Felipe de Neve Branch Library
🏢 Los Angeles Public Library · Westlake, Los Angeles, California
Felipe de Neve Branch Library
A 1929 Mediterranean Revival landmark perched above Lafayette Park in the Westlake neighborhood, Felipe de Neve Branch Library honors Los Angeles's Spanish-colonial founder — and has served the city's diverse immigrant community with Korean and Spanish collections, an urban garden, and take-home science kits for nearly a century.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 12pm–8pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–5:30pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am–5:30pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 2820 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Phone: (213) 384-7676
Website: lapl.org
Plus Code: 85633P78+8J (Los Angeles, CA)
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📖 About Felipe de Neve Branch Library
The Felipe de Neve Branch Library opened on July 1, 1929 in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, perched on a grassy hill at the north edge of Lafayette Park along 6th Street. Designed by architect Austin Whittlesey in a Mediterranean Revival–Classical Revival style, the one-story red brick building features a red tile roof, elaborate carved stone floral details, symmetrical arched windows with black-and-white diamond-and-cross tile inlays, exposed wooden roof beams, and a mosaic tile City of Los Angeles seal above the entrance. The branch was formally dedicated on September 4, 1929 — the 148th anniversary of the founding of Los Angeles — and was named in honor of Felipe de Neve, the Spanish governor of California who oversaw the establishment of the city's original 44 pobladores settlement on that exact date in 1781. The branch holds dual landmark status: it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 19, 1987 (Reference No. 87001008, as part of a thematic LAPL group submission), and was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 452 on October 17, 1989. Today it serves one of Los Angeles's most linguistically diverse neighborhoods with dedicated Korean and Spanish collections, Neighborhood Science Kits, Tech2Go technology bundles, and an urban garden on the library grounds.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1987, Ref. No. 87001008) and designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 452 (1989)
- Designed by architect Austin Whittlesey in Mediterranean Revival–Classical Revival style with a red tile roof, carved stone floral borders, diamond tile inlays, and a mosaic City of Los Angeles seal
- Named for Felipe de Neve, Spanish governor who founded Los Angeles on September 4, 1781 — the branch was dedicated on the city's 148th birthday
- Korean and Spanish language collections serving the neighborhood's diverse multilingual Westlake community
- Urban garden on the library grounds; Neighborhood Science Kits and Tech2Go technology bundles available to borrow
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
LAPL cardholders get free access to a broad digital library — stream, download, and learn from home:
📚 Services
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Wireless printing
- Korean and Spanish language collections
- Book Bundles To Go (pre-selected reading bundles for children)
- Neighborhood Science Kits (take-home STEM experiment kits)
- Tech2Go bundles (Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots to borrow for home use)
- Sensory kits for inclusive youth services
- Urban garden on the library grounds
- ZoomText accessibility software for low-vision patrons
- Building auditorium for community programs
- Parking lot and bike rack on-site
🎸 Programs
- Storytime for children and families
- Yoga classes for the community
- Neighborhood Science Kit drop-in programs
- Cultural programming for the Westlake and MacArthur Park neighborhood
📍 Nearby Libraries in Los Angeles
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Los Angeles · Browse all California libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Felipe de Neve, and why is this library named after him?
Felipe de Neve (1727–1784) served as the 4th Governor of the Californias from 1776 to 1782. He personally supervised the founding of Los Angeles on September 4, 1781, leading the original 44 pobladores settlers to establish the pueblo. The branch was formally dedicated on September 4, 1929 — exactly the 148th anniversary of that founding — making the library a living commemoration of the city's Spanish-colonial origins.
Is the Felipe de Neve Branch Library building a historic landmark?
Yes — doubly so. The 1929 Austin Whittlesey-designed Mediterranean Revival building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 19, 1987 (Reference No. 87001008), and was also designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 452 on October 17, 1989. The red tile roof, carved stone floral borders, black-and-white diamond tile inlays, and mosaic city seal above the entrance doors are all original.
Does the branch have materials in languages other than English?
Yes. Felipe de Neve Branch Library maintains dedicated Korean and Spanish language collections, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the surrounding Westlake and MacArthur Park neighborhood, which is home to large Korean American and Latino communities.
Can I borrow technology or science equipment — not just books?
Yes. The branch offers Neighborhood Science Kits (take-home STEM experiment kits), Tech2Go bundles (Chromebooks and mobile hotspots), and sensory kits for children with diverse sensory needs — all borrowable with a free LAPL library card.
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