After 21 years at the school, librarian Clare Lawler will depart at the end of the year in order to spend more time traveling with her husband.
Lawler began her career at Harvard-Westlake in 1998 working as the Coordinator of the Deans’ Office. After five years, Lawler received her library science degree, marking the beginning of her 16 year tenure as a librarian.

As she prepares to travel the world, Lawler said she will remember her individual interactions with both students and the community as a whole.

“It’s funny, [but] as long as I’ve been here, it’s felt the same, and yet the student body seems to have changed also,” Lawler said. “I don’t know if it’s just because times have changed or the student body itself has changed, but it’s always been really fun to hang out kind of one-on-one with students.”

In addition to the students, Lawler said she will miss the various resources the school and her colleagues have to offer.

“There are so many smart people around here,” Lawler said. “If you have a question about geology or Shakespeare or whatever, you can get an answer here in a second; there are just resources everywhere. And I kind of take that for granted being here, but when you’re out there it’s a little harder to find smart, engaged people.”

Librarian Edith Darling said that she valued Lawler’s ability to create strong relationships with students, as well as her own relationship with Lawler.

“I am going to miss how she sort of quietly accepts the kids,” Darling said. “She accepts them for who they are, which not every adult does. And just working with her personally, that she’s kind and funny and thoughtful. In work life, you don’t necessarily choose the people you work with, and it’s always been a pleasure to work with her.”