Leila F Clark
Entomologist and librarian at the Smithsonian Institution
About Leila F Clark
Lived 1887 – 1964 (aged 76–77). Leila F Clark was an American entomologist and librarian.
Leila Gay Forbes Clark (1887-1964) was an entomologist and librarian at the Smithsonian Institution. She was the second woman to direct the Smithsonian's library. She joined the Smithsonian in 1929 and spent the rest of her career there becoming director in 1942. During her tenure she oversaw the merger of the main Smithsonian Library with the U.S. National Museum Library which resulted in the centralized Smithsonian Libraries system currently in place.
She and her husband went on frequent butterfly expeditions and coauthored The Butterflies of Virginia in 1951. A new form of golden banded-skipper, Autochton cellus leilae, was named for her by her husband.
Personal life Clark was born in Canton, New York to Henry Prentiss Forbes and Harriet E. Wood.
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Leila Forbes Clark, Leila F. ClarkPeople in Leila F Clark's life
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Leila F Clark?
entomologist and librarian at the Smithsonian Institution
When was Leila F Clark born?
Leila F Clark was born in 1887.
When did Leila F Clark die?
Leila F Clark died in 1964.
What was Leila F Clark's occupation?
Leila F Clark was an entomologist and librarian.
What nationality was Leila F Clark?
Leila F Clark was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Leila F Clark. https://biography.guide/leila-f-clark/
MLA: "Leila F Clark." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/leila-f-clark/.
Chicago: "Leila F Clark." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/leila-f-clark/.
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