Celebrate Summer Reading and Support Glendale Library, Arts & Culture with a Custom Tote Designed by Artist Asher Bingham

The Summer Reading Challenge is happening now through August 9, 2025 at any of the eight Glendale neighborhood library branches.

This summer, Glendale Library, Arts & Culture invites readers of all ages to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge, a seasonal celebration of books, creativity, and community. When you sign up at any of the eight neighborhood library branches, you’ll receive a FREE limited-edition tote bag designed by Los Angeles-based artist Asher Bingham. Totes are available while supplies last.

The custom tote features detailed illustrations of the eight library branches, the beloved Bookmobile, and the Beyond the Box public art utility boxes. Each illustration represents the  unique neighborhoods and cultural landmarks that define the Glendale community. Created by Bingham, whose compassionate artistry became widely recognized after the January 2025  Eaton and Palisades fires by offering free, hand-drawn portraits of lost homes to affected families. The tote is both a functional keepsake and a visual tribute to local resilience.

Through partnerships with artists, public art programs, and community-centered events like the Summer Reading Challenge, the City of Glendale’s Arts and Culture Commission continues to shape Glendale into a thriving cultural destination within Southern California.

About Library, Arts & Culture

Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library and performance venue. Glendale Library Arts & Culture is supported in part through the efforts of the Glendale Library Arts & Culture Trust (GLACT). For more information visit GlendaleLAC.org, or contact Library, Arts & Culture at 818-548-2021 or via email at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov.

About the City of Glendale & its Arts and Culture Commission

Known as the “Jewel City,” Glendale is the fourth largest city of Los Angeles County. With a population of more than 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers nearly 50 public parks, and easy access to a municipal airport. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, and banking. Its Arts and Culture Commission administers a developer- funded program which is working to transform Glendale into an arts and culture destination for the Southern California region. The mission of the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission is to enrich the human experience, reinforce Glendale’s identity and civic pride through arts and culture, and to recognize the importance of arts to our quality of life and to the local economy. This is accomplished by consciously integrating arts and culture into the daily life of the people of Glendale through urban design, planning, economic development, and education. For more information about the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission see the website: GlendaleArtsandCulture.org.

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