Los Angeles County Law Library
Place
Los Angeles County Law Library
The largest public law library on the West Coast, the L.A. County Law Library is a historic resource within the Civic Center Historic District.
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Support the L.A. County Law Library’s designation to the National Register of Historic Places on August 8th
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The Conservancy does not own or operate the L.A. County Law Library. For any requests, please contact the LA Law Library directly at (213) 785-2529.
LA County Law Library, circa 1975. | Los Angeles Public Library, Security Pacific National Bank Collection
Overview
The L.A. County Law Library is largest public law library on the West Coast, and second only to the Library of Congress in size of collection. The geometric Modernist building designed in 1953 by the architect firm Austin, Field, & Fry. The building is a contributor to the L.A. Civic Center Historic District.
Today, L.A. County Law Library offers free classes, workshops, and 1-1 assistance to Angelenos seeking legal information and services. In 2003, the Law Library was dedicated as the Mildred L. Lillie Building. Lillie was the second woman to serve on the Court of Appeals in 1958, where she served until her death in 2002.
The building was identified as a contributor to the L.A. Civic Center Historic District in 2009. This year, the LA Law Library Board of Trustees nominated their building to the National Register of Historic Places.
About This Place
About This Place
The origins of the L.A. County Law Library date back to 1878 with the founding of the Los Angeles Bar Association. In 1868, the Association founded a private law library — the Law Library Association of Los Angeles — modeled after East Coast membership libraries. After the passage of the 1891 Act to Establish Law Libraries, the public Los Angeles County Law Library was formed and acquired the nascent collection from the Law Library Association. It is operates as an independent state agency governed by a board of trustees.
Today, the LA Law Library boasts one of the most robust catalogues of foreign law books and treaties– fitting for L.A.’s international reputation.
The L.A. County Law Library was originally housed within the Los Angeles County Courthouse at the corner of Spring and Temple Street, but relocated to several different properties throughout downtown until the construction of the existing building in 1953.
The Austin, Field & Fry building was realized as part of the 1947 Civic Center Master Plan, a monumental effort that transformed a large portion of Bunker Hill and created the east-west axis of government buildings that frame today’s Grand Park. While the library initially proposed to be integrated into the new Stanley Mosk Courthouse, the Library trustees decided to finance the construction of the own separate building just across the street from the court. Austin, Field & Fry, one of the main firms behind the Civic Center Master Plan, designed the original building and the 1968 addition in the Late Moderne style.
Our Position
The LA Law Library is a significant asset to Southern California region. It holds key collections and democratizes access to legal information. The building that serves as the home to this institution is rare and valuable Late Moderne-style building by master architects Austin, Field & Fry and is a contributor to the Civic Center Historic District.
We applaud the LA Law Library Trustees for their commitment to honor their legacy and invest in their historic building. In the wake of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors move out of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration and uncertainty about the future of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, we hope this National Register designation reaffirms the significance of the Civic Center Historic District.
How You Can Help
The L.A. County Law Library nomination will be heard by the State Historic Resource Commission on Friday, August 8th at 9am.
Please email a letter of support to the Commission by August 1st at 9am: CalSHPO.shrc@parks.ca.gov.
To make a comment at the hearing, register to make comment via Zoom here.
