Gun Violence Awareness

Secure Your Firearms. Secure Their Future.

Father and hugging sleeping chiild Last year, more than 1200 people in Los Angeles were impacted by gun violence. Gun Violence Awareness Month was created to be a beacon of awareness, illuminating the impact of gun violence on our communities.

LA County Library, in partnership with the Office of Violence Prevention, is committed to fostering social connection and healing through curated resources and programming.

Throughout June, we invite you to explore our recommended reading materials, thought-provoking viewing options, and other resources designed to promote understanding and empathy while we work together to create safe spaces that address harm, trauma, and the far-reaching effects of violence.

As part of our commitment to safety, LA County Library is offering free gun locks at our five Tool Lending Library locations. This initiative empowers residents to take proactive steps towards preventing accidental firearm-related incidents and help keep our loved ones safe.

Join us in raising awareness, fostering healing, and promoting safety during Gun Violence Awareness Month.

Gun Lock Distribution Program

In collaboration with the Office of Violence Prevention, LA County Library is committed to promoting gun safety through a free gun lock distribution program.

Gun locks are available at our 5 Tool Lending Library locations: Compton, Lancaster, Norwalk, Rosemead, and San Fernando.

Each household may receive up to 2 free gun locks along with essential gun safety education materials.
No personal information, including name, identification, telephone number, or library cards, will be required.
LA County Library prohibits firearms and weapons of any kind at any library location. Do not bring a firearm to the library to receive a gun lock.

Together, we can take proactive steps towards ensuring the safety of our families and neighborhoods. Visit us to pick up your free gun locks and learn more about responsible gun safety practices, or go to lockedandunloaded.org to have a lock shipped to you.

Wear Something Orange

In January, 2013, high school student Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Hadiya’s childhood friends commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others. Now, observed nationally each year on the first Friday in June through the weekend, wearing orange symbolizes support for increasing awareness around gun violence prevention.

Gun Violence Awareness Booklist

More Resources

Kanopy: Stream movies, documentaries and television programs covering a variety of violence prevention topics.

Find gun safety information and resources at the Office of Violence Prevention.

Learn about The Storytelling Project, survivor stories collected by the Office of Violence Prevention, Department of Arts and Culture, and Creative Strategist Artist-in-Residence Olga Koumoundouros.

Gun Lock Program FAQs

Do I need to give you my personal information?

No, the County is not asking anyone for any personal information to receive a gun lock.

How old do I have to be?

18 years of age or older.

How much do the gun locks cost? Is there a fee?

The gun locks are FREE. There are NO FEES or NO COSTS to receive gun locks.

How many free gun locks can I have?

Currently, there is a limit of 2-gun locks per family because there is a limited supply of gun locks for all of Los Angeles County.

Can I have a gun lock even if I don’t own a gun?

Yes. Absolutely, no questions asked. You can also give the lock to anyone that you know who owns a gun.

Why is the County giving free gun locks?

Los Angeles County is giving free gun locks to help prevent accidental shootings and suicides.

The Department of Public Health and the LA County Office of Violence Prevention are giving free gun locks to ensure that communities in LA County are safe and free from death, injury, and trauma caused by gun violence.

Do I need to have or show my library card?

No, you do not need a library card. If you have a library card, you do not need to show your library card.

Where else can I get free gun locks?

Lockedandunloaded.org
Office of Violence Prevention website
Order online at Project ChildSafe
Check with local Los Angeles County Sheriff Department
Check with local Los Angeles Police Department offices

Kindle Paperwhite eReader

Welcome to a New Way to Read...

Have you walked into a library and wished you could check out more books than you could possibly carry? Check out a Kindle Paperwhite at participating libraries with a collection of titles that you are sure to enjoy. Each Kindle has been loaded with expert-selected books.

You don’t need internet access - all the books are pre-loaded onto the Kindle so you are ready to read.

