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ALOUD

Elizabeth Alexander: Signals Across Vast Distances

Date: Monday, Nov 9, 2026
Time: 7pm
Location: Mark Taper Auditorium-Central Library

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

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The New York Times praised Elizabeth Alexander’s memoir The Light of the World, calling it “a testament to the power of art to help us see what is otherwise unimaginable.” 
  
Renowned poet, scholar, cultural advocate, and Mellon Foundation president Elizabeth Alexander will be joined by film scholar, archivist, and Turner Classic Movies host Jacqueline Stewart for a conversation about Alexander’s moving new collection of essays and stories, Signals Across Vast Distances: Essays and Tales.  
  
In this new collection, Alexander offers profound and galvanizing lessons from culture and life for moving through challenging times. Through close readings of beloved poets and writers—including Muriel Rukeyser, Gwendolyn Brooks, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, June Jordan, and others—she reflects on how words and values can sustain and inspire us, interweaving her own voice with works by some of our great visual artists. The collection offers hope and a deeper understanding of the moment we live in and our enduring connection to one another. 

Featured Author:

Elizabeth Alexander

Elizabeth Alexander is a prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author who is also a nationally recognized thought leader on race, justice, the arts, and American society. Elizabeth is also president of the Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest funder of the arts and humanities.

 
She has been awarded the Jackson Poetry Prize, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, the George Kent Award, the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and three Pushcart Prizes for Poetry. Notably, she composed and delivered “Praise Song for the Day” for the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama. 

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.

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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.

 

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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.