A multi-year slate of library-inspired events, programming, and fundraising opportunities celebrates Central Library’s 100th anniversary and invests in the next century of the Los Angeles Public Library.
LOS ANGELES — The Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) announced today the Centennial Celebration, a fundraising and engagement initiative honoring the 100th anniversary of the iconic downtown Richard J. Riordan Central Library building and supporting the future of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) system. The campaign aims to raise $10 million to expand vital LAPL programs and services and seed innovation in new technologies, spaces, and outreach that redefine the public library for the 21st century.
Coinciding with Central 100, LAPL’s anniversary celebration, LFLA will mark the milestone with a multi-year slate of library-inspired events, programming, and giving opportunities designed to engage longtime library champions and new audiences alike.
Highlights include free community moments—kicking off with the unveiling of a 1926 time capsule at Central Library on Jan. 29—as well as new programs such as TasteBound, a series of festivities inspired by the Library’s cookbook archives; Centennial-themed ALOUD public programs, like “Overground Railroad,” delving into LAPL’s premier collections of Green Books, and “A Hundred Years of Architecture in Los Angeles,” featuring some of the most prominent architects and interior designers who have shaped contemporary Los Angeles; a Centennial edition of the popular Night at the Library; an exhibition that will feature an attempt to build the world’s largest pop-up book; and a glittering Centennial gala capping the first year of celebration.
The Centennial Celebration will support LFLA’s core pillars—enhancing student success, empowering lifelong learning, and presenting innovative cultural programming—with a special focus on investing in innovation to meet the evolving and future needs of patrons.
“Central Library has always represented possibility for our city, with access to knowledge, creativity, and connection open to everyone,” said Stacy Lieberman, LFLA president and CEO. “As we mark the anniversary of this storied landmark, our Centennial Celebration honors that legacy by looking decisively toward the future. With this initiative we’re writing the next chapter for our city’s libraries, unlocking an even more powerful tomorrow for the library, one as limitless as Los Angeles itself.”
John F. Szabo, city librarian, added: “Over the past 100 years, the Los Angeles Public Library has grown and changed along with the city we serve, while holding fast to our fundamental purpose: welcoming every Angeleno and reflecting the full range of our stories. The Foundation is a trusted partner in making that evolution possible—supporting new ideas that highlight the Library’s role in civic life. I’m deeply thankful for LFLA’s leadership in this effort, which strengthens our position to meet community needs in the years ahead.”
The Centennial Celebration is guided by the LFLA board’s Centennial Task Force, chaired by longtime LFLA board member, activist, and philanthropic leader Michael B. Keegan, with Honorary Committee members including actors LeVar Burton, Cheech Marin, and Henry Winkler; renowned labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta; and authors Kevin Kwan, Susan Orlean, Lisa See, Colm Tóibín, and Charles Yu, confirmed to date.
“The Los Angeles Public Library is one of our city’s most essential civic institutions and the pride of L.A.,” said Michael B. Keegan. “Our Centennial Celebration invites all Angelenos to help carry that promise forward—ensuring access to knowledge, culture, and opportunity for the next hundred years.”
Early leading supporters of the Centennial Celebration include: Judith & Steve Krantz Foundation and The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.
Centennial Celebration Events and Programs
The following represents information available at the time of publication. More details and a calendar of events and opportunities will be added; check lfla.org for updates.
Time Capsule Unveiling with Central 100 Centennial Kick-off
Thursday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m.
Mark Taper Auditorium
Richard J. Riordan Central Library
Free and open to the public; press RSVP required
As part of LAPL’s Central 100 kickoff program, LAPL and LFLA will unveil a freshly unearthed time capsule that was placed in the building’s cornerstone during its original construction. In a private ceremony in May 1925, the Board of Library Commissioners filled a copper box with documents, photos, and maps that represented the institution at that pivotal moment. Now, the contents will be revealed and shared with the public for the first time. More on LAPL’s Central 100 kickoff program available at: https://www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/central-100-centennial-celebration-kick
TasteBound: 100 Years of Cookbooking in LA
TasteBound is a new event series inspired by the LAPL’s extensive cookbook archival collection—one of the largest in the country—drawing on more than a century of culinary writing, recipes, and food traditions preserved in the Library’s stacks. Through immersive gatherings that blend flavor, conversation, and creativity, TasteBound brings the Library’s most delicious special collections to life, highlighting how food and drink reflect the cultural history of Los Angeles and connect people across generations.
