In her fascinating 2018 book, The Library Book (Amazon), Susan Orlean recounts the story of the Los Angeles Public Library and its remarkable journey from destruction to rebirth. On April 29th, 1986, a devastating fire consumed the Central Library of Los Angeles, destroying hundreds of thousands of books and leaving much of its infrastructure in ruins. Through extensive research and interviews with those who lived through this tragedy, Orlean sheds light on how the library could be rebuilt despite such immense destruction.
The Fire at the Los Angeles Public Library
The blaze that consumed much of the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles started around 11 pm on April 29th, 1986, and burned until dawn. By then, it had destroyed 400,000 books and damaged 700,000 more. The building was also left in ruins; its fire-resistant materials had failed to contain the blaze, spreading quickly throughout the library’s many floors and departments.
The Effects of the Blaze
When news of the fire reached Angelenos, many feared that their beloved library was gone for good; however, remarkably enough, it was able to be rebuilt in just over two years due to an outpouring of support from citizens across Los Angeles. While rebuilding efforts…
