LA County Library

The County of Los Angeles Public Library History Collection features photographs and documents related to the 100 year history of our many community libraries.

Institution: LA County Library

Foto East LA, a community history project of the County of Los Angeles Public Library, is an online collection of images depicting the history of one of the nation’s most culturally rich communities. From everyday events to extraordinary moments, we’re gathering historical images taken by locals who have experienced East LA firsthand.

Institution: LA County Library

Born from the vibrant echoes of the A C Bilbrew Library, the Going Gray in LA collection is a mosaic of heritage and heart. During two community gatherings on October 13 and November 24, 2018, library neighbors transformed into historians, scanning their cherished photographs to bridge the gap between yesterday and tomorrow. Each image captured is more than a pixel on a screen. It is a legacy preserved, ensuring that the intimate stories of Los Angeles County’s aging generations remain a loud and enduring anthem for those yet to come. The events were held in collaboration with A C Bilbrew …

Institution: LA County Library

Take a peek behind the scenes at LA County Library's Children's Services through this fascinating collection of internal newsletters spanning 1959 to 1970. These publications offer a unique window into the everyday world of children's librarians, featuring staff updates, creative programming ideas, craft projects, book recommendations, and lively discussions about children's literature. These newsletters capture the passion and dedication of librarians working to serve young readers across Los Angeles County, revealing how children's library services evolved during the 1960s. This collection complements the broader LA County Library History collection, which documents over 100 years of library history across Los Angeles …

Institution: LA County Library

The LA County Parks and Public Outdoor Spaces collection consists of photographs and ephemera that have been created and collected since the inception of County park facilities. Earliest images in the collection date to 1927 and many document the construction of our park and golf course facilities. The 5000+ collection items found in the LA County Parks and Public Outdoor Spaces collection include photos and ephemera concerning locations including Alondra Golf Course, Belvedere Park, Castaic Lake, Del Aire Park, Eaton Conyon Golf Course, Franklin Roosevelt Park, George Washington Carver Park, Jesse Owens Park, La Mirada Community Regional Park, Manzanita Park, …

Institution: LA County Library

The American Indian Resources Center’s letters collection are letters from federal and state government officials and private citizens in California to the Office of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C., on issues relating to California Indians immediately before and during the first 30 years of California's statehood. The letters’ purpose was to keep the Office informed as to the status and developments in the governance of Indian affairs in California. The American Indian Resource Center (AIRC) was established in 1979 to meet the informational, cultural and educational needs of Native Americans in Los Angeles County and to make information about them …

Institution: LA County Library

Collection materials in the Los Angeles County Advanced SCUBA Diver Program collection include photographs and ephemera collected by the Advanced Diver Program of The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation since the program's creation in 1954. Image dates in the collection range from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Many of the materials document the earliest courses conducted on local County beaches, including the beaches of Santa Catalina Island, where many in the local community achieved Advanced SCUBA Diver certification alongside Hollywood actors of the time. Artifacts in the Los Angeles County Advanced SCUBA Diver Program collection …

Institution: LA County Library

The photographs in the Los Angeles County Flood Control District File Copy Prints collection primarily consist of project photographs captured between 1943 and 1985 and related to the construction and maintenance of Flood Control District facilities and infrastructure. It also documents storms and flood damage in particular areas of the County, throughout existing waterways and channels. The photographs were taken by staff photographers with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. The 1500+ collection items found in the Los Angeles County Flood Control District File Copy Prints collection concern 266 separate flood control projects. Each print is labelled …

Institution: LA County Library

Digitized during the summer of 2017, images in the Malibu History collection document Malibu area history through the lens of community historians. All Malibu History collection items are reproductions of original images mounted in the 1950s and 1960s by the Malibu Historical Society and publicly exhibited at the Adamson House Museum in Malibu, California. Original exhibit materials are now held by The Friends of the Malibu Library. For more information, please visit The Friends of the Malibu Library (https://www.friendsofthemalibulibrary.com/).

Institution: LA County Library

The San Gabriel Valley History collection is a community based history project of San Gabriel Library and the San Gabriel Historical Association, which explores and preserves San Gabriel Valley local history by sharing the personal stories of those that shaped it. The twenty-eight collection items found in the San Gabriel Valley History collection include black-and-white and color photographs, and postcards from the early to late 20th century. Artifacts in the San Gabriel Valley History collection are made possible through San Gabriel Library's San Gabriel Photo Scanning Day program held at San Gabriel Historical Museum in 2017, and in collaboration with …

Institution: LA County Library