Lawrence Clark Powell

Lawrence Clark Powell (b. Washington, DC, September 6, 1906; d. Tucson, Arizona, March 14, 2001) was a librarian, literary critic, bibliographer, self-proclaimed "bibliomaniac", and author of more than 100 books.

He received a BA from Occidental College in 1928, a doctorate from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France, in 1932, and Certificate of Librarianship from UC Berkeley in 1937. He was University Librarian at the UCLA Library and head librarian of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library from 1944 until 1961. He was the first Dean of the School of Library Service at UCLA.

Powell was a Tucson resident for more than 30 years and helped to found the University of Arizona's School of Library and Information Science in the 1970s. After his death in 2001, in memory of Powell's writings and reverence for the Southwest, a lecture bearing his name has been delivered each year by an author whose breadth of work reflects the values, landscape, history and culture of the region. In addition to the lecture, the library honors one person with the Lawrence Clark Powell Lifetime Achievement Award for his/her contribution to southwestern letters. This award, sometimes called "The Powie", was first presented in 2002.

Squid Ink Books has a small collection of books by Powell that are available at our website (www.squidinkbooks.com). A pdf of the special list can be sent on request via email.