Angelenos of all ages thronged to the LA Central Library on Saturday to celebrate its 100th birthday. The program lasted all day long and there were lots of free events and activities, including crafts for kids, readings, tours of the library and live music.

The courtyard at the west entrance was crowded when I showed up at around 10:30 am. I was glad to see the event attract so many visitors. With literacy rates in the US declining, I worry that people are reading less, and that they don’t value libraries as much as in the past. But the thousands of children, teens, parents and seniors who attended seemed excited about being there. Library staff had to turn people away from some events because reservations had already maxed out.

While we tend to think of libraries as buildings stuffed with books, the LA Public Library has so much more to offer. LAPL holds 6.2 million items in all sorts of formats, including audio books, CDs and DVDs. Its branches offer an internet connection for people who can’t connect at home, and a quiet place for students to study after school hours. There’s storytelling for children and tutoring for adults. LAPL even offers yoga, tai chi and zumba classes.

The LA Public Library has a rich history. Its precursor, the Los Angeles Library Association, had its beginnings in 1872. Over the past 150 years the system has grown to serve the whole city, with branches in 72 neighborhoods. The Central Library, located at 630 West Fifth Street, had its dedication ceremony in 1926. It was badly damaged during a major fire in 1986, causing the loss of over a million books and a closure that lasted seven years. It reopened in 1993, and has continued to serve the community since then.

For me the highlight of the day was the world’s largest pop-up book, Luceros y Penumbras. I wanted to get a photo, but it took a while because there were so many people crowded around. The book was created by LA-based artist and printmaker Daniel González. The web page at the Library Foundation says, “When opened, the book measures approximately 31 feet by 20 feet, with pop-ups rising more than 11 feet tall. Weighing over 1,800 pounds, it is made entirely from the same materials used to produce traditional books, including paper, adhesive, and fabric.”

If you missed the centennial celebration, don’t worry. There’s still plenty to see and do at the LA Central Library. If you’ve never been there, check it out.