The Los Angeles Central Library will celebrate its 100th birthday Saturday with a daylong festival featuring performances, exhibits, author talks and family activities throughout the landmark building in downtown Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
The free Central Library Centennial Festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the library, 630 W. 5th St., organizers said.<\/p>\n
The event will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks from City Librarian John F. Szabo, followed by a reading from Los Angeles Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat a privilege it is to celebrate 100 years in this glorious building,\u201d Szabo said in a statement. \u201cCentral Library has grown and changed through the last century along with the city it serves, but our core values to serve and share the stories of all Angelenos remain unchanged.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scheduled performances include Ashley Anne & The Carnations, L.A. Taiko Ichiza, Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, the Urban Voices Project Choir and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Linda Lindas are scheduled to perform at 3:30 p.m. in the Mark Taper Auditorium.<\/p>\n
Author Susan Orlean will appear in conversation with Szabo to discuss her 2019 book \u201cThe Library Book\u201d and the legacy of the 1986 Central Library fire.<\/p>\n
The program will include the unveiling of artist Gajin Fujita\u2019s commemorative painting \u201c100 Years L.A. Central Library\u201d and a birthday cake celebration.<\/p>\n
Other featured guests include Grammy Award-winning children\u2019s musician Lucy Kalantari, illustrator Leo Espinosa and author and illustrator Dan Santat.<\/p>\n
Organizers said visitors also will be able to view \u201cLuceros y Penumbras: The World\u2019s Largest Pop-Up Book,\u201d an exhibition in the library\u2019s Rotunda that will remain on display through mid-November.<\/p>\n
\u201cCentral Library has always represented opportunity for our city, providing access to knowledge, creativity, and connection for everyone,\u201d Stacy Lieberman, president and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, said in an earlier statement. \u201cAs we mark the anniversary of this storied landmark, our Centennial Celebration honors that legacy by looking decisively toward the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The library, which opened in 1926, is marking its centennial with the excavation and display of a time capsule placed in the building\u2019s cornerstone during construction in 1925.<\/p>\n
Library officials encouraged visitors to use Metro service because parking at the library\u2019s garage is expected to fill early.<\/p>\n