The Heart and Hands Book Talk Series hopes to inspire people to open their hearts and minds by challenging existing perceptions about systemic racism and injustice against people of color. Developed as part of LA County Library’s Equity Initiative, these talks feature discussions on thought-provoking literature as well as conversations with noted authors and speakers. The Heart and Hands Book Talk Series is moderated by Skye Patrick, LA County Library Director.
Upcoming Conversation
Heart & Hand Virtual Book Talk with Vanessa Chan Thursday, May 23, 6-7 pm
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with an exclusive Heart and Hand Virtual Book Talk featuring Vanessa Chan, acclaimed author of the best-selling novel, The Storm We Made. Join us as Library Director Skye Patrick and author Vanessa Chan delve into the novel’s captivating saga, which unfolds against the backdrop of Malaya (now Malaysia) during World War II, weaving together the gripping narrative of an unlikely spy, a clandestine love affair, and the relentless forces that challenge even the strongest bonds. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with one of today’s literary rising stars. Reserve your spot for an unforgettable evening!
Previous Conversations
Heart & Hand: James Spooner
We celebrated African American and Black History Month with a captivating virtual book talk with James Spooner, a multi-talented and award-winning filmmaker author, and illustrator. His works, including Afro-Punk, Black Punk Now, and The High Desert, explore themes of identity, race, and culture in the punk and alternative music scenes. With his unique perspective and artistic vision, Spooner sheds light on the often-overlooked experiences of Black punks and creatives. Hear from the mind behind groundbreaking projects and gain insight into the intersection of music, art, and social commentary. Watch Event Recording Here.
Heart & Hand: David Ambroz Watch a special hybrid edition of LA County Library’s Heart and Hand Book Talk with David Ambroz, sponsored by LA County Library Foundation and BIG Outdoor.
David Ambroz is a poverty and child welfare expert and advocate and author of A Place Called Home – A Memoir. In a chat with Library Director Skye Patrick, he shared his journey from growing up homeless and navigating the foster care system to overcoming life’s obstacles and becoming an award-winning child welfare advocate. This hybrid event was sponsored by LA County Library Foundation and BIG Outdoor. Watch Event Recording Here.
Heart & Hand: Exploring Black Indian Ancestry with Shonda Buchanan Listen in on a book discussion as Award-winning author, Shonda Buchanan talks about her memoir, Black Indian, with Library Director Skye Patrick. Black Indian is an inspiring work of non-fiction that explores her family’s legacy of being African Americans with American Indian roots and how they dealt with not only society’s ostracization but also the consequences of this dual inheritance. Watch Event Recording Here.
Heart & Hand: Destigmatizing Illiteracy with Social Media Tune in to a pre-recorded conversation with Oliver James, one of the brightest new stars on TikTok’s BookTok platform. His story makes for one of the most uplifting in the literary world: he taught himself to read at the age of 34 by leveraging TikTok. Oliver is also a fitness aficionado and personal trainer who got started on his reading journey while working out, and now he’s set a “modest” goal of reading 100 books this year. We promise you will come away from this talk inspired! Watch Event Recording Here.
Heart & Hand: Cultural Awareness Through Food Literacy Food can be a great unifier, helping connect people from different backgrounds and exposing us to new cultures and customs. Join Library Director Skye Patrick and Food Ethnographer and Author June Jo Lee for a conversation about food literacy and how it can be used as a tool to help spread awareness on diverse cultures and life experiences.
Lee is the co-author of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Award-winning Chef Roy Choi and The Street Food Remix and Sandor Katz and the Tiny Wild, which is set to publish in June 2022. This live event was recorded on 6/7/22. Watch event recording here.
Heart and Hand Virtual Book Talk: Celebrating Authentic Cultural Representation In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, LA County Library and its Chicano Resource Center host a special edition of the Heart and Hand Virtual Book Talk Series. This month’s program focuses on Celebrating Authentic Cultural Representation and will feature an illuminating conversation between Library Director Skye Patrick and Annette Chavez Macias, Mexican American author of Big Chicas Don’t Cry and Too Soon for Adiós. This live event was recorded on 10/6/22. Watch event recording here.
Heart & Hand: The Legacy of Bruce’s Beach Tune in for a pre-recorded conversation about the legacy of Bruce’s Beach, and the role of community and media in spreading awareness about social justice issues. Library Director Skye Patrick moderated an insightful conversation between Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson, historian and author of Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites During the Jim Crow Era and Dominique DiPrima, host of First Things First on KBLA TALK 1580. This program also featured a special appearance from Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn, an instrumental leader in the County’s effort to return Bruce’s Beach to its descendants. This live event was recorded on 1/19/22. Watch event recording here.
Kindle Paperwhite eReader
Welcome to a New Way to Read...
