FEATURED PROGRAMS

BE THE CHANGE
I
nclusion Diversity Equity Antiracism

Be The Change is the Library’s promise to build collective understanding of systemic racism, elevate the voices and stories of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), and inspire our community to be the change through lectures, exhibits, and programming.

ONE BOOK ONE GLENDALE:

Virtual Author Talk | Thursday, June 16, 2022

THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN

A conversation with The Personal Librarian authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray with California African American Museum’s Research Librarian Denise L. McIver.

  • In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. Pierpont Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps build a world-class collection. But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and well-known advocate for equality. Belle's complexion isn't dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white--her complexion is dark because she is African American. The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go--for the protection of her family and her legacy--to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

Virtual Author Talk | Thursday, May 16, 2022

YUYI MORALES IN CONVERSATION WITH LOIDA GARCIA-FEBO

Children's book author and illustrator Yuyi Morales shares her experience creating literature that celebrates the Latino cultural experience.

Local History Virtual Talk | Friday, April 1, 2022

GLENDALE MEMORIES: PAUL IGNATIUS

101-year-old Glendale native Paul R. Ignatius talks about Glendale in the 1920s and 1930s accompanied by his personal photos of the time period.

Women’s History Month Virtual Talk | Monday, March 21, 2022

ROSIE THE RIVETER EXPERIENCE WITH BETTY REID SOSKIN

Betty Reid Soskin, age 100, a ranger with the National Park Service, discusses the African American Rosie the Riveter experience.

Black History Month Virtual Screening | February 2022

BLACK GOLD

A virtual screening of Black Gold, a documentary by Nick Francis and Marc J. Francis. An award-winning Sundance-hit, Black Gold exposes the truth behind each cappuccino and demands us to wake up and smell the coffee.

  • To stream the film, click on the button below. The password will display automatically at checkout, after you create or sign into a free Vimeo account.

    Streaming is available for 24 hours after you “rent” the film.

    If the password GlendaleLibrary doesn’t display automatically, you may enter it in the Promo Code field.

Recent Events

 

National Poetry Month | April 2022

POCKET POETRY KIT TO-GO

April is National Poetry Month, marking the important place of poetry in our lives! Poetry can be found in all cultures and dates back to prehistoric times, when poems were recited or sung rather than written.

Share a poem with others with a Pocket Poetry Kit. Each card contains a few lines from a poem to get you started. Poetry is a unique way to learn about other's experiences, thoughts, and emotions, and develop an appreciation for creative expression.

Armenian History Month | April 2022

ARMENIAN COFFEE MUG GIVEAWAY

In honor of Armenian History Month, participants of our survey were entered into an opportunity drawing to win an Armenian coffee mug. Winners were announced in person on April 30, 2022 at the Armenian coffee and conversations event.

February 1 - March 31, 2022

ROSIE THE RIVETER: CELEBRATED

In honor of African American Rosie the Riveters, Black History Month, and Women's History Month.

Women’s History Month | March 2022

“VOTES FOR WOMEN” TEACUP SET

In honor of Women's History Month, GLAC offered an opportunity drawing for a "Votes for Women” teacup and saucer set in recognition of the countless women who dedicated themselves to the cause of women’s suffrage.

March 2022

STORYTELLING DICE GAME KIT TO-GO

Storytelling games promote empathy and problem solving and can help start discussions on difficult topics. Storytelling is a unique way for people to develop an understanding, respect, and appreciation for other cultures.

Performance at Brand Library & Art Center
March 19, 2022, 10:30am

MUSIC ANIMATED: KAZAN TAIKO

Music Animated makes music come alive with interactive performances!

 
 
 
...ALL IN THIS TEA
DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
STREAMING JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 28

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, we’d like to focus on tea. Join us for a virtual screening of "..All in this Tea" by Les Blank.

Drinking tea is a way of life, not just in East Asia, but throughout the world, and its historical influence and global impact on the fabric of communities cannot be understated. To highlight this, join us for a special showing of the documentary "All in This Tea" by distinguished documentarian Les Blank. Stream the film from Friday, January 28 through Monday, February 28, 2022.

In addition to the virtual film screening, library visitors may pickup tea kits available at Glendale Central Library, Brand Library & Art Center, and Montrose Library from January 24 through January 28, 2022. Please enjoy a sample of Oolong tea, a traditional Chinese tea that, in addition to caffeine, contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids and beneficial tea polyphenol antioxidants.

 

.

CREATE YOUR KITE
FEBRUARY GRAB & GO CRAFT KIT

Kites have a long history and have been used by many cultures around the world and adapted to local customs and interests. Kites have been used as fishing and navigational instruments, for meteorological and scientific uses, connection to the world of spirits and deities, warfare, early airplane and wireless communications, and sports and entertainment.

Explore the fascinating history of kites around the world by creating your own heart-shaped kite!

As part of the Be the Change series, GLAC is recognizing customs shared by many cultures around the world, such as kites. Understanding our shared history and customs can strengthen our connection to our local and global communities.

 
 
PAPER LANTERNS
JANUARY GRAB & GO CRAFT KITS

Many Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year following the lunisolar calendar or cycles of the moon and sun. Some East Asian countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year are China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, and Vietnam. This year it falls on Tuesday, February 1. As part of the Be the Change series, we are hosting a number of events to recognize the strength and creativity of our Asian communities. Celebrate the Lunar New Year with these lantern crafts. Made of paper, the lantern symbolizes the wish for a bright future.

