Subscribe
The Library Store
Donate Now
ALOUD, Centennial Celebration

Built for the Future—Saved for the Next Century

Co-presented with the Los Angeles Conservancy
Date: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026
Time: 7pm
Location: Mark Taper Auditorium-Central Library

This program will be available for livestream.​
RSVP below to select online livestream option.​

Reserve Your Ticket
Eventbrite_Library
Back to Calendar
For 100 years, Los Angeles Central Library has been an architectural icon and a cornerstone of civic life—but its future was once uncertain. In 1978, a powerful preservation effort led by community advocates and the Los Angeles Conservancy saved the historic building from demolition, securing its place at the heart of the city. 
 
Join us for a dynamic conversation on the Library’s past, present, and bold look ahead at the next one hundred years. Moderated by Madeline Brand, broadcast journalist and host of KCRW’s Press Play, the conversation will examine the legacy of the historic Central Library and what it means to preserve, steward, and reimagine the role of this civic monument in Los Angeles’ future. 
 
Panelists include Adrian Scott Fine, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Conservancy, Susan Orlean, bestselling author of The Library Book, and John Welborne, attorney and preservation leader whose work with the Los Angeles Conservancy and Citizens’ Task Force helped secure the preservation and expansion of the Central Library. 

Featured Panelists:

Susan Orlean

Susan Orlean has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1992. She is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including The Library Book, Rin Tin Tin, Saturday Night, and The Orchid Thief, which was made into the Academy Award–winning film Adaptation. She lives with her family and her animals in Los Angeles and may be reached at SusanOrlean.com and on Substack at SusanOrlean.Substack.com. 

Madeleine Brand

Madeleine Brand is the host of  the award-winning daily news and culture show, Press Play. On the show, she covers national, international and local stories through a Southern California lens. She is also the co-host of KCRW’s legal affairs podcast, The Legal Eagle Files. 

Madeleine has hosted and reported for NPR and for affiliate stations for more than 30 years. She has a master’s degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she also taught documentary radio. Madeleine’s undergraduate degree is from the University of California Berkeley, where she graduated with honors in English. 

Adrian Scott Fine

Adrian Scott Fine As President and CEO of the Los Angeles Conservancy, Adrian Scott Fine leads the nation’s largest local nonprofit membership-based heritage conservation organization. He directs the organization’s strategic vision, guiding efforts to protect and celebrate historic places across the greater Los Angeles region. Working with local governments, nonprofit partners, and community stakeholders, he advances preservation initiatives, builds public awareness, and ensures the organization remains a leading force in safeguarding the cultural and historic character of one of the nation’s most diverse metropolitan areas.

John H. Welborne

John H. Welborne is a Los Angeles lawyer whose family involvement with the Central Library site began in 1912. The Central Library and its West Lawn (now Maguire Gardens) were saved for their next century through the efforts of Welborne and his fellow architectural preservationists in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was a longtime President of the Los Angeles Library Association and served as President of the Los Angeles County Host Committee for the Olympic Games in 1984 and also led the effort to rebuild and reopen the Angels Flight Railway in 1996. A former Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Welborne spent a recent decade as Publisher and Editor of the Larchmont Chronicle.

Frequently asked questions

For questions related to the venue, please visit the event registration page.

Books purchased with your reservation are non-refundable. If the event is ticketed, tickets are also non-refundable. Thank you for supporting the Los Angeles Public Library.

Book purchases are only available for pick-up at the event. We strongly encourage you to purchase your book(s) in advance of the event because we cannot guarantee quantities that will be available for sale day of.

Where should I park?

We recommend taking public transportation.

Parking for the Central Library is available at the Westlawn Garage at 524 S. Flower Street. If you park at the Westlawn Garage, 524 S. Flower Street lot, there is a $10 charge if you exit after 9:00 PM ($1 with Library card validation before 9:00 PM).

LAPL patrons can obtain validation upon presenting a valid library card at the Central Library’s Information Desk (first floor) before the program.

For more information, visit the Central Library’s website: LFLA.org/Parking

As this program is free of charge, it is our policy to overbook. In the case of a full program your free reservation may not guarantee admission.

We recommend arriving early. Unclaimed reservations will be released to standby patrons at the start of each program.

You may access the online livestream of the event here: lfla.org/YouTube.

Back to Calendar

What is your refund policy?

All books are non-refundable. Thank you for supporting the Los Angeles Public Library.

Where can I pick up my book?

Book purchases will be only available for in-person pick-up at the event. Please note: We strongly encourage you to purchase your book(s) in advance of the event; we cannot guarantee quantities available for sale at the event.

Where should I park?

We recommend taking public transportation. Parking for the Central Library is available at the Westlawn Garage at 524 S. Flower Street. If you park at the Westlawn Garage, 524 S. Flower Street lot, there is a $8 charge if you exit after 9:00 PM ($1 with Library card validation before 9:00 PM).

Where can I get a parking validation?

Patrons can obtain validation upon presenting a valid library card at the Central Library’s Information Desk (first floor) BEFORE the program. For more information, visit the Central Library’s website: LFLA.org/Parking

What if a program is full?

You are welcome to come as a standby guest. Standby numbers are distributed one hour before the program on a first-come, first served basis. Admission is subject to availability.

What is your reservation for free programs?

As this program is free of charge, it is our policy to overbook. In the case of a FULL program your free reservation may not guarantee admission. We recommend arriving early. Unclaimed reservations will be released to standby patrons at the start of each program.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Contact the Public Programs office at programs@lfla.org or by calling 213.292.6254.

Mask Policy

Masks are no longer required in city libraries; like in other indoor places, masks will be strongly recommended.

 

Subscribe

Library Store

Donate Now

What You Will Need to Register

Your Ranked Dinner Preferences

Review the available dinners and decide on your top choices. You’ll be assigned to one dinner based on availability and your ticket level.

Guest Information

If you are registering guests, please have their full names and email addresses ready.

Payment Method

Have your credit card on hand to complete your purchase.

Register Now

Important: Please select a different dinner for each of your ranked choices. If you choose the same dinner multiple times and space is not available, we won’t be able to seat you at a dinner. In that case, your ticket will be processed as a donation, and you will not be assigned to a Feasts dinner.

Stay Connected
Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA

Stacy Lieberman

As President and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA), Stacy Lieberman is an innovative and inclusive leader whose career dwells at the intersection of arts and culture, lifelong learning, storytelling, and equitable access. Stacy guides the Foundation’s philanthropic and public-facing priorities to serve the Los Angeles Public Library, embracing the notion that libraries are beacons of democracy where everyone is welcome. She works intentionally with community leaders, donors, and internal and external strategic partners to raise awareness and resources for the Library and its life-changing initiatives.

With more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, Stacy has left an indelible mark on iconic L.A. arts, non-profit, and educational institutions such as The Broad, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the Skirball Cultural Center. Building on an early career in book publishing, she has dedicated her professional life to sharing stories and broadening the reach of public institutions to welcome visitors and students of all ages and backgrounds to experience educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.