Los Angeles Central Library, Public library building in Downtown Los Angeles, United States.
The Los Angeles Central Library is the Goodhue Building, a tan and beige stone structure of stepped, vertical massing. Its central facade is divided by tall fluted pilasters topped with carved figures, with large grilled windows between them and smaller windows below. A square tower rises above, crowned by a triangular pediment with a colored mosaic and a small spire; the inscription "LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY" sits above a gated arched entry flanked by two lampposts.
Architect Bertram Goodhue designed the Goodhue Building, constructed 1924–1926 and opened on July 6, 1926, with a formal ceremony on July 15. Two arson fires in 1986 destroyed about 400,000 volumes, 20 percent of the holdings; the building stayed closed until the Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer renovation reopened it on October 3, 1993, alongside the Tom Bradley wing. It was renamed for Mayor Richard Riordan in 2001 and listed on the National Register on December 18, 1970.
The library's name honours Mayor Richard Riordan, who led the city from 1993 to 2001; the 1993 wing carries the name of Mayor Tom Bradley, whose "Save the Books" campaign raised funds after the 1986 fires. A Shakespeare Fourth Folio turned up while collections were recatalogued during that campaign. In 2026 the building marks its centenary as "Central 100", with exhibitions and a monthly podcast, "Past Due".
Entry is free and the building is open most days of the week. The different collections are spread across multiple floors, so checking the signs helps you find what you need quickly.
The rotunda inside displays murals showing scenes from California's history that many visitors overlook. The outer walls also feature carved quotations from philosophers in multiple languages and writing systems.
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