Malabar Branch Library
historic place
The Malabar Branch Library, a historic place in Los Angeles County, has roots dating back to 1914. It began as a book depository, operating from a Sunday school room at the Brooklyn Heights Methodist Church. In 1925, Los Angeles voters approved a bond issue to fund the construction of new branch libraries. The current Malabar Branch building was constructed following this initiative, with work beginning in 1926. It officially opened its doors in May 1927. Architect William L. Woollett designed the structure in a Mediterranean Revival-Spanish Colonial Revival style. The Malabar Branch Library received designation as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1986. The following year, in 1987, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. These designations acknowledge its significance as part of the Los Angeles Branch Library System, recognized as one of the earliest and most successful public library systems in the Western United States. The building reflects the cultural and social history of its community.