 
REFLECTSPACE EXHIBITS
MODES OF RESISTANCE: LEGACIES OF COLONIALISM AND “COMFORT WOMEN”
EXHIBIT @ THE REFLECTSPACE GALLERY
JULY 30 - OCT 9 DURING REGULAR CENTRAL LIBRARY'S HOURS
 
 

Modes of Resistance commemorates and pays homage to both the former “Comfort Women” who were forced into sexual slavery, and the afterlives of Japanese colonial rule and subsequent wars in Korea—the effects of which are still felt nearly 70 years later. The four artists imagine new modes to speak to this legacy of violence and through their work seek pathways of resistance and healing. In the PassageWay gallery, reproductions of paintings of former “Comfort Women” from artist Duk Kyung Kang will be on display.

Prior to and during World War II, more than 200,000 young women and girls from Korea, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and East Timor were sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Military. Despite the brutality of their situation, these women are universally referred to as “Comfort Women.”

Artist Han Ho’s Eternal light - 21c The Last Judgment addresses epic metaphysical issues. The large multi-panel work is drawn from Michelangelo's masterpiece, The Last Judgment. Han Ho’s work riffs off Michelango’s core idea of good and evil, constructing the afterimage of mankind as exposed to the dangers of colonization, violence and nuclear annihilation.

In Search of the Lost Heart by Jin-woo Kim is a re-imagining of the greatest military creation in Korean history, transformed into a symbol of resistance to Japanese colonialism and violence. Kim’s ship is formidable and color-laden and carries the silhouettes of a young woman and a butterfly on its tower and interactive with LED lights that are activated based on a motion sensor placed in the ship’s tower.

Past Exhibits
AS THE EARTH WANES: CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE
EXHIBIT @ THE REFLECTSPACE GALLERY
MARCH 19 - MAY 21 DURING REGULAR CENTRAL LIBRARY'S HOURS

ReflectSpace Gallery at Central LIbrary is proud to present As the Earth Wanes: Considering Climate Change, an exhibition designed to reflect on the effects of global warming and climate change on our planet.

The Earth has undergone many climate changes during its 4.5 billion year history. Modern climate change is drastically different than any warming or cooling humanity has seen — in rate and in scale. The present climate change is occurring 20 to 50 times faster than other climate change events in Earth’s history. Human activities are chiefly responsible for this rapid climate change.

To create greater awareness about climate change and generate critical conversations toward a greener and more sustainable future, ReflectSpace brings together the work of several artists to shed light on the current state of our planet.

HUMAN LIKE YOU: CONFRONTING THE HOMELESS CRISIS
EXHIBIT @ THE REFLECTSPACE GALLERY
JANUARY 20-MARCH 4 DURING REGULAR CENTRAL LIBRARY'S HOURS
- & -
VIRTUAL ARTIST TALK
LIVE STREAMING FEBRUARY 24 AT 7PM ON YOUTUBE

ReflectSpace Gallery at Central Library is proud to present Human Like You/Confronting the Homeless Crisis, an exhibition that sheds light on the ever-burgeoning homeless epidemic. Los Angeles County is home to a staggering 64,000 unhoused people, and this number is growing. 

ReflectSpace confronts the crisis by showcasing the work of two artists with extensive careers working with individuals dealing with trauma. Unable to ignore the ubiquitous presence of people living on the streets, photographer Jeffrey A. Wolin with his camera and artist Stuart Perlman, Ph.D., with his paintbrush, create portraits and images of people experiencing homelessness in their environment.

Through image and personal testimony, Human Like You tells compelling stories of how people from all walks of life became unhoused and how they are coping. The journeys portrayed are harrowing, extraordinary, and tragic. Human Like You provides a glimpse into the lives of those afflicted by job loss, mental illness, substance abuse, tragedy, and domestic violence and implores the viewer to empathize and contemplate a solution to this crisis.

In Order to Control: Virtual ReflectSpace Exhibit

“Everything that’s legal is not always fair. Everything that’s fair is not always legal.”
In Order to Control is a multi-media installation that uses typography and digital technology to engage the audience. The installation takes place in dark space where text is projected onto the floor in block paragraph form. The text is about a variety of topics like violence, imprisonment, ethics, law, societal norms, and other social justice issues. Using kinetics and interactive projection, the audience is able to interact with the text as they move through the space. This interaction and movement create a space in which conversations about the topics in the projected text can take place. 

In Order to Control ran November 18 to January 8, 2022 at ReflectSpace Gallery

 

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO LEARN MORE

PAST BE THE CHANGE PROGRAMS

Día de los Muertos

Day of the Dead or Día de Los Muertos is a Mexican holiday that is celebrated in different parts of the world on November 1st and 2nd. Día de Los Muertos is a colorful celebration of life that reunites the living and the dead. Families build ofrendas to honor and welcome their beloved departed family members. 
Enjoy this special episode of GTV6’s coverage of the Glendale Día de Los Muertos 2021 event on November 7, 2021 at the Glendale Central Library:

 
 

Author Events

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO WATCH THE EVENTS ON YOUTUBE

DIVERSIFY YOUR READING

Featured Lists

More Lists

Armenian Genocide Remembrance Month

Updated April 2021

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Updated May 2021

Black History Month

Updated June 2021

LGBTQIA+ & Pride Month

Updated June 2021

Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Updated September 2021

Filipino Heritage Month

Updated October 2021

Native American History Month

Updated November 2021

Blog Posts

BE THE CHANGE SERIES 2020-2021

Click on the photos below to explore all 2020-2021 BE THE CHANGE programs and exhibits.

 

BE THE CHANGE
I
nclusion - Diversity - Equity - Antiracism

 

Glendale Library, Arts & Culture’s (GLAC) Be The Change series is focused on: Inclusion – Diversity – Equity – Antiracism. Be The Change events will build collective understanding of systemic racism, elevate the voices and stories of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), and inspire our community to be the change.  

The series is sponsored by the City of Glendale Arts and Culture Commission, with funding from the City of Glendale Urban Art Fund.