Glen Creason

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Glen Creason was the map librarian in the History & Genealogy department[1] at the Los Angeles Central Library, a post he held from 1979 to 2021. He is also the author of Los Angeles in Maps[2] and is a guest writer for many publications such as Los Angeles Magazine,[3][4] additionally serving as a public speaker on the topics of maps, local history, and music.[5] Creason is featured in Susan Orlean's chronicle of the Central Library, The Library Book.[6] Since 2014, Creason has been the star of a Los Angeles Public Library series called Stories from the Map Cave.[7] He retired in October of 2021.[8]

Early life

Creason's family descended from immigrants from the British Isles who came to America in the 1760s. Growing up in South Gate, Creason attended Catholic school.[9] As a kid, his father sent him to sell programs at the Coliseum for real-world job experience.[9] Over time, Creason lived in many areas of L.A., including Silverlake, Long Beach, West Los Angeles, and Culver City.[9]

Career

Creason worked at the Herald Examiner library for two years after college, then was offered a job at a library in San Dimas as a children's librarian.[10] He started as a reference librarian at the Central Library in 1979.

Feathers map collection

Creason was the librarian called when an enormous map collection was discovered at a private residence in Los Angeles in 2012.[11] It was absorbed into the library's collection, doubling its size. Creason is featured in the L.A. Review of Books documentary, Living History: The John Feathers Map Collection,[12] about the collection's discovery.

Speaking engagements

Date Venue/Series/Medium Subject
Oct. 28, 2010 Library Foundation of L.A.-sponsored ALOUD series, L.A. Central Library[13] Maps and map history
Jan. 6, 2011 Google: Santa Monica offices[14] Maps and map history
Sept. 16, 2011 Libros Schmibros at the Hammer Museum[15] Maps and map history
July 24, 2013 California State University Fullerton video[16] Maps and map history
October 2013 You Can't Eat the Sunshine podcast, Episode 39: "Maps & Montezuma"[17] Maps and map history
Aug. 2014 Stories from the Map Cave; a Los Angeles Public Library series[18] Maps and map history

Bibliography

  • Los Angeles in Maps (2010)
  • LAtitudes: An Angeleno's Atlas (2015)

External links

  • 2015 Los Angeles Times profile of Creason, "Following L.A.'s history through maps,"[19] by David Ulin
  • 2012 Los Angeles Times profile of Creason, "Los Angeles librarian is all over the maps,"[20] by Larry Harnisch

References

  1. ^ "Glen Creason, Librarian III, History & Genealogy Department | Los Angeles Public Library". lapl.org. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  2. ^ "www.amazon.com/Glen-Creason/e/B004KO6PPG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share". amazon.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  3. ^ "Los Angeles Central Library Turns 90 Today Los Angeles Magazine". lamag.com. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  4. ^ "This Is What the Fourth of July in L.A. Was Like 100 Years Ago Los Angeles Magazine". lamag.com. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  5. ^ "Glen Creason, Author at Los Angeles Magazine". lamag.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  6. ^ Lewis, Michael (2018-10-15). "The Library Fire That Ignited an Author's Imagination". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-13.
  7. ^ "Los Angeles Public Library". youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  8. ^ "Fare Thee Well, Glen Creason".
  9. ^ a b c "The neighborhood's first TV set was the Creason family's 'pride and joy' - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  10. ^ "Los Angeles librarian is all over the maps - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  11. ^ "A Huge Vintage Map Collection's Unlikely Journey". video.nationalgeographic.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  12. ^ Living History: The John Feathers Map Collection, retrieved 2019-11-13
  13. ^ "Los Angeles in Maps: Glen Creason & D.J. Waldie on Vimeo". vimeo.com. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  14. ^ "Glen Creason | Talks at Google". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  15. ^ "Libros Schmibros: Lower Left Blue: L.A. Cartography". Hammer Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  16. ^ "Glen Creason". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  17. ^ "Episode #39: Maps & Montezuma". Esotouric. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  18. ^ "Stories from the Map Cave: Los Angeles Street Guides". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  19. ^ "Following L.A.'s history through maps". Los Angeles Times. 9 February 2015.
  20. ^ "Los Angeles librarian is all over the maps". Los Angeles Times. 20 September 2012.