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Gulf Coast Libraries Get $17.7 Million for RebuildingIn a June 22 announcement, three groups announced the donation of $17.7 million to aid in the rebuilding of Gulf Coast libraries damaged in 2005 by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and to establish services where none still exist.The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $12.2 million, to be administered by SOLINET, for up to 22 bookmobiles or temporary mini-branches. “The need for public access will only increase,” declared Allan Golston, president of U.S. programs for the foundation. He added that the foundation’s contribution was “significant but not enough,” hoping that it would serve as “a catalyst for more support from government and public sources.” Golston went on to note how in the hurricanes’ aftermath, library workers helped area residents “connect to loved ones, contact FEMA and insurance companies, find new housing, and rebuild their lives when other social and civil services were unable to support them.” The Bush–Clinton Katrina Fund is contributing $5 million toward the reconstruction of a total of eight libraries in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The nonprofit Americans for Libraries Council will manage the grant. “The sooner libraries can start reopening their doors, the sooner Gulf Coast residents will feel they are getting back their lives,” former President George H. W. Bush said in a prepared statement. “By investing in libraries, we are empowering Americans with the ability to obtain resources for their future,” former President Bill Clinton observed. The Institute for Museum and Library Services is providing $500,000 to help staff the temporary facilities. “Together, public and private funders recognize the power of public libraries and their staff to strengthen communities and support growth and learning,” remarked IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco attended the press briefing along with Lieutenant Gov. Mitch Landrieu. Characterizing libraries as “places that pull us together across generations,” Blanco emphasized the roles libraries are playing in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “People need access to information,” she said. Noting that “crime has no role in the recovery,” Blanco cautioned, “Parents cannot let their children roam”; instead they should be visiting libraries. Posted June 23, 2006. |
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