Built for the Future—Saved for the Next Century

A Centennial Panel on the Central Library Wednesday, October 28 at 7pm Built for the Future—Saved for the Next Century Madeleine Brand, Susan Orlean, Adrian Scott Fine, and John Welborne Co-presented with the Los Angeles Conservancy For 100 years, Los Angeles Central Library has been an architectural icon and a cornerstone of civic life—but its future was once uncertain. In 1978, a powerful preservation effort led by community advocates and the Los Angeles Conservancy saved the historic building from demolition, securing its place at the heart of the city. Join us for a dynamic conversation on the Library’s past, present, and bold look ahead at the next one hundred years. Moderated by Madeline Brand, broadcast journalist and host of KCRW’s Press Play, the conversation will examine the legacy of the historic Central Library and what it means to preserve, steward, and reimagine the role of this civic monument in Los Angeles' future. Panelists include Adrian Scott Fine, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Conservancy, Susan Orlean, bestselling author of The Library Book, and John Welborne, attorney and preservation leader whose work with the Los Angeles Conservancy and Citizens' Task Force helped secure the preservation and expansion of the Central Library. Special thanks to our sponsors ALOUD is made possible thanks to support from: Judith and Steve Krantz Foundation, Hearst Foundations, Humanities Endowment Fund, Gregory Peck Literacy Endowment, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, Sharon Oxborough Endowed Fund for ALOUD Additional support generously provided by the Los Angeles Public Library and by donors and members of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles.