materials on the history and
culture of the Mexican American people.
Collection
The current book collection totals 139,542 volumes. There are 5,990
audio cassettes and compact discs; 8,890 video cassettes; 123 magazines
and newspaper subscriptions; and other special materials such as
telephone directories, microforms, and pamphlets. There are materials
in English and Spanish.
Services
Services available to customers are public access computers for both
adults and children; online library catalogs and electronic database
indexes; microform reader-printer; four small study rooms; two quiet
study areas; a Homework Center;
children's programs; a Storytime Tower, a dedicated area for story hours;
a self-check machine; a coin-operated photocopier; a public meeting
room (available on a rental basis); a
Friends of the Library Video
Collection; a Friends of the Library
Bookstore and the Chicano Resource Center
collection.
Facilities
The new 26,300 square foot
library, which opened in
September 2004, replaced the old 15,120 square foot building. It
includes adult and children's areas, a separate room for the
Chicano Resource Center, a
meeting room with a capacity of 175 people; a computer room; a Friends
of the Library bookstore and free parking. The building was designed
by architect Stephen Finney of CWA AIA, Inc., Glendale.
Community residents requested that the new library reflect Mayan
design and themes. Since many Mayan structures in southern Mexico
and Central America were astronomical observatories, the designers
incorporated references to the sun and the moon, both themes in Mayan
art, in the pavement at the entrances and in the lobby.
The interior foyer features artist Jose Antonio's monumental mosaic
mural cycle "OUR LEGACY: Forever Presente..." which is a visual
tribute to East Los Angeles' proud cultural heritage and socio-political
struggle.
Political Representatives
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