A man surveys the newspapers available for reading at an open-air public library in Pershing Square, downtown Los Angeles. The Pershing Square outdoor library was opened in December of 1936, and was staffed by W.P.A. workers. Visitors to the library could choose to borrow a book by simply leaving their name. The library was quite popular, circulating 24,000 books in its first six months of operation, and spawning other outdoor libraries in Los Angeles.
