Lawrie Ryan spent his early childhood on a farm at Paruna, South Australia but had to move to the city after his father died in 1937. For several years he was often separated from his mother, living in boarding houses. He completed his schooling at Adelaide Technical High School. Ryan worked in the Public Library of South Australia (1946-47) before spending two years working on sheep and cattle stations in South Australia and South West Queensland. He rejoined the SA State Library staff, where he worked until 1966, completing an Arts degree at the University of Adelaide. During this period he also studied at the Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago. Ryan worked in the Australian Parliamentary Library (1966-1970) and was the State Librarian of Queensland (1970-1988).
