State-of-the-Art Public Library to Open

For 25 years, the public library that served Echo Park was housed in a makeshift building as residents heard many promises that a facility would be built. So they waited. And waited.

Today, the wait will end when the state-of-the-art Echo Park Community Library at 1400 W. Temple St. debuts with a grand opening ceremony.

“Certainly it is a much-needed library for our students so they can better themselves,” said Ignacio Garcia, assistant principal at nearby Belmont High School.

In addition to Belmont students, the library will serve an estimated 75,000 people in nearby communities, including students at eight elementary schools.

The 17,000-square-foot building has a computer room, community meeting room and a literacy center that will focus on teaching English as a second language.

“The fact is that the inner-city communities are where the vast majority of the city’s children live and, sadly, where there exist the fewest libraries,” said City Councilman Mike Hernandez.