Library Donations

The headline over your article (May 3) on million-dollar donations to the Los Angeles Library, “Library Names for Sale,” connotes my objections to this type of arrangement during service as a library commissioner. While a million dollars isn’t exactly chopped liver, it does cheapen the process if there is no reason to name a library branch except that someone happens to have the money and makes no other contribution, past or present, to the institution of public libraries.

Under this policy it would appear that the late Councilman Gil Lindsay, who, as much as any individual was responsible for our new Central Library, would not have a branch named for him.

The purpose of Andrew Carnegie was well known at the time of his endowments. The Goldwyn family and Mrs. Glorya Kaufman came to the aid of the library system before it was for sale. Council members Jackie Goldberg and Nate Holden are to be commended for their positions.

Now we know what all the rhetoric about values and role models really means: money!

FRANK W. TERRY

Los Angeles