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Follow the Money: L.A.’s Economic History

L.A. is one of the world’s great regional economies and global labs, and this is in large part because its citizens have been willing to invest in public infrastructure. From railroads to housing, learn more about the history of how L.A. has developed. One fascinating look at L.A.’s growth is The Rise and Fall of Urban Economies: Lessons from San Francisco and Los Angeles by Michael Storper, which studies the stark differences between trends in Southern and Northern California’s economies and how this impacts the entire state. This book is part of a collection from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation that we’re spotlighting this summer. You can also journey down L.A.’s money trail with Steven P. Erie’s book, Globalizing L.A.: Trade, Infrastructure, and Regional Development.

Explore more about urban reform, lost communities, housing challenges, and other issues faced in a growing L.A. with these other books:

Beyond Chinatown: The Metropolitan Water District, Growth, and the Environment in Southern California by Steven P. Erie

 

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Terminal Island: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor by Naomi Hirahara and Geraldine Knatz

The Haynes Foundation and Urban Reform Philanthropy in Los Angeles: A History of the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation by Tom Sitton

Houses of Los Angeles Volume 1 by Sam Watters

Los Angeles Preface to a Master Plan edited by George W. Robbins and L. Deming Tilton

 

Maynard L. Parker: Modern Photography and the American Dream by Jennifer Watts

Cities Are for People; The Los Angeles Region Plans for Living by Mel Scott

If you want to learn more about local history, check out the LAPL’s photo collection series Shades of L.A., which includes several of the above photos made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation. Read more about the life and work of Haynes in Tom Sitton’s book John Randolph Haynes, California Progressive.

 

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Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA

Stacy Lieberman

As President and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA), Stacy Lieberman is an innovative and inclusive leader whose career dwells at the intersection of arts and culture, lifelong learning, storytelling, and equitable access. Stacy guides the Foundation’s philanthropic and public-facing priorities to serve the Los Angeles Public Library, embracing the notion that libraries are beacons of democracy where everyone is welcome. She works intentionally with community leaders, donors, and internal and external strategic partners to raise awareness and resources for the Library and its life-changing initiatives.

With more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, Stacy has left an indelible mark on iconic L.A. arts, non-profit, and educational institutions such as The Broad, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the Skirball Cultural Center. Building on an early career in book publishing, she has dedicated her professional life to sharing stories and broadening the reach of public institutions to welcome visitors and students of all ages and backgrounds to experience educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.