TasteBound Kickoff Event: Speakeasy
Saturday, March 14, 7p.m.
Hollywood Post 43 chapter of The American Legion
Tickets: $250
https://lfla.org/event/tastebound-speakeasy/
Transport back in time for an evening of iconic drinks through the decades, inspired by the Los Angeles Public Library’s extensive cookbook archives. TasteBound: Speakeasy invites guests into a festive atmosphere complete with 1920s-inspired spirits tastings, period music, themed bites, dancing, and more. The fundraising event features cocktails crafted from vintage recipes found in the Library’s extensive cookbook collection, which boasts more than 40,000 culinary volumes.
Night at the Library: A Century of Light
Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m.
Richard J. Riordan Central Library
Experience Central Library like never before. This after-hours festival features over 200 performers, artists, and storytellers. Wander through dance performances in the stacks, discover sound installations, watch puppetry, and enjoy stories told through movement, voice, and imagination throughout the historic building.
ALOUD Centennial Programming
Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America
Tuesday, April 23, 7 p.m.
Mark Taper Auditorium at Richard J. Riordan Central Library
Cultural documentarian and author of Overground Railroad, Candacy Taylor will delve into LAPL’s premier collections of Green Books, a travel guide for Black motorists used for decades when traveling through segregated America. The LAPL has the second largest collection of Green Books and the second largest number of Green Book sites in the country, despite being encompassed by sundown towns (Culver City, Glendale, and South Pasadena).
A Hundred Years of Architecture in Los Angeles
Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 7 p.m.
Mark Taper Auditorium at Richard J. Riordan Central Library
See Los Angeles through the eyes of our city’s most talented architects and interior designers and discover the influences that have shaped this vast cityscape. ALOUD and the Library Foundation of Los Angeles present an all-star panel discussion featuring Barbara Bestor and Leo Marmol, moderated by Frances Anderton. Join us as we journey through the sum of LA’s architectural legacy and its parts over the last 100 years of design innovation.
The World’s Largest Pop-Up Book
July through November 2026
In partnership with LAPL, LFLA will produce a project of unique scope and unprecedented scale: a new exhibition on pop-up and movable books, including an attempt to build World’s Largest Pop-Up Book with newly commissioned art by Daniel Gonzàlez. This project will highlight the rich subject of bookmaking and book arts, celebrate the public library and Los Angeles history. The exhibition will highlight one of Central Library unique holdings—the Toy Movable Collection, a captivating archive of over 1,000 intricate pop-up books and other interactive titles.
We the Stories
To shine a light on the stories that live beyond the stacks, LFLA will produce We the Stories, a micro-documentary series exploring the enduring relationships between Angelenos and the Los Angeles Public Library. Made possible thanks to the Judith and Steve Krantz Foundation, the series will highlight the everyday, often transformative experiences that take place at the Library—from families whose ties to the library stretch across decades, to artists, journalists, community organizers, and staff whose lives and work have been shaped by the civic landmark. Together, these intimate stories reveal how the spirit of the Library lives through its people.
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Philanthropic and Sponsorship Opportunities
Donors of all levels can meaningfully support the Centennial Celebration through gifts ranging from one-time contributions to major commitments such as multi-year pledges, planned giving, and event sponsorships. The celebration also offers recognition and naming opportunities tied to the Central Library’s iconic collections and spaces. For details, contact Alex Nguyen, Director of Major and Planned Giving, at alexnguyen@lfla.org or 213.292.6268.
About the Library Foundation of Los Angeles
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles provides critical support to the Los Angeles Public Library resulting in free programs, resources, and services available to the millions of adults, children, and youth in Los Angeles. Through fundraising, advocacy, and innovative programs, the Library Foundation strengthens the Los Angeles Public Library and promotes greater awareness of its valuable resources. For more information, please visit lfla.org.
EDITORS NOTE: Press tickets and high-resolution images available upon request: theapagecommunications@gmail.com
Review the available dinners and decide on your top choices. You’ll be assigned to one dinner based on availability and your ticket level.
If you are registering guests, please have their full names and email addresses ready.
Have your credit card on hand to complete your purchase.
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.
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.
