Norwalk Regional Library1

History
The Norwalk Regional Library started out in July, 1913 as the 17th branch of the Los Angeles County Free Library through the efforts of a committee of the Commercial Club. The collection of 500 books was housed in a second floor room of the Stiffler Building at 537 E. Front Street. In 1919, Hattie Sproul, a member of the city's founding family, supervised the library.

When oil was discovered in nearby Santa Fe Springs in the 1920's there was a population boom in Norwalk; the library's collection and circulation also increased to the point that it needed a building of its own. In January, 1926, the library moved to new quarters built by Charles Stage at 13620 S. San Antonio Drive.

In 1956, a year before the city was incorporated, a new library building was opened across from the old one on San Antonio Drive. In just 13 years, the collection outgrew that facility despite the addition of a wing to accommodate the expanding children's department. The city inaugurated the opening to public service of the 39,000 square foot building at 12350 Imperial Highway in July 1969.