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Hurricane Katrina Library Update: September 16Here is today’s update on how Hurricane Katrina has affected libraries. See also AL’s coverage since August 31. Anyone with first-hand information on the situation of librarians, libraries, and collections in the affected region, please email Katrina Library News at American Libraries.Federal Communications Commission, September 15: FCC Chair Kevin J. Martin proposed spending $211 million from the Universal Service Fund to restore phone and internet services to libraries, schools, hospitals, and consumers in the tri-state area affected by Hurricane Katrina. As of September 15, 310,000 of the 4.9 million phone lines that BellSouth operates in the region were still out of commission. Ken Moran, director of the FCC's Office of Homeland Security, said in the September 16 New York Times that 25% of the cellular sites were still not functioning, and seven television stations in Louisiana were still off the air. The FCC's Universal Service Fund provides some $6.5 billion annually to support telecommunication services for schools, libraries, and consumers in rural and low-income areas. Society of Southwest Archivists, September 15: NOPL Archivists Wayne Everard and Irene Wainwright write: “News from New Orleans Public Library continues to be encouraging. A small team of staff went back into the Main Library September 14 and found that the basement remains dry (no flooding from internal sources, sewer backup, etc.). The Central Business District will open back to business owners on Saturday, September 17, and presumably access to the area will then be much simpler. Power is also coming on quickly in the CBD, and we are hoping that we will be able to power up our own AC very soon. Another group of staff will be going in early next week to survey our branches and (if power is on downtown) to try to get the servers up and running. Meanwhile, courtesy of the State Library of Louisiana, we have mounted an interim version of NUTRIAS, our webpage, with a link back to the “old NUTRIAS” as a reminder of what we’re building back to.” Susan Tucker, curator of books and records at the Newcomb College Center for Research on Women, Tulane University, writes: “The Vorhoff Library and Newcomb Archives has some flooding. The extent of the damage is not yet known, but the bulk of the collections are undamaged. Standing water in the reading room, however, will mean mold is setting in, and for this I have great concern for the book collections and the few archival collections located in this area. The University is working on campus-wide efforts to assess damage and establish responses.” From a note by Tulane President Scott Cowen: “The university has hired a professional firm that specializes in the restoration and rehabilitation of facilities, including our collections and archives. The firm already has provided more than 400 people to work on our campuses, and their reports are especially encouraging. They report damage that is less than initially anticipated. They have assessed the damage to our buildings, have begun to repair windows, clear away downed foliage and place tarpaulins over any missing roofing tiles.” Mississippi Library Commission, September 15: MLC has these updates to libraries affected by Katrina as of September 15 at 3:00 p.m. Hancock County Library System, Bay St. Louis: The Bay St. Louis Library suffered severe roof and water damage, but the building will be restored for use as a library. The Waveland branch is still standing, but it has been gutted and has structural damage. The Pearlington branch is still standing, but it is also gutted with everything lost. The Kiln branch had window and roof damage; library staffers are checking books out by hand; the meeting room is being used as a visitors reception area by members of the Florida Emergency Management Agency. Jackson-George Regional Library System, Pascagoula: The main library had about one foot of water on the first floor and is closed indefinitely. The other seven branches had minimal damage and reopened September 14. An estimated 20,000–40,000 items were lost, not counting the Pascagoula collection. The Moss Point branch is serving as headquarters. Long Beach Public Library: Director Jeannie Ripoll believes she might be able to salvage some materials from the top floor. Pearl River County Library System, Picayune: All libraries reopened September 13. There is so great a demand for internet access that it is limited to 30 minutes at a time. Library staffers indicate they have “euphoria at the end of the day and the sense of having accomplished something that will truly help others.” New Orleans Times-Picayune, September 15: Metairie Park Country Day school will reopen in January. Katrina left water standing in the middle and upper school library. Library of Congress, September 16: The Library of Congress and First Book will join together to place millions of books into the hands of children and families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. “Book Relief” will be officially launched at the National Book Festival on the National Mall on Saturday, September 24. A celebration of the joys of reading, the National Book Festival is organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress. “On September 24, First Book will be part of the National Book Festival’s Pavilion of the States, adjacent to the tables representing Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama,” said James H. Billington, the Librarian of Congress. “At the First Book table, members of the public will be able to learn about and contribute to this ambitious effort to provide appropriate books to individuals of all ages, as well as to libraries, schools and other institutions affected by Hurricane Katrina.” First Book is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to give new books to children in need across the country. Posted September 16, 2005. |
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