Baldwin Hills Branch Library
🏢 Los Angeles Public Library · Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles, California
Baldwin Hills Branch Library
The Baldwin Hills Branch Library — the new permanent home of a nearly century-old Black history collection started in 1927 — serves South Los Angeles's historic African American community from a 1960 neighborhood branch at the intersection of La Brea and the Crenshaw corridor.
🕑 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: 2906 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90016
Phone: (323) 733-1196
Website: lapl.org
Plus Code: 85632JHW+8X (Los Angeles, CA)
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📖 About Baldwin Hills Branch Library
Baldwin Hills Branch Library has served the heart of South Los Angeles since 1960, when it opened as part of a mid-century wave of new LAPL neighborhood branches. Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm Hunter and Benedict, the roughly 5,000-square-foot building sits on S. La Brea Avenue in Baldwin Hills — long known as the 'Black Beverly Hills' for its history as home to LA's largest African American middle-class community. In March 2026 the branch became the permanent home of the Dorothy Vena Johnson Black History Collection, a nearly 100-year-old archive of approximately 2,300 items — books, photographs, newspaper clippings, and about 25 rare items found nowhere else in the LAPL system. The collection was started in 1927 by Miriam Matthews, the first credentialed Black librarian in California and the first hired by LAPL, who recognized the shelves didn't reflect the communities she served; it was renamed in 1971 to honor Dorothy Vena Johnson, Los Angeles poet, educator, and co-founder of the League of Allied Arts. The branch also operates a Literacy Center offering walk-in adult tutoring, a robust technology lending program, and dedicated youth spaces.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Dorothy Vena Johnson Black History Collection (approx. 2,300 items, permanently housed here since March 2026): started in 1927 by Miriam Matthews, California's first credentialed Black librarian — books, photographs, rare newspaper clippings, and items found exclusively at this branch
- Opened 1960, designed by Los Angeles architectural firm Hunter & Benedict — one of 24 LAPL branches completed that year as part of a mid-century neighborhood expansion
- Located in Baldwin Hills — the 'Black Beverly Hills' — a neighborhood long home to LA's largest African American middle and upper-middle-class community, with many homes designed by architect Paul R. Williams
- Full Literacy Center on-site: free walk-in adult tutoring in reading, writing, English conversation, digital skills, and resume help — no appointment needed
- Tech lending program: Chromebooks (6-month loan), Wi-Fi hotspots (Tech2Go), and trained Cybernauts tech aides available by phone, text, or chat
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
LAPL cardholders get free access to a broad digital library — stream, download, and learn from home:
📚 Services
- Dorothy Vena Johnson Black History Collection (approx. 2,300 items) — on-site browsable archive
- Literacy Center — walk-in adult tutoring: reading, writing, English conversation, digital skills, resume help
- Tech2Go — borrow Chromebooks (6-month loan) and Wi-Fi hotspots for home use
- Cybernauts — trained tech aides available by phone, text, or chat
- Book Bundles To Go — curated children's book sets selected by librarians
- LA PLays! Playkits — toy, book, and activity bundles to borrow for home play
- Neighborhood Science Kits — circulating citizen-science kits on air quality, water, and biodiversity
- Student Zone — after-school homework center with reserved computers and free school supplies
- Teen Quad — dedicated teen space with resources and programs
- ZoomText — screen magnification software for low-vision patrons
- Spanish-language collection
- Public computers, free Wi-Fi, wireless printing, and self-checkout machines
- Parking lot and bike rack on-site
🎸 Programs
- Grammar Class (Intermediate) — weekly adult English grammar in real-world context
- English Conversation Class — adult ESL conversation practice for work, school, and daily life
- Baldwin Hills Builders — Thursday afternoons, building-block play for all ages
- Little Scientists Play With Clay — children's hands-on art-science workshop
- Literacy Center tutoring — walk-in, no appointment needed
📍 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
What is the Dorothy Vena Johnson Black History Collection, and can I see it at this branch?
Yes — the Dorothy Vena Johnson Black History Collection is physically housed here since early 2026. It contains approximately 2,300 items: books, photographs, newspaper clippings, magazines, biographies, scholarly texts, and about 25 rare items found nowhere else in the LAPL system. The collection was started in 1927 by Miriam Matthews, the first credentialed African American librarian in California and the first hired by LAPL, who recognized the shelves didn't reflect the communities she served. It was renamed in 1971 to honor Dorothy Vena Johnson — Los Angeles poet, educator, and co-founder of the League of Allied Arts — and was officially unveiled at Baldwin Hills on March 21, 2026.
Why is the Baldwin Hills neighborhood considered historically significant for Black Los Angeles?
Baldwin Hills is widely known as the 'Black Beverly Hills.' Beginning in the early 1960s, the neighborhood became home to the largest middle- and upper-middle-class African American community in Los Angeles. Many homes in the area were designed by Paul R. Williams, the renowned Black architect also responsible for Saks Fifth Avenue Beverly Hills and the LAX Theme Building. The nearby Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza — the first major open-air shopping center in postwar California — became a hub of Black-owned businesses.
Does Baldwin Hills Branch have a Literacy Center, and how do I access it?
Yes. The branch operates an on-site Literacy Center offering free walk-in adult tutoring in reading, writing, English conversation, grammar, digital skills, and resume building — no appointment needed. The branch also hosts regular grammar and English conversation classes for adults. Trained Cybernauts technology aides are available by phone, text, or chat for additional help.
When was the Baldwin Hills Branch built, and who designed it?
The branch opened in 1960, designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm Hunter & Benedict. It is one of 24 new LAPL branches completed that year as part of a city-wide mid-century expansion, bringing library access into growing neighborhood communities across Los Angeles.
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