Setting the Record Straight

As well as thanking Merle Rubin for the generous notice of my “Books Are Basic” (Book Review, Feb. 2), I write to correct an error made on the book’s jacket, which has me serving 30 years as UCLA’s head librarian. Only 17 of my 28 years there were in that position. The rest were as junior librarian, director of the Clark Library and dean of the library school. Twenty years ago, when at age 60 I recognized that new vision and energy were needed to take the libraries into the high-tech age, I was relieved to be succeeded by Robert Vosper, Page Ackerman and now by Russell Shank. Although stretched, my UCLA ties have never broken, even as my pride in the university and especially its libraries has continued to grow.

LAWRENCE CLARK POWELL

Professor Emeritus

University of Arizona