Are you ready for a springtime of cherry blossoms? Like the countless petals carpeting the ground beneath the cherry tree, there are many ways to enjoy celebrating the return of warm sunshine, cool…
California, the golden state, has always inspired people. Over the years movies have been made, songs have been recorded, and books written. But are there any children’s books about our fair state…
In the year 2000, Pantone, a company most known for its precision color matching system, announced its very first Color of the Year. By 2007, the December announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year…
The name hydroponics for the practice of growing plants using only water, nutrients and a growing medium—i.e., without soil—was coined in 1937 by UC Berkeley scientists Dr. William Setchell and Dr…
After receiving a BFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College, Margarita Montimore worked for over a decade in publishing and social media before deciding to focus on the writing dream full-time. Now…
Over this past month, the Octavia Lab has transformed itself from a hobbyist makerspace to a light manufacturing powerhouse to help produce PPE (personal protective equipment) face shields for the…
There’s a lot of news right now about 3D printing medical equipment. But what does it all mean, and what is 3D printing? 3D printing is the process of making an object by laying down successive layers…
The first Asian American woman lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, the first Asian American woman flight instructor to train the US Naval pilots, and the first woman Gunnery Officer in all US Armed Forces…
Over the past month, the Octavia Lab, the do-it-yourself makerspace at Central Library, has transformed itself into a light manufacturing center making face shields for the local medical community…
Many of us have had a plethora of time on our hands lately and it’s no secret that with excess time comes a true 21st century pastime—binge watching. Let us channel Charles Baudelaire as we wax poetic…
Looking for some motivation to read? Need a way to keep track of your favorite reads? Sign up for our online reading challenge Spring into Reading! The challenge runs through May 31 and is open to all…
George Takei is famous for his role as Mr. Sulu in Star Trek and for being a social media superstar, with over 2.9 million Twitter followers. He is also a national leader in social justice, human…
It’s the last day of National Poetry Month, and what better way to close it out than by sharing the final batch of poems Los Angeles Public Library staff members wrote in honor of their first cars…
The coffee is brewing; you’ve managed to take a quick shower and get the kids settled into their Zoom school classrooms; and you finally take a breath and sit at the kitchen table with your laptop to…
All of us who went through school in the United States have read at least a few American novels published before 1900. The most likely suspects are The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn, Tom…
Los Angeles is a city of many Spanish speakers, and it’s easy to see the advantages of being bilingual. Some parents want to introduce their children to speaking Spanish or another language at a young…
Sure we’re still staying put, and while social distancing has nipped our spring plans in the bud, it’s also great to have the time to slow down and read! Why not take a look at some fiction about…
Here is a centuries-old Armenian riddle by Nerses Shnorhali.No feathers and no wings it has,Swifter than a bird it flies,From land to land it tours and turns,With companions it returns.Արդ է անթև և…
Cynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the Unearthly trilogy, The Afterlife of Holly Chase, The Last Time We Say Goodbye, and My Lady Jane & My…
Did you know that scholars are uncertain as to Shakespeare’s actual birthday? We have a record of his baptism on April 26, 1564 and a burial marker that states he was 52 when he passed, but no more…
Welcome to the penultimate batch of affectionate, exasperated, and always entertaining poems written by our staff about their first car. We threw down the challenge last week as part of National…
When the library's Octavia Lab opened in June of 2019, it was envisioned as a collaborative work-space for creatives, makers, and hobbyists. Now, as COVID-19 has forced the closure of the library to…
"Sheer perfection, no objection, near confection" —Fred RogersWhat is poetry? Ask any random sampling of children and the answer might be simply, words that rhyme. But a poem can take many forms. My…
It was a time when Angelenos should have been preparing to head out into the streets waving victory flags and knocking back belts of whiskey before the commencement of the dreaded Volstead act. The…
