Central Library Opens New Children's Wing and Sound Studio

Watching the morning crowd filter onto Harvard Street, you can feel the seasonal shift settle over the foothills. A cool, overcast Thursday brings calm air and plenty to explore across neighborhood halls and stages.

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The Lead

Glendale Central Library has unveiled its newly overhauled Youth Spaces, completing an ambitious transformation at the 1973 Brutalist landmark on Harvard Street. The project reimagined the 7,800-square-foot Children’s Room with custom hand-painted wall murals by Alix Soubiran, dedicated early-literacy discovery nooks, and low-slung reading booths tailored for families. Just down the hall, local teenagers now have their own soundproof sanctuary equipped with group study booths, gaming consoles, and an acoustic multimedia Sound Space designed for recording podcasts and music tracks.

The overhaul answers years of community requests for modern youth gathering areas downtown without altering Welton Becket and Associates' classic architectural envelope. Staff began orienting young patrons this week, with registration for free studio audio sessions and youth-led craft programs opening across library desks this afternoon.

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Local Pulse

• Vaqueros Clinch Southern California Bowl Game Berth Schools Glendale College will face Victor Valley in the postseason bowl following an impressive autumn campaign on the gridiron.

• City Hosts Free Hazardous Waste Roundup Saturday Community Residents can safely drop off leftover household chemicals, old batteries, and obsolete electronics at Verdugo Road's Lot 30.

• Firefighters Launch Annual Cram-A-Classic Toy Drive Safety Neighborhood stations opened collection bins today for new, unwrapped gifts to support local families through the holiday season.

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Today's Outlook

• High 78°F · Low 59°F — Overcast
  • Expect mild, gray skies overhead, making a light layer comfortable throughout your afternoon errands.

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What's On Around Town

Today

• Toddler Storytime Pacific Park Library (501 S Pacific Ave), 10:30–11:00 AM · Free Rhymes, bounces, and songs designed for early language foundations.

• Artifacts from an Unborn Empire Brand Library & Art Center (1601 W Mountain St), 11:00 AM–8:00 PM · Free Provocative group exhibition reconsidering how societies define civilization and memory.

• Speed Trap Comedy The Glendale Room (127 N Artsakh Ave), 8:00 PM · Paid Fast-paced downtown showcase featuring sharp sets from emerging Los Angeles comics.

Tomorrow

• Literacy Class with Instructor Ray Glendale Central Library (222 E Harvard St), 10:00 AM–Noon · Free
• Watsky x Infinity Anniversary Tour Alex Theatre (216 N Brand Blvd), 7:00 PM · Paid
• Wild Times: A Storytelling Show The Glendale Room (127 N Artsakh Ave), 8:00–10:00 PM · $10

Saturday

• Household Hazardous Waste & E-Waste Roundup City of Glendale Lot 30 (1259 N Verdugo Rd), 9:00 AM–3:00 PM · Free
• Dinosaurs at Dusk Painting Glendale Central Library (222 E Harvard St), Noon–12:45 PM · Free
• AirTalk’s FilmWeek: 35mm Sideways Alex Theatre (216 N Brand Blvd), 7:00–9:30 PM · Paid

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Spotlight & Story

• Glendale High School Oratorical
  • First contested on April 28, 1910, at the original Harvard Street campus, this interclass battle has pitted students in fierce rhetoric for over a century. Competitors deliver original speeches, execute elaborate silent living tableaux added in 1923, and sing "Glendale Boys."

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