Presentation: LA Times Letters to the Editor

Presented by the Magazines and Newspapers Center
Thursday, 6/26/2025
6:00 - 7:30
Learning Studio - 5th Fl
Main Library
Address

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

Contact Telephone

A former Los Angeles Times journalist speaks on the importance of professional fact checking and shares favorite letters from his thirteen-year period overseeing the Letters to the Editor section of the paper. 

Earlier this year, Paul Thornton took a buyout offer from the new billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, capping off a twenty-year career in the Opinion section of the paper. In a recent Open Forum piece published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Thornton reflects on what he learned reading thousands of letters from the "most informed, politically engaged people in California.” At our event, Thornton shares stories from his career and highlights letters he published that shine with sheer humanity. He also answers questions from SFPL Magazines and Newspapers Librarians about the need for professional fact-checking in newspaper content, ways we can build trust in our information ecosystems and the recent changes in the Opinion sections at the LA Times and the Washington Post.  

Connect 

Paul Thornton – LA Times | Paul Thornton – X | Paul Thornton – LinkedIn  

Los Angeles Times - Historical (1881 to 1999, full text PDF) | Los Angeles Times - Text Edition (1985 to current, full text) | Los Angeles Times - Record Edition (2008 to current, full image text) 

San Francisco Chronicle - Historical & Recent (NewsBank) 


Summer Stride is the Library's annual summer learning, reading and exploration program for all ages and abilities. Read and learn with the Library all summer long.

Programs that highlight how the library's vast periodicals collection can help you dig deeper in your research, expand your horizons and stay informed.


This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.


Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

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The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.