Los Angeles Central Library Lodwrick M. Cook Rotunda
Coming out of my hotel in downtown Los Angeles, a building across the way got my attention. A rather elegant-looking low-rise structure in the midst of a lot of forgettable modern highrises. It featured a square central tower, maybe five stories tall. The tower's pyramidal roof features a striking mosaic of the sun on all four faces. It turned out it was the Los Angeles Central Library.
Since I'm a sucker for beautiful old libraries (this one has a stunning new wing, too), I walked in. Strolling through the corridors, I arrived in a central rotunda where a bunch of kids were waiting for two members of the Dodgers to autograph books. At least that's what I think was going on.
Checking out the plaques, I encountered the story outlined below: The library burned in 1986; 400,000 books were destroyed along with irreplaceable materials. Here's the story as narrated by a library employee who witnessed the blaze: Remembering the Day the Library Burned. And here's more on Lodwrick Cook, the Republican oil executive who led the recovery effort: His Efforts Helped Central Library Rebuild After Fire.
Here's the plaque's text:
Lodwrick M. Cook Rotunda
Twice in 1986, arson struck Los Angeles' historic central library, rendering the building unusable and destroying more than 400,000 books. Replacement of the collection depended on support from the entire community. Lod Cook, a man inspired by a love of reading and dedicated to the free exchange of ideas, volunteered to lead the effort.
Under his leadership, supported by the resources of Arco, individuals, corporations and foundations joined together in an effort unparalleled in library history: raising $10 million for the Save the Books campaign.
In recognition of his many contributions to the Los Angeles Public Library, and the deep appreciation for his leadership, this rotunda is named in honor of Lodwrick M. Cook.
Submitted by: Dan Brekke