The Library Book

Central Library has an InfoNow Department, which exists for the purpose of answering any question that a caller might have. Often, people call for help with spelling and grammar, but others call to inquire about trivia. Some of the questions concern etiquette or more specific bits of information, such the titles of books that provide guidance on the rearing of Maltese dogs. 

The debate over whether to restore or replace the Goodhue Building persisted for 15 years. Meanwhile, the librarians unionized and formed the Librarians’ Guild in 1967. They joined the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees the following year. The guild remains active and has walked out in protest of authority, such as instances in which staff members have been fired for insubordination. In February 1969, they walked out over the commissioners’ initial refusal to pave over the garden that Goodhue designed to construct a parking lot. Eventually, the librarians won. The sculptures that occupied the garden disappeared, though some ended up at private homes, while others were relegated to the library’s basement.

In the winter of 1971, the Sylmar Earthquake struck. Its aftershock caused over 100,000 books to fly off of the shelves. Volunteers helped the staff restock the shelves, while then Governor Ronald Reagan and President Richard Nixon, a California native, provided funds to restore Central Library and two branch libraries. That year, “the Los Angeles library system turned one hundred years old” (237).

In 1871, someone who visited the Los Angeles Public Library wrote an essay “imagining a future in which the library would be miraculously compressed into an object the size of a suitcase” (239). The computer, the Internet, and smart devices have made this a reality. Central Library’s computer center has 55 desktop computers. One of the librarians told Orlean they sometimes catch patrons viewing pornography, but the librarians usually leave them to it as long as it isn’t child pornography.

Orlean next met David Aguirre, the library’s head of security. He had 46 officers working under him and 26 worked at Central Library. He noted that 80% of library patrons are male, while 80% of librarians are female. He also noted that there were, at the time of his interview with Orlean, around 100 reports of criminal activity per week. Most involved someone’s property being stolen. The Computer Center is a trouble spot due to some people staying beyond their two-hour limits, which upsets other patrons. Occasionally, Aguirre finds dead patrons.

Los Angeles Police Department officers provide security for the library, though their effectiveness has been questioned. An NBC news affiliate ran an investigative series about Central Library and reported that a range of criminal and salacious behavior occurred within the walls of the library, including sex and drug use. Many homeless people use libraries, which creates a challenge for librarians who want to welcome this community while also maintaining a comfortable space for other patrons. Accommodating homeless patrons is an issue for librarians all over the world.

Aguirre noted that “library detail is generally benign,” though there was an instance in which a mentally-ill drug addict infected with HIV/AIDS “stabbed an officer with a needle” (245). Due to his health status, the offender was charged with attempted murder. Tests showed that the officer didn’t contract the disease, but he will require ongoing tests. What Aguirre disliked most was telling people when they smelled bad, an occasional task but one that he was always sad to perform.