Los Angeles Public Library

About Los Angeles Public Library

The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The Los Angeles Public Library has over 6 Million Volumes. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners comprised of five members appointed by the mayor.

Due to budget constraints, free membership is limited to residents of the three county area (Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties.) A picture ID and proof of local residency are required for a free library card. Effective July 13, 2008, patrons from outside the area will be charged an annual fee of $25.00 for a user's card. However, a "courtesy card" is still available to visitors who present a picture ID. The "courtesy card," good for a six month period, allows free use of the library's Internet computers and the ability to borrow one item at a time.

Circulating books, periodicals, computer access and audio visual materials are available to patrons. The Library's Rare Books Department is located in its downtown Los Angeles location. There is also an extensive selection of databases covering a wide variety of topics, many of which are available to remote users who hold an LAPL library card. Examples include full-text databases of periodicals, business directories, and language learning tools.