Have you walked into a library and wished you could check out more books than you could possibly carry? Check out a Kindle Paperwhite at participating libraries with a collection of titles that you are sure to enjoy. Each Kindle has been loaded with expert-selected books.
You don’t need internet access - all the books are pre-loaded onto the Kindle so you are ready to read.
Three week checkout
Renew up to 3 times, as long as no one else is waiting
Must be 18 or older (or under 18 with parent permission)
eBooks cannot be added to this device by user
How do I get one?
Visit a participating library to check out or place a hold on a Kindle Paperwhite. Kindles are not sent to other libraries for pick up.
Note: Selection of genres varies per library. Click on a library below to see the list of genres.
Library Locations with eReaders
Click on the library to view list of genres available.
Terms of Service and Laptop Library Locations
Laptops in this kiosk can be checked out by customers with a LA County Library card in good standing. The laptop is due back in the kiosk before the library closes on the same day it is checked out.
If you do not return the laptop to the kiosk on the same day you check it out, your library account will be charged the full replacement cost of the laptop.
When you check out a laptop from this kiosk, you agree to use it within the library only. If you remove the laptop from the library, you may held criminally responsible for theft of the laptop and/or be charged the full replacement cost of the laptop.
You are responsible for the laptop and you agree that you will reimburse the LA County Library for any damages if the laptop is damaged, lost or stolen while checked out to you.
If you check out a laptop and it is damaged, you will give it to library staff immediately.
You must save to a removable storage device (such as a USB drive) since your work will not be saved to the laptop beyond your current checkout.
LA County Library will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of data or media due to any cause while you are using a laptop from this kiosk.
By using this laptop, you must adhere to the Library’s Acceptable Use Policy. Laptops are available at the following libraries:
With your LA County Library card, you can download or stream eBooks, eAudiobooks, magazines, music, and movies on your computer, tablet, or phone. It's free and you'll never have to worry about overdue fines!
You'll need a library card in good standing and a PIN to access most downloadable & streaming content.
Consumer Health Information Program
The Consumer Health Information Program assists the public with medical research by providing information from reliable sources. Customers are invited to use the Norwalk Library collection which consists of books, magazines, videos, and online databases related to health topics. We also provide individualized research services.
Please be aware, we do not provide medical advice, nor are the materials we provide a substitute for a professional medical opinion.
What Can We Do for You?
We can provide you with information on topics such as:
Medical conditions or diseases
Prescription medications
Surgical procedures
General physician and hospital information
Book and website recommendations for further reading
With the support of grants and corporate/community funding, the Library has established 48 Homework Centers. These Centers provide enhanced resources, computer technology, and homework helpers to support the educational needs of students in these communities.
Online Homework Help is also available on the Internet computers in all County libraries and from home computers during designated hours
Which Libraries have this program?
Family Place
What is Family Place?
A Family Place Library is a center for early childhood information, parent education, emergent literacy, socialization, and family support. Family Place builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parent involvement, and supportive communities play a critical role in young children's growth and development. Each Family Place Library features the following core elements:
A bright, colorful, and welcoming space for young children and their parents.
A collection of books, toys, videos, music, and other materials for babies, toddlers, parents, and service providers
Access to resources that emphasize emergent literacy, reading readiness, and parent education.
Developmentally appropriate programming, such as baby and toddler storytimes for younger children and their parents.
Outreach to new and underserved populations.
The Parent-Child Workshop is a five-week workshop featuring local professionals, such as nutritionists, speech and language therapists, and child development experts, who serve as resources for parents.
The first three years of a child's life lay the foundation for learning. Get the tools and resources you need to give your child the best possible start.
Great! Thank you for sharing your photos with Catalina PhotoShare, a community history project of LA County Library.
Your photos will be reviewed and if they meet the criteria, they will be added to the Catalina PhotoShare online collection.
If you have any questions, please contact: digitalprojects@library.lacounty.gov
LA County Library Californiana Collection
Accessing the Collection
The Californiana Collection is in closed stacks at the Norwalk Library located at 12350 Imperial Hwy, Norwalk, CA 90650.
About the Collection
The Californiana Collection consists of over 24,000 books and over 200 magazine and newspaper titles in paper and on microfilm as well as a collection of state documents including state and county budgets. The goal of this collection is to present a complete picture of the history, culture, environment and artistic expression of the people of California and to some extent, the western United States.
Collection Highlights
California Census Schedules from 1850 to 1910
Copies of The Alta California newspaper 1849-1891, as well as dozens of other 19th century newspapers from Gold Rush boomtowns, the Owens Valley and San Francisco
Official city and county histories from the 19th and 20th centuries
Materials on the Donner Party, California water projects, famous California crimes, Hollywood culture, biographies of Californians, pioneer narratives of the early days of California, and histories of the state written over the course of 150 years