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Join us for a virtual discussion of Susan Orleans' "The Library Book." Register for a Zoom link.
The author reopens the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in American history. This book chronicles the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) fire, and its aftermath, to showcase the crucial role that libraries play in our lives. The author delves into the evolution of libraries around the world, from their humble beginnings to their status as a cornerstone of the community; brings the departments of the library to life through on-the-ground reporting; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL. The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library? In addition to examining the circumstances of the fire, the author delves into the history of the LAPL. The book introduces us to a cast of characters from libraries past and present - from Mary Foy; who in 1880 at eighteen years old was named the head of the LAPL at a time when men still dominated the role, to Dr. C.J.K. Jones, "The Human Encyclopedia," who roamed the library dispensing information. The book introduces readers to Charles Lummis, an eccentric journalist and adventurer who was determined to make the L.A. library one of the best in the world, and to the staff in the twenty-first century, who work every day to ensure that their institution remains a vital part of the city it serves.
The Main library is an epicenter of information and the various forms of literacy. Its assets expand beyond books, audiobooks and DVDs to include public Internet stations and building-wide Wi-Fi, arts performances and displays, author presentations, financial and immigration programs, and much more. The Main Library is the primary focus of our absolute and continuous commitment to meeting the diverse expectations and needs of Evanston residents.
La Biblioteca Principal es un epicentro de información y diversas formas de alfabetización. Sus colecciones se expanden más allá de los libros, audiolibros y DVD para incluir estaciones públicas de Internet y Wi-Fi en todo el edificio, presentaciones y exhibiciones artísticas, presentaciones de autores, programas financieros y de inmigración, y mucho más. La Biblioteca Principal es el enfoque nuestro compromiso absoluto y continuo para cumplir con las diversas expectativas y necesidades de los residentes de Evanston.