The Los Angeles Poets Collection was established and developed to make available representative and significant poetry produced in Los Angeles for the benefit of students and scholars, present, past, and future.

Melvin Irving Wiesburd (1927-2015) was a prominent envrionmentalist, magazine editor, writer and poet. Aside from his work with the Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control District, Weisburd is well known for his contribution to the Los Angeles beatnik poetry movement of the 50's.