Category Archives: Libraries

Reading Los Angeles: Glen Creason

Posted on September 26, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: “Murder at the Sleepy Lagoon” by Eduardo Obregón Pagán. In interviewing Los Angeles Public Library map librarian Glen Creason, I asked about his favorite books on Los Angeles. There wasn’t space to include the list with the story, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, History, Libraries, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Glen Creason: All Over the Maps

Posted on September 20, 2012 by lmharnisch

My latest column for The Times is a chat with LAPL map librarian Glen Creason. Check it out.

Posted in History, Libraries | 1 Comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Brand Library

Posted on September 10, 2012 by lmharnisch

“Aerodrome Replacing Country-House Garage,” Illustrated London News, Oct. 29, 1921, Courtesy of Mary Mallory Unique thematic architectural homes stand out all around the Los Angeles area, like Yamashiro and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Barnsdall, Freeman, and Storer residences, just to name … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Film, Hollywood Heights, Libraries, Location Sleuth, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

On Assignment

Posted on July 3, 2012 by lmharnisch

I’m on assignment this week, so posting will be light.

Posted in History, Libraries | Comments Off on On Assignment

Reading ‘Mad Men’ — Mom’s Edition

Posted on April 6, 2012 by lmharnisch

The Daily Mirror HQ is not equipped to receive “Mad Men,” so the TV sensation is lost on us. However, several “Mad Men” reading lists are floating around the Web for possible inclusion on your Zombie Reading List: The New … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Libraries, Television | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Making Sense of the 1940 Census

Posted on April 4, 2012 by lmharnisch

Kerry Bartels of the National Archives in Riverside will give a presentation at the downtown Los Angeles Public Library on Thursday on the newly released 1940 census material. The presentation is at 12:15 p.m. in Meeting Room A. Bartels will … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940, Libraries | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

‘Full Service’: Fun With Fact-Checking, Part 23

Posted on April 4, 2012 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m doing a little fact-checking as I go through Scotty Bowers’ “Full Service.” This will be fairly tedious except to a research drudge. I’m examining the history of 1110 Benedict Canyon Drive, where, as … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, Another Good Story Ruined, Architecture, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Libraries | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Eve Golden and John Gilbert, a Research Odyssey

Posted on March 27, 2012 by lmharnisch

Larry thought that some of you fellow research nerds might be interested in my trip to the Library of Congress to see four John Gilbert films for my upcoming biography. First, I must tell you I could not have picked … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Libraries | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on March 19, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: A Johnny Lightning Santa Monica Maniacs Haulin’ Hearse listed on EBay with bids starting at $1.30. Queen of the Dead – dateline March 19, 2012   •  The Telegraph has come through with another corking portrait of a colorful … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Eve Golden, Found on EBay, Libraries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

‘Full Service’: Fun With Fact-Checking, Part 8

Posted on March 6, 2012 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m doing a little fact-checking as I go through Scotty Bowers’ “Full Service.” This will be fairly tedious except to a research drudge. Good grief, Harnisch, eight posts and you’re still on Page 1? … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Brain Trust, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Libraries, World War II | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Ansel Adams – Images of Los Angeles

Posted on March 2, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: “The Pup.” Notice that it served French dip sandwiches! Credit: Los Angeles Public Library. I stopped by the reception for the Ansel Adams show at drkrm, 727 S. Spring St., on Wednesday night to see the photos of Los … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming Attractions, Libraries, Nuestro Pueblo, Photography, World War II | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Found on EBay – ‘Bert Williams: Son of Laughter’

Posted on February 28, 2012 by lmharnisch

Note: This post has been corrected. A rather bedraggled copy of “Bert Williams: Son of Laughter,” a tribute to the  vaudeville entertainer,  has been listed on EBay at $300. Although that might seem high, this is a fairly rare edition … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, African Americans, Books and Authors, Found on EBay, Libraries, Stage | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

‘Full Service’: Fun With Fact-Checking, Part 2

Posted on February 22, 2012 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m doing a little fact-checking as I go through Scotty Bowers’ “Full Service.” This will be fairly tedious except to a research drudge. Pages XI to X of “Full Service” set the scene on … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Libraries | Tagged , | 24 Comments

‘Full Service’: Fun With Fact-Checking, Part 1

Posted on February 21, 2012 by lmharnisch

“Full Service,” by Scotty Bowers with Lionel Friedberg. One of the guiding principles at the Los Angeles Daily Mirror is that history is not the exclusive domain of straight, white, Protestant males. As long as I have been blogging about … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Libraries | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo – Help the Los Angeles Public Library!

Posted on February 10, 2012 by lmharnisch

Dear Brain Trust: Our friends at the Los Angeles Public Library photo collection are trying to identify this photo. I know you can do it!

Posted in Architecture, Libraries, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Me vs. Wikipedia

Posted on February 7, 2012 by lmharnisch

I drew a range of reactions with my recent post “A World Without Wikipedia: Not Such a Bad Idea,”  in which I said “I don’t know a single serious researcher who considers it anything other than a joke.”That isn’t precisely … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Libraries | Tagged , | 29 Comments

W.C. Fields and the Los Angeles Public Library — Mystery Photo

Posted on November 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

Last night, I was watching “The Bank Dick,” as I have  many times before, but this was the first with my new plasma TV, so I was much more aware of the detail. I spotted a photo of what looked … Continue reading →

Posted in 1926, Film, Hollywood, Libraries, Location Sleuth, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

In Praise of Libraries

Posted on November 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Take a moment to read Steve Lopez’s column about his son, a librarian working to restore services that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina: The notion that libraries could be replaced by Google is tantamount to suggesting that Americans are better … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Libraries | Tagged | 1 Comment

Librarian Glen Creason Gives a Research Lesson

Posted on October 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s a fun video showing Los Angeles Public Library map expert Glen Creason giving some assistance to a patron. This is particularly useful to dispel the view – held by certain termed-out law ‘n’ order city councilmen – that all … Continue reading →

Posted in Genealogy, Libraries | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Shakespeare, ‘Anonymous’ and Nonsense

Posted on October 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Trailer for “Anonymous.” In a New York Times op-ed piece, Columbia English professor James Shapiro challenges the premise of Roland Emmerich’s upcoming film “Anonymous,” which presents Edward de Vere as the true author of (wait for it) all of … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Libraries, Museums, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments