Los Angeles Library Tour - LAPL Panorama City Branch

San Fernando Valley’s Panorama City began life in 1949 as a planned community, the brainchild of industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. The same Henry J. Kaiser behind Kaiser Shipyard, Kaiser Aluminum, Kaiser Steel and Kaiser Permanente. The Valley has grown by leaps and bounds since then and in the middle of this urban sprawl, on the corner of Roscoe and Lennox, is a great library.
Designed by Glendale architect Graham Latta, the original branch of the Panorama City Branch Library was 6,000 square feet and cost $146,805 (including construction and books). The brick building featured exposed steel trusses, a covered walkway/entryway, air-conditioning and a whopping 18-car parking lot. Click here for a photo of the original library's exterior from the LAPL's photo database. Opened to the public on May 25, 1959, it was the first library branch in an area that was previous serviced by bookmobile only. Other branches that also opened in 1959 include West Hollywood, El Sereno and Canoga Park. That year, the Los Angeles Public Library had its busiest circulation year in two decades. By 1964, the Panorama City Branch was the fourth busiest branch in LAPL’s (then) 61-branch system. (In order, the busiest branches were: West Valley, West Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Panorama City, Granada Hills, Westchester, Canoga Park, San Pedro, Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks).
By the mid-90s the library had outgrown its 6000 sq ft. A new 12,500 sq ft branch was built on the site of the ‘old library’ and opened in March 1999. There is a modest-sized selection of English and foreign language books, magazines, newspapers, and other media (including a large selection of Mexican pulp novels).
This branch had an amazing cookbook selection, including my ‘go to’ bread-baking cookbook that I would check out annually during the coldest months. Sadly, over the last several months, almost all of the cookbooks have been stolen. By moving them to a more visible location behind the reference desk, the thefts have slowed but the selection is incredibly sparse. There were less than two dozen cookbooks on the shelf on our most recent visit. It amazes me that people would steal something they can borrow for free. If you have any new or gently used cookbooks lying around that you aren’t currently using the Panorama City Library might be a perfect repository for your excess.

Who's Got the Book? Top 10 cookbooks of all time according to The Guardian

The Guardian website published a feature on the 50 best cookbooks of all time and the same curiosity that found me clicking on their list also pushed me to check the catalogs of the Los Angeles Public Library system (LAPL), the County of Los Angeles Public Library system (COLA), the Pasadena/Glendale libraries (PPL), Santa Monica Library system (SMPL) and the Whittier libraries (WPL) to see if they carried the UK website's 'Top Ten'. I've listed who had them available to check out. If they are only available as a reference copy I've marked them with an 'R' after the appropriate library.

10. Great Dishes of the World by Robert Carrier- LAPL; COLA
9. Sichuan Cookery by Fuchsia Dunlop- LAPL; COLA; SMPL; WPL; PPL
8. The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan- LAPL; COLA; PPL; WPL
7. Thai Food by David Thompson- LAPL; SMPL; PPL
6. English Food by Jane Grigson- LAPL (R)
5. Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson with Lindsey Bareham- LAPL; SMPL; PPL
4. Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater- LAPL; COLA
3. The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden- LAPL; COLA; SMPL; PPL; WPL
2. French Provincial Cooking by Elizabeth David- LAPL; PPL; WPL
1. The French Menu Cookbook by Richard Olney- LAPL; COLA

Los Angeles Library Tour - LAPL Central Library

Lets start with the mothership of L.A. public libraries, LAPL's Central Library. If you're a library lover, and likely you are if you've stumbled across this blog, you've know doubt been already. But if you haven't, get going! After a devastating fire at this branch in 1986 that destroyed 20% of the collection, the 'new' (and larger) library rose from the ashes with the hard work and dedication of its staff, a throng of volunteers and the support of Angelenos. One trip is not enough time to take it all in but if you are looking for an elusive book (or magazine, newspaper, telephone book, CD, DVD, etc), chances are you'll find it here.
The first floor of the library houses the library store, a cafe, a Panda Express, lockers, the main circulation desks, an auditorium, a courtyard, International Languages, Popular Library and computers to access the library's catalog. If you only have a few minutes to browse the Popular Library will be your best bet. Besides shelves and shelves of the most recent books the library received you’ll find an impressive collection of dvds, cds, audio books and magazines, all available to check out. There are six more floors of books available, each floor houses specific subjects. Signs and maps are positioned throughout the library to help you find your way and the catalog lists the department you'll find your book in (for example, along with the call number it will say - Central Library - History Dept. or Central Library - Science & Tech. Dept). The second floor UP houses books, magazines, VHS and DVDs on Art, Music, Recreation, Children's Literature and Teen'Scape (aka Young Adult). A word of warning- Central Library houses their Reference and Circulation books side by side on the same shelves. If there is an 'R' on the spine of a book it is available for library use only and can not be checked out. The second floor is also home to two galleries - the permanent Annenberg Gallery and the Getty Gallery which has rotating exhibits. The second floor rotunda is a thing of beauty. The original location of the card catalog and the main circulation desk, the Lodwrick M. Cook Rotunda is the site of Dean Cornwell's beautiful mural depicting California history and the bronze globe/astrological chandelier which is nine feet in diameter and weighs one ton. The third floor up houses Fiction & Literature.
Descending back down the escalators to the first floor you will walk down a hallway passing the First Floor Galleries (which also have rotating exhibits) and into the skylit atrium where you'll find the bank of escalators that leads to the lower levels. Lower level 1 houses the Business and Economics section. Lower level 2 houses Science, Technology and Patents along with the most impressive array of culinary history and cookbooks I've ever seen. Ever. If this is a favorite subject of yours too please check out the Culinary Historians of Southern California. They have fascinating lectures on food topics in the Mark Taper Auditorium at the Central Branch. (http://www.culinaryhistoriansofsoutherncalifornia.org/). Lower level 3 houses Social Science, Philosophy, Religion and the Computer Center. You can sign up here to vie for space on one of the Central Libraries 63 computers available for public use. Lower level 4 houses the History and Genealogy section, with the most impressive collection of California history books I've seen in Southern California. As signs scattered throughout the library remind you, what you see on the shelves is just a small portion of their holdings. If you don't see what you're looking for by all means ask, their staff is friendly and helpful. Tired of riding the escalator? You will find an elevator back near the genealogy books - hop on and check out the creative re-use of the library's card catalog.
A favorite trip to Central involves an all day ticket on the Metro Rail (currently $6) with a stop at Union Station along the way for breakfast, lunch or dinner at Phillipe's. If you've never been you've got to try their world famous french dip - make sure to ask for it double-dipped. If you've got nothing but time do yourself a favor and walk up to New Chinatown or over to Olvera Street and stroll the shops, enjoy the sites and soak in some of the city's history. When you're ready to hit the library climb on board the Red Line at Union Station and head towards Pershing Square. From the Pershing Square station its just a three block walk north on Fifth Street to the Central Library on Fifth and Flower. (If its a Saturday and you choose to drive parking can be found under the library for just $1.00 for the whole day with validation). If we only want to spend an hour or two we'll limit our trip to Arts, Music and Recreation (Level 2) or History (Lower level 4). By then our bags are filled with more books than we can reasonably carry (there is a limit of 30 books per card) which equals at least two weeks of enjoyment and brain-filling opportunities. A fine finish to the day trip should involve dessert at Clifton's Cafeteria on Broadway. Opened in 1935, Clifton's Brookdale (as it was originally known) is about a ten block walk from the library and I can guarantee you've never seen anything like it (unless of course you've been there before). The only words that come close are 'Disneyland in cafeteria form'.