ALA Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund has raised $50,000 for Gulf Coast libraries

Contact: Michael Dowling


ALA Chapter Relations


312-280-3200

For Immediate Release


October 17, 2005

ALA Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund has raised $50,000 for Gulf Coast libraries

(CHICAGO) The American Library Association's (ALA)
Hurricane Katrina Library Relief Fund has raised $50,000 so far to help rebuild libraries in the ravaged Gulf Coast region. Over 100 school libraries and 25 public libraries were damaged or destroyed beyond repair, and a number of academic libraries lost major portions of their collections.

“I want to thank the hundreds of ALA members that have contributed to the fund so far, including donations from corporate members such as ALA Library Champion, The Brodart Company, which recently donated $5,000 to the fund,” said ALA President-elect Leslie Burger. “I would like to challenge every ALA member to contribute. If each of us gives just $10, we have the potential to raise more that $500,000 toward the library rebuilding effort. Your donation will make a big difference in many communities where libraries might otherwise be forgotten.”

To make a tax-deductible donation to the ALA Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, or learn more about relief efforts, visit
http://www.ala.org/katrina.

The relief fund was kicked off by ALA President Michael Gorman on September 21 with initial support from Bowker, CSA, ProQuest, and RefWorks.