Posted October 7, 2005.

New Orleans Public Library Services Terminated

Nearly 200 New Orleans Public Library staff have been let go as part of Mayor Ray Nagin’s October 5 directive laying off 3,000 city employees in the wake of “financial constraints in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.”

City Archivist Wayne Everard told American Libraries that “approximately 197 NOPL staff members have been laid off” and the “remaining 19 have been retained as essential to the operation of city government.”

“Thus far,” he said, “we have been working on NOPL business, but if the city decides that we are needed for other tasks, we are subject to reassignment. There are no plans to restore library services in New Orleans anytime in the near future.”

American Libraries’ calls to the mayor’s office and the Louisiana lieutenant governor’s office were not returned.

Posted October 7, 2005.