Lawrence Clark Powell
Lawrence Clark Powell
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Lawrence Clark Powell was an American librarian, archivist, and writer. He is also known as L.C. Powell.
Birth and Death Dates
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Lawrence Clark Powell was born on April 12, 1906, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He passed away on December 4, 2001.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Powell was an American of English descent. Throughout his career, he held various positions as a librarian, archivist, and writer.
Early Life and Background
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Lawrence Clark Powell grew up in Chicago, Illinois, with a strong affinity for literature and the arts. His early exposure to poetry by Edgar Lee Masters influenced his future endeavors. Powell's family moved frequently during his childhood due to his father's occupation as an electrician. These moves allowed him to experience diverse environments and eventually settle in Los Angeles.
Powell attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. He later pursued graduate studies at the same institution, focusing on librarianship. Powell's academic pursuits culminated with a Master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Major Accomplishments
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Lawrence Clark Powell's contributions to American librarianship are multifaceted:
Development of the Special Collections Department: At UCLA, Powell spearheaded the establishment and growth of the Special Collections department. This groundbreaking initiative enabled the library to amass a vast collection of rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials.
Acquisitions and Curation: Powell played a pivotal role in acquiring significant collections for the library, including rare literary manuscripts and historical documents.
Notable Works or Actions
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Powell's most notable works include:
"Books and Readers: A Study of the Relationship Between Library Services and Community Needs" (1946) - This research-based book explores the intersection of librarianship and community development.
"The Collector and His World" (1953) - Powell's work sheds light on the importance of collecting and preserving rare materials for future generations.
Impact and Legacy
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Lawrence Clark Powell's influence extends far beyond his professional accomplishments:
Innovative Librarian: Powell's pioneering efforts in developing Special Collections departments have inspired libraries across the United States.
Preservation of Cultural Heritage: His dedication to collecting, preserving, and showcasing rare materials has helped safeguard America's cultural heritage for future generations.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Lawrence Clark Powell is widely quoted and remembered due to his profound impact on American librarianship. His innovative approach to collection development, curation, and preservation has left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire libraries today.
Powell's commitment to community needs and cultural heritage has earned him recognition within the academic and professional communities. His dedication to preserving rare materials for future generations is particularly notable. As a result of his tireless efforts, Powell remains an influential figure in the world of librarianship and beyond.
Quotes by Lawrence Clark Powell
Lawrence Clark Powell's insights on:
Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking.
The good writer, the great writer, has what I have called the three S’s: the power to see, to sense, and to say. That is, he is perceptive, he is feeling, and he has the power to express in language what he observes and reacts to.
We all think were going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectation aren’t met, but sometimes our expectations sell us short. Sometimes the expected simply pales in comparison to the Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.
We all think were going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectation aren't met, but sometimes our expectations sell us short. Sometimes the expected simply pales in comparison to the Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.
Believers and doers are what we need - faithful librarians who are humble in the presence of books.... To be in a library is one of the purest of all experiences. This awareness of library's unique, even sacred nature, is what should be instilled in our neophites.
A book is one of the most patient of all man's inventions. Centuries mean nothing to a well-made book. It awaits its destined reader, come when he may, with eager hand and seeing eye. Then occurs one of the great examples of union, that of a man with a book, pleasurable, sometimes fruitful, potentially world-changing, simple; and in a library...witho ut cost to the reader.
Books are islands in the ocean of time. They are also oases in the deserts of time.
I have always been reconciled to the fact that I was born a bibliomaniac, never have I sought a cure, and my dearest friends have been drawn from those likewise suffering from book madness.
This is the gift all writers seek-to write language that incandesces yet does not melt.