L.A. Central Library

* Hooray for your April 25 editorial, “Name in Haste, Repent at Leisure,” against the wholly inappropriate renaming of the Los Angeles Central Library after Mayor Richard Riordan! Where did the current batch of officeholders get the idea that every political retirement just naturally calls for the renaming of a public institution in honor of the retiree? These honorifics should be reserved for persons who are dead and clearly well thought of by the general public. Say, Will Rogers or Mark Twain. We didn’t all vote for Riordan; we don’t all like Riordan. Why should we now be forced to associate his name with a beloved institution that existed before he was born?

MIKE DUMAS

Downey

*

* I was very surprised to read that the Library Commission has voted to name the historic Central Library for Riordan. The mayor has been very supportive of the library, but has everyone forgotten that the original building was named for Dr. Rufus B. von KleinSmid, the former chancellor of USC? The new addition bears the name of the Tom Bradley Wing.

Riordan has done much for the library system, but to suggest he played a role in the restoration and expansion of the Central Library is to tamper with history. There were many heroes in that project, most notably Lod Cook, Rob Maguire and Tom Bradley, but Riordan merely presided at the opening soon after his election.

To follow the proponents’ logic, each of the 15 council districts should have a library named for the council member because all of them have voted funds for the L.A. public libraries. And the names should probably be on Velcro because the players are constantly changing.

ROBERT G. REAGAN

Vallecito, Calif.

*

* Better the library should be named for the late Councilman John Ferraro, who has done much more for Los Angeles.

EDITH WATERHOUSE

Pacific Palisades