News
News
An Academic Gem Returns
After two years under wraps, the renowned collections of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library are once again open to the public and to the scholars of the world.
When the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library closed its basement research facilities two years ago—including all of its renowned holdings—for a much-needed renovation, faculty member Max Novak was working on a new, annotated edition of Robinson Crusoe."I was one of the last people to be thrown out," Novak recalls with a laugh.
Initially, Novak—one of the world's leading authorities on Daniel Defoe and a distinguished professor of English and Comparative Literature at UCLA—felt confident that he had finished the research he needed for his project on the classic 18th-century tale of a castaway on a tropical island. But then as Novak reflected on his work, he recognized that broader exploration was needed.
"It would have been nice if I could have just run down to the Clark to check, but that wasn't possible," said Novak.
Novak tried to follow his hunch by visiting no lesser institution than the British Library, but all to no avail. So when the Clark Library—located in the West Adams district of Los Angeles 11 miles east of UCLA—reopened August 1, Novak was the first customer through the door at 9 a.m.
"To do this kind of work, you've got to have room and time to follow where things lead," Novak said. "You need a great library for that, and the Clark is a great library. It was such a relief to have this resource back."
Novak wasn't alone. As word spread of the re-opening of the stacks where most of the library's holdings are kept, scholars started streaming in from all over the world.
Frequently described as "a hidden gem," the library was donated to UCLA in 1926 by Los Angeles philanthropist William Andrews Clark, Jr., in honor of his father. Building on the original book collection, UCLA has turned the Clark Library into a powerful scholarly draw.
The Clark, managed in the College through the Center for 17th and 18th Century Studies, specializes in English literature, culture and history from 1640 to 1800. Among the highlights of the collection is the largest compilation of works outside of the British Library by and about the 17th-century poet and playwright John Dryden. The Clark also houses the world's largest collection of works by and about Oscar Wilde, the 19th-century poet, novelist, playwright and wit.
The shutdown was unavoidable once library staff discovered signs of moisture creeping into the two subterranean annexes where the library's holding are kept.
"Higher than acceptable humidity levels led to an outbreak of mold on some of our books in 2004," said Bruce Whiteman, head librarian at the Clark. "Although we were able to contain and eliminate the mold, experts told us that it could recur unless a major overhaul was undertaken."
The renovation started in October 2005, when Clark staff began packing up close to 70,000 books and manuscripts. The project entailed more than 7,000 file cartons and "a mountain of bubble-wrap."
With precious books and manuscripts safely ensconced at the university's Southern Regional Library Facility, crews sandblasted the Clark's annexes and sealed them against moisture.
According to Kurt Alexander, manager of the project, they then replaced aging ductwork, installed specially designed vents that ensure that air circulates constantly between the annexes' tight book shelves, and increased the size of the chiller—essentially the lungs of the new system. Fire warning and suppression systems were installed throughout the 3726 square feet of the annexes.
Despite the disruption, the library's role as the glittering salon for the world's scholars conducting research on the 17th and 18th centuries continued apace. Because the historic 1926 structure was not touched by the renovations, it continued to host special programs, including 20 scholarly conferences or lectures, two poetry readings and 13 chamber music concerts.
Still, Novak wasn't the only Clark regular to be relieved to see an end to the work. To mark the occasion, Clark officials launched a new lecture series. Funded with a new grant from William Zachs, a prominent book collector based in Scotland, the biennial William Andrews Clark Lecture on Oscar Wilde explored themes in the work of the beloved author. For the October 14 event, the guest lecturer was Merlin Holland, arguably the most famous Wilde scholar active today and the grandson of Wilde himself.
The occasion allowed the Clark to showcase a bevy of new acquisitions, including a 12,000-volume book collection donated to the library when the Heritage Book Shop, a Hollywood rare book shop, closed last summer. Novak—and legions of scholars and other enthusiasts drawn to the wealth of the collection—couldn't be happier.
"I first came to the Clark as a graduate student in the early 1950s," he said. "I found that the Clark was invaluable. It has books that aren't in any other libraries. It enables one to make unique connections."
