Built in 1941, the Central Library is the primary reference center for the Brooklyn Public Library system. The building, a historical landmark, is shaped like an open book, with the large, gold-accented entrance as the book's spine. Inside, Brooklyn residents can take advantage of the library's substantial collection: it houses over one million books, magazines and multimedia materials, and includes a foreign language center, a resource center for job seekers and a performance space. The library hosts many lectures, panels and classes every month.