Photo, above: Alysn Souza is working on restoring a painting in a drawing room at the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library. The room is used for public programs. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times / July 7, 2010)
Many a scholar dreams of bequeathing an academic library and knowing it will be carefully tended for posterity.
Brick walls hide the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library from passersby and most UCLA undergraduates have never heard of it. Those who know the rare-book library say it is unmatched and unforgettable:
“In 1926, (William Andrews) Clark donated the collection (then around 13,000 books) and the library grounds, along with a $1.5 million endowment, to the Southern Branch of the University of California, which later became UCLA. The school assumed full control when Clark died in 1934. His will contained only one restriction — that books could only leave the library for repairs.
“The endowment covers book purchases and library maintenance, while UCLA pays staff salaries.
“The library is open to the public, but readers must register and provide photo identification. On a typical day, 10 to 12 people visit, Whiteman said. Summers are the busiest time because that’s when scholars from other universities are free to travel.
“Each year, the library hosts a visiting professor who plans a series of literary conferences, and offers several graduate fellowships. The library also produces a winter concert series.”
