100 Years of the Los Angeles Public Library Celebrated in Agoura Hills

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) of the 30th District, Agoura Hills Agoura Hills Councilmember Illece Buckley Weber and author Louisa May Alcott (portrayed by living legends performer Suzanne Gallerito) participated in the centennial celebration of the County of Los Angeles Public Library system at the Saturday afternoon.

Waxman gave a few of his personal experiences growing up using the L.A. library system to the audience.

"In those days, we didn't have computers, we had books and magazines," he told the crowd, consisting of approximately two dozen people.

He went on to say, "Sharing information is what our country is all about." 

Weber, who also addressed the audience, told Agoura Hills Patch, "Libraries are fundamentally important as part of our communities. It brings together kids, it brings together people who love to read, people who rent videos."

Buckley Weber said she raised her kids at the Agoura library, even before it was situated at its present location at the Civic Center.

Sen. Fran Pavley spokesperson Marie Lakin presented a special certificate signifying the 100th birthday to Nina Hull, Agoura Hills Library community manager.

Actress Gallerito gave a one-woman performance as the legendary author Alcott. Gallerito enthralled the audience of mostly adults with "personal" tales of growing up in Boston, living next door to such literary greats as Thoreau and treating wounded soldiers after the Battle of Fredericksberg.

The program was followed by refreshments.

Eleanor Mashkovich, 9 1/2, said she came to the event because Alcott is her favorite author.

"Now I'm going to get books by her that I hadn't heard of before," said Maskovich, who's only read Little Women.

A brief history of the library system was recounted in a recent article in the LAist:

The Board of Supervisors voted to create the Los Angeles County Free Library on September 5, 1912,. The library began as a collection of 50 books housed in a single room at a Willowbrook residence; the county's library system now houses over seven million books and other items, has welcomed more than 11 million visitors and has gifted over two million computer sessions, according to City News Service.