Three week checkout
Renew up to 3 times, as long as no one else is waiting
Must be 18 or older (or under 18 with parent permission)
eBooks cannot be added to this device by user

How do I get one?

Visit a participating library to check out or place a hold on a Kindle Paperwhite. Kindles are not sent to other libraries for pick up.
Note: Selection of genres varies per library. Click on a library below to see the list of genres.

Library Locations with eReaders

Click on the library to view list of genres available.

Laptops in this kiosk can be checked out by customers with a LA County Library card in good standing. The laptop is due back in the kiosk before the library closes on the same day it is checked out.

If you do not return the laptop to the kiosk on the same day you check it out, your library account will be charged the full replacement cost of the laptop.

When you check out a laptop from this kiosk, you agree to use it within the library only. If you remove the laptop from the library, you may held criminally responsible for theft of the laptop and/or be charged the full replacement cost of the laptop.

You are responsible for the laptop and you agree that you will reimburse the LA County Library for any damages if the laptop is damaged, lost or stolen while checked out to you.

If you check out a laptop and it is damaged, you will give it to library staff immediately.

You must save to a removable storage device (such as a USB drive) since your work will not be saved to the laptop beyond your current checkout.

LA County Library will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of data or media due to any cause while you are using a laptop from this kiosk.

By using this laptop, you must adhere to the Library’s Acceptable Use Policy. Laptops are available at the following libraries:

Consumer Health Information Program

The Consumer Health Information Program assists the public with medical research by providing information from reliable sources. Customers are invited to use the Norwalk Library collection which consists of books, magazines, videos, and online databases related to health topics. We also provide individualized research services.

Please be aware, we do not provide medical advice, nor are the materials we provide a substitute for a professional medical opinion.

What Can We Do for You?

We can provide you with information on topics such as:

Medical conditions or diseases
Prescription medications
Surgical procedures
General physician and hospital information
Book and website recommendations for further reading

How to Contact Us

Location: Norwalk Library

Phone: (562) 868-4003

Fax: (562) 868-4065

Email: chips@library.lacounty.gov

Online Resources

Health Databases *

Health & Fitness eBooks and Audiobooks *

Family Place

What is Family Place?

A Family Place Library is a center for early childhood information, parent education, emergent literacy, socialization, and family support. Family Place builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parent involvement, and supportive communities play a critical role in young children's growth and development. Each Family Place Library features the following core elements:

A bright, colorful, and welcoming space for young children and their parents.
A collection of books, toys, videos, music, and other materials for babies, toddlers, parents, and service providers
Access to resources that emphasize emergent literacy, reading readiness, and parent education.
Developmentally appropriate programming, such as baby and toddler storytimes for younger children and their parents.
Outreach to new and underserved populations.
The Parent-Child Workshop is a five-week workshop featuring local professionals, such as nutritionists, speech and language therapists, and child development experts, who serve as resources for parents.

The first three years of a child's life lay the foundation for learning. Get the tools and resources you need to give your child the best possible start.

Family Place Library Children playing music in Family Place Library

LA County Library Californiana Collection

Accessing the Collection

The Californiana Collection is in closed stacks at the Norwalk Library located at 12350 Imperial Hwy, Norwalk, CA 90650.

About the Collection

The Californiana Collection consists of over 24,000 books and over 200 magazine and newspaper titles in paper and on microfilm as well as a collection of state documents including state and county budgets. The goal of this collection is to present a complete picture of the history, culture, environment and artistic expression of the people of California and to some extent, the western United States.

Collection Highlights

California Census Schedules from 1850 to 1910
Copies of The Alta California newspaper 1849-1891, as well as dozens of other 19th century newspapers from Gold Rush boomtowns, the Owens Valley and San Francisco
The Los Angeles Star newspaper 1851-1879
City directories dating from the 19th century
Official city and county histories from the 19th and 20th centuries
Materials on the Donner Party, California water projects, famous California crimes, Hollywood culture, biographies of Californians, pioneer narratives of the early days of California, and histories of the state written over the course of 150 years