County of Los Angeles Public Library

County of Los Angeles Public Library

Country	United States
Type	Public
Established	1912
Reference to legal mandate	County Free Library Act
Location	Downey, Los Angeles County, California
Coordinates	33°55′40.88″N 118°9′41.67″W / 33.9280222°N 118.1615750°W / 33.9280222; -118.1615750
Branches	85
Collection
Size	4,799,808
Criteria for collection	County residents
Access and use
Circulation	13,026,434
Population served	3,375,417
Members	3,045,433
Other information
Budget	US$131,063,244 (2015/16)[1]
Director	Skye Patrick, County Librarian
Staff	1,483 (2010)[1]
Website	www.colapublib.org
References: [2]

Maywood Cesar Chavez Library

West Hollywood Library

The former Pico Rivera Library, now closed

The County of Los Angeles Public Library is the 2nd largest public library system in the United States^[3] which serves residents living in 49 of the 88 incorporated cities of Los Angeles County, California. United States and those living in unincorporated areas resulting in a service area extending over 3,000 square miles (7,800 km²).^[4]

History and Politics

"County Free Library Act" (1912) established and authorized the Los Angeles County Free Library, later to become the County of Los Angeles Public Library system of branches.

The library system, headquartered in Downey, California, is overseen by the Library Commission of 20 appointed members who report on administration, operation, and service to the County Board of Supervisors who operate County Library as a special fund department.^[5]

Skye Patrick was appointed County Librarian on February 1, 2016.^[6]

Services and Resources

The mission of the library is to "provide our diverse communities with easy access to the information and knowledge they need to nurture their cultural exploration and lifelong learning." As such, the library provides many resources, including literacy services and programs for families and children.^[7]

The library system offers consumer health information under CHIPS (Consumer Health Information Program and Services).

Visitors

Available to visitors within each library are reference and circulating books, periodicals and audio/visual materials. Catalog terminals query the collection of the entire library system. Information centers offer a collection of pamphlets and community information featuring upcoming events. A payphone may be in the lobby, by the restroom or outside near the entrance. A copier may be available for a fee per copy. Ad hoc productivity software/internet computer access may be limited by reservations and a printer is available for a fee per copy using the pay station to place credit on library card accounts or a visitors temporary account.

Card Holders

Registered Library Card holders in good standing may:

• check out up to 50 circulating books, periodicals and audio/visual materials.
• place up to 50 items on hold.
• order books from other libraries within the county system for local pick-up/check-out.
• reserve productivity software/internet terminals for up to one hour.
• print 10 pages free per day.
• only children may log on in the children's computer center, without reservation.
• access free, unlimited wi-fi, using their own equipment.

Website Card Holders

www.colapublib.org patrons in good standing who log in with their library card number and pin may:

• renew checked-out materials.
• reserve productivity software/internet terminal time.
• use Live Homework Help®
• download audio books and e-Books.
• access all Databases & Online Resources
  • Auto Repair, Biographies, Business, Career, Directories, Downloadable Audio & eBooks, Encyclopedias, Español, Genealogy, Health and Medicine, History, Homework, Kids, Languages, Legal, Literature, Magazines & Newspapers, Science, Social Issues, Taxes, Test Prep, Travel, Virtual Reference Library.

Locations

The system operates 85 branch locations, 3 bookmobiles, and 2 institutional libraries :

References

Further reading

• Woelfel, Roger H. (1987). Diamond Jubilee: Seventy-Five Years of Public Service. Glendale, CA: Arthur C. Clark Company. ISBN 0-87062-181-5

External links

• County of Los Angeles Library system

County of Los Angeles
Board of supervisors	Hilda Solis, 1st Dist. Mark Ridley-Thomas, 2nd Dist. Sheila Kuehl, 3rd Dist. Janice Hahn, 4th Dist. Kathryn Barger, 5th Dist.
Departments	Assessor's Office Chief Executive Office Children and Family Services County Counsel District Attorney's Office Fire Health Agency Health Services Mental Health Public Health Internal Services Lifeguards Medical Examiner-Coroner Military and Veterans Affairs Parks and Recreation Probation Public Defender Public Library Public Works Sheriff's Superior Court
Airports	Fox Field Brackett Field Whiteman Airport Compton/Woodley Airport El Monte Airport
County hospitals	LAC+USC Medical Center Harbor–UCLA Medical Center High Desert Regional Health Center Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center Olive View-UCLA Medical Center Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
Culture	Ahmanson Theatre Arboretum and Botanic Garden Bob Hope Patriotic Hall Descanso Gardens Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Grand Park John Anson Ford Amphitheatre Hollywood Bowl La Brea Tar Pits Mark Taper Forum Museum of Art Music Center Natural History Museum South Coast Botanic Garden Walt Disney Concert Hall Whittier Narrows
Others	LAC Sheriff's Air Rescue 5 LACMTA Seal Sheriff's Department officers killed in the line of duty LAC Hall of Records