FOTO EAST L.A.

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

East Los Angeles – an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County – boasts a rich history that residents remember and proudly tell. People across generational lines often ask if a local history resource for East Los Angeles exists; residents want to contribute to it and researchers want to access it. So the County of Los Angeles Public Library created “Foto East L.A.” It’s an online archive where we preserve, and share, a digital history of the region using content provided by the East Los Angeles community. We amassed the material via 13 publicly held scanning events – and by proactively encouraging local organizations to submit content. Foto East L.A. represents a new model of providing material to the library since patrons themselves create the content for the public benefit. But Foto East L.A. goes beyond filling an informational void. It also helps stimulate a stronger sense of community connectedness in the present day. Though currently populated by over 126,000 mostly Latino residents living in less than 7.5 square miles, East Los Angeles actually boasts an ethnically diverse history over the past century – as well as a robust tradition of grassroots political activism. It’s a historic treasure trove we are proudly bringing to light.