All LA County Library locations will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Our Digital Library is open 24/7.
To celebrate the reopening and refurbishment of Norwalk Library, LA County Library and Supervisor Janice Hahn will host an Open House on Wednesday, July 7 from 11 am to 1 pm.
The Open House will feature an outdoor activity for children and teens, a walkthrough of the library’s newly refurbished space, and special messages from Supervisor Janice Hahn, LA County Library Director Skye Patrick, and representatives from the City of Norwalk and the local community.
Norwalk Library started out in July, 1913 as the 17th branch of the Los Angeles County Free Library through the efforts of a committee of the Commercial Club. The collection of 500 books was housed in a second floor room of the Stiffler Building at 537 E. Front Street. In 1919, Hattie Sproul, a member of the city's founding family, supervised the library.
When oil was discovered in nearby Santa Fe Springs in the 1920's there was a population boom in Norwalk; the library's collection and circulation also increased to the point that it needed a building of its own. In January, 1926, the library moved to new quarters built by Charles Stage at 13620 S. San Antonio Drive.
In 1956, a year before the city was incorporated, a new library building was opened across from the old one on San Antonio Drive. In just 13 years, the collection outgrew that facility despite the addition of a wing to accommodate the expanding children's department.
The city inaugurated the opening to public service of the 39,000 square foot building at 12350 Imperial Highway in July 1969. The Library was dedicated on Saturday, July 19, 1969
