All LA County Library locations will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Our Digital Library is open 24/7.
High school students have the opportunity to engage with each other, PEN America youth advocacy leaders, and special guests, analyzing emerging opportunities and threats to freedom of expression online, including the rise of artificial intelligence.
Join us in person at San Fernando Library on Saturday, October 19 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm for our youth activism workshops and catered lunch. At our Summit, attendees will explore the intersections of technology, free expression, and ethics in the digital age. Students will engage with key topics such as the impact of artificial intelligence on privacy, misinformation, and human rights, as well as the role of digital platforms in shaping public discourse.
Our special guests include Shaunelle Curry and Anaïs Maria Maseda from Media Done Responsibly, and the Digital Truths Initiative, a youth-led group of media literacy trainers and advocates from Southern California who will discuss ways that students can get involved in disinformation defense work locally.
This event is open to all high school students and is free to attend. Lunch will be provided. Capacity is limited so please register as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact institute@pen.org.
Sponsored by LA County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, 3rd District. Giveaways provided by LA County Library Foundation.
AGE GROUP: | Teens |
EVENT TYPE: | Theatre, Film, & Media | Lectures & Conversations | Education & Literacy | Computers & Technology | Books, Poetry, & Writing |
TAGS: | Banned Books |
San Fernando Library opened in November 1914 as a branch of the Los Angeles County Free Library. This library, the first public library in the mainly agricultural San Fernando Valley, found its home in the Industrial Arts building of the San Fernando Union High School located at 130 North Brand Blvd. In the first year, 1,849 books were circulated to 156 borrowers.
From 1925 to 1946, the library weathered the Depression and war years in three store-front locations all on North Maclay Street. Then from 1946 to 1953, the library was located at 11223 First Street.
In 1953, the library joined with city services when it became part of the civic center at 102 Macneil Street. Growth continued for the city and the library with the collection reaching a total of 27,572 volumes in 1964 for the library's 50th anniversary.
The 1970's saw the development of a strong Spanish-language collection and the creation of the community support group---the Friends of the San Fernando Library. In 1988, the library moved into a 6,000 square-foot facility located at 150 N. Library Street.
On June 20, 2001, the library moved to 217 North Maclay Ave, a brand new 8,601 square-foot leased facility. The library is the center piece of the newly constructed Library Plaza Mall. The project was a private/public partnership.
