Sorensen Library

The inspiration

This branch began in the late 1940s, when residents organized the Sorensen Park and Recreation Association, and their efforts led to a library inside the park area, dedicated in 1956¹ . The original building measured just 1,048 square feet, and it was never expanded, partly because of budget constraints¹ .

Who's behind it

Sorensen Library is run by LA County Library, a system founded in 1912 that now serves residents across 87 libraries plus a mobile fleet of bookmobiles and maker vehicles³ . The branch manager listed by the county is Charmetria Marshall, and a volunteer group, Friends of Sorensen Library, supports the library and its events, including book sales¹ .

What to order

• Study rooms: quiet space for one or a few people, seating six¹
• The meeting room: a large community room with capacity for 70¹
• Public computers: ten adult machines, ten for children and three for teens, plus laptop lending¹

What people are saying

Press coverage at the 2010 dedication emphasized the building's eco-friendly design, with hundreds of residents, students and county officials turning out for the ceremony² .

Why you should try it

If you're staying in West Whittier-Los Nietos, this is a spacious, green-certified public library with homework help, streaming media, Wi-Fi and study space, all next to the community's park¹ . It's an easy place to settle in with a book, catch up on work, or see one of the county's earliest sustainable public buildings up close² .