ETHNIC LIBRARIES

The Los Angeles County Public Library system includes four “resource centers” providing materials on different racial and ethnic groups. They are located within county libraries in East Los Angeles, Huntington Park, Los Angeles and Montebello.

Black resource center

A.C. Bilbrew County Library

150 East El Segundo Blvd.

Los Angeles

Established in 1978 to support study of social, historical, musical and cultural aspects of the Black experience, the collection includes scholarly books, dissertations, government publications, microform records of diaries and letters, 16mm films, video cassettes and recordings. A wide variety of Black periodicals and newspapers are also included. The center also serves other libraries and government agencies.

American Indian resource center

Huntington Park Library

6518 Miles Ave.

Huntington Park

Established in 1979, this center’s collection includes books, magazines, newspapers, tribal newsletters, government publications, college catalogs, audio recordings and 16mm films. Also available are Indian Census Rolls and a clipping/pamphlet file on current events. Although all tribes north of Mexico are represented, the major focus of the collection is on Indians of the Southwest. The center also provides information and referral services to assist the public in locating agencies that serve Indian population. Meeting room facilities are also available.

Chicano resource center

East Los Angeles Library

4801 East 3rd St.

Los Angeles

Established in 1976, this center has a collection that includes books, magazines, pamphlets, films, records, video and audio cassettes, dissertations and newspapers on microfilm, artifacts and prints. In addition to covering the Latino experience in the United States--with materials on such subjects as politics, folklore, customs, education, art, language and health--the collection includes material on the history of Mexico. The collection is predominantly in English and most items may be borrowed from the center.

Asian Pacific resource center

Montebello Library

1550 West Beverly Blvd.

Montebello

Established in 1979, this center’s English language materials focus mostly on the history, and cultural heritage of people from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam. They include books, magazines, theses, dissertations, pamphlets, 16mm films, slides and audio and video cassettes. The center also has general information materials in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese. Language tapes are also available, as are information and referral services to Asian Americans in locating various agencies.

Source: Los Angeles County